(Photo: Welch's Craft Cocktails)
On Friday, childhood-favorite juice brand Welch's quietly announced the debut of a canned cocktail line brimming with twists on recognizable classics.
In collaboration with the Oklahoma-based Coop Ale Works, most famous for its catalog of IPAs, the team has unveiled Welch's Craft Cocktails. Colorful entries in the range include Vodka Cranberry, Vodka Transfusion and Watermelon Mule flavors containing 5.9% ABV and made with real fruit juice. A fourth flavor, Passion Fruit Mojito, is made not with vodka but with "grain-neutral spirits," according to the brand.
“These products were developed to elevate the experience of ready-to-drink cocktails by using real fruit juices and ingredients that today’s consumers are looking for," Ryan Stump, Coop Beverage Works’ vice president of business operations told Food & Wine. "Whether these drinks are being enjoyed at dinner parties, out on the golf course, or after a long day at work, Welch’s Craft Cocktails deliver a refreshing experience with quality ingredients.”
Unusual as a canned Welch's cocktail may sound, the brand is one of many nostalgic beverages reinterpreting its recipe with a boozy twist.
Over the past two years, consumers have marveled at alcohol-soaked releases from Simply Lemonade, Rocket Pop, Sunny D, Sprite, 7 Up and Minute Maid. The sheer quantity of unexpected flavors — a change of pace from the 2010's fascination with hard seltzers — has flooded liquor store shelves with familiar faces.
While most of these options are headed up by prominent players like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, Welch's is owned and operated by the National Grape Cooperative Association. Similar to Ocean Spray and its recently released Sparkling Cranberry Cocktails, the brand functions under a co-op structure made up of hundreds of local grape farmers.
If you're hoping to trade out your fruit snacks for something more potent (and you're of legal drinking age), Welch's canned cocktails will soon be arriving at select retailers across the U.S. at a yet-announced price.
"Welch's longstanding reputation for quality in fruit-based food and beverages, spanning over 150 years, speaks volumes about our dedication to consumer satisfaction." Chris Kwiat, vice president of corporate communications, partnerships, and transformational innovation at Welch's said.
“We are extremely excited to enter this growing category and provide adult consumers with a flavor-forward cocktail with real fruit juices and quality ingredients.”
