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The Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focused on the latest news in the rapidly changing and growing beverage sector. From inaugural product lines to big investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench the thirst for developments in the category.
Nestlé’s Tombstone pizza hops into the beer space
Pizza has long been a popular pairing with beer. Now Tombstone, a pizza born in a Wisconsin bar 66 years ago, is returning to its roots.
The Nestlé-owned brand is teaming up with IPA brewer, Voodoo Ranger, on a pizza-flavored beer called I(Pizza)A. The brew is described as “the ultimate blend of a Tombstone crispy crust, tangy tomato sauce, and savory herbs and spices.” It also reportedly features a finishing pepperoni kick of heat.
The limited-edition offering will be available for purchase at Voodoo Ranger on April 7, National Beer Day, with a four-pack costing $50. And starting today, consumers can sign up for a chance to win a four-pack of Voodoo Ranger’s I(Pizza)A and one of the all-new, yet-to-be-announced pizzas coming from Tombstone.
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Sprinter
From cosmetics to cocktails
The crowded ready-to-drink beverages space is getting another famous entrant.
Makeup mogul and “Kardashians” personality Kylie Jenner is launching Sprinter, a canned vodka soda cocktail made of real fruit juice and sparkling water. The drinks contain 4.5% alcohol by volume with no added sugar, according to the brand. Sprinter will be available in four flavors — Black Cherry, Lime, Grapefruit and Peach — starting March 21 on the brand’s website.
“Sprinter is my answer to the growing consumer demand for quality canned cocktails — we’re adding to a market dominated by only a few players with an incredibly delicious vodka soda in a can,” Jenner said in a statement.
According to the press release, Jenner developed the new products in partnership with beverage industry veteran Chandra Richter. She holds a PhD in molecular biology and previously served in executive roles for Keurig’s discontinued Drinkworks brand.
The drink isn’t the first of its kind from the Kardashian empire. Rapper Travis Scott, who shares two children with Jenner, launched agave-based hard seltzer brand Cacti with beverage giant Anheuser-Busch in 2020. The offering was discontinued at the end of 2021 after a crowd-crush incident at Scott’s Astroworld concert in Houston. Scott teased a relaunch of the brand last December after he was spotted at a Brooklyn Nets game holding a newly designed can of Cacti.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Boston Beer
Boston Beer cruises toward summer with spiked tea
As warm weather approaches, a leader in the beverage sector is launching a hard tea drink that it hopes will shine on shelves.
Boston Beer is debuting Sun Cruiser Iced Tea & Vodka, a ready-to-drink offering containing 4.5% alcohol by volume. The beverage is available in four varieties — Classic Iced Tea, Lemonade + Iced Tea, Raspberry and Peach. It is available across 17 states, with national distribution to follow later in the year, according to the company.
In a statement, Erica Taylor, Boston Beer’s senior brand director, pointed to Circana data showing burgeoning sales in the alcoholic tea category.
“The hard iced tea and ready-to-drink space is on fire — seeing continued double-digit growth this year — so we’re excited to introduce Sun Cruiser to those looking for smooth, easy refreshment that’ll let the good times cruise,” Taylor said.
The launch of Sun Cruiser comes after the company reported poor sales in its most recent quarter, with a 12% drop in net revenue. The company said stronger sales from its leading hard tea brand, Twisted Tea, offset losses in categories like beer.
Boston Beer also named Michael Spillane as its new CEO. He is set to take the helm April 1. The company’s founder, Jim Koch, said in a statement Spillane has the ability to navigate the company through a volatile, rapidly changing environment for alcohol.
— Chris Casey
