Absolut is serving up something special with the group, Sugababes. Just like the girls themselves, this exciting cocktail range is all about flavour, style, and creativity. Featuring renowned Absolut Vodka flavours — including Absolut Raspberri, Absolut Vanilia, and Absolut Hunni — each cocktail puts a fresh twist on a classic recipe, capturing the essence of the Sugababes in every sip.
AbsolutPush the Berri Button Collins – by Mutya
AbsolutRound Round Martini – by Keisha
AbsolutHunni Like Me Martini – by Siobhan
Absolut and Sugababes are calling all fans to go "Round Round" to their local stores to be in the mix for winning exclusive prizes including tickets, merch and signed goodies. Consumers will be able to enter a competition to see the band live on their 2025 tour just by scanning a QR code in-store and can increase their chances to win by purchasing a bottle of Absolut flavoured vodka (Absolut Hunni, Absolut Raspberri and Absolut Vanilia). Consumers will be asked to input the last four digits of the bottle’s barcode as proof of purchase when entering the competition via the Absolut website.
Throughout their 2025 tour, the iconic pop trifecta will be autographing a limited number of Absolut flavoured vodka bottles, which will be available for fans to win across Absolut’s social media channels throughout the tour. Additionally, Absolut will be offering limited ‘Tab on Tour’ bar tabs at selected Revolution venues throughout Sugababes April tour (T&Cs below).
“Absolut believes we’re Born To Mix – celebrating the power of blending, whether it’s drinks, ideas or people," said Alison Perrottet, Brand Director for Absolut UK. "With a legacy of supporting creative communities since 1979, Absolut partners with artists and musicians to spark cultural conversations and inspire progress. This partnership with the Sugababes, a group celebrated not only for their music but also for representing reinvention and unity, showcases how blending voices, talents, and perspectives can inspire and celebrate diversity and creativity.
Perrottet continued: “We’re buzzing to share this Absolut Vodka cocktail collection with you – each drink is inspired by our own bold and unique style! From the playful energy of Mutya’s Push the Berri Button Collins to the sophistication of Keisha’s Round Round Martini, and the classic charm of Siobhan’s Hunni Like Me Martini. It’s all about mixing things up, having fun, and bringing new twists to classic recipes we love. Enjoy! – Sugababes.”
Heineken UK is expanding its classic Irish stout brand, Murphy’s (four per cent ABV), with the introduction of new 4x440ml and 10x440ml multipacks to tap into the stout category’s growing popularity. The new formats will roll out across the grocery, wholesale and convenience channels from March 2025.
The stout category has performed incredibly well over the past year as consumer demand for the "black stuff" surges, with strong value and volume growth in the total market of +23.7 per cent and +18 per cent, respectively. In the off-trade, specifically, stout has grown +15.6 per cent in value and +11.3 per cent in volume.
Founded in Cork in 1856, Murphy’s Irish Stout has always been a trusted, authentic stout brand, and this position has been solidified over the past year as the demand for stout has increased and consumers explore the category further – with many discovering Murphy’s for the first time due to increased distribution in pubs and bars.
Murphy’s saw a significant increase in sales across 2024, resulting in a total uplift of 104 per cent for the year. This peaked in December, when there was overwhelming demand for Murphy’s, with pints up an incredible 632 per cent in UK pubs and bars, compared to the same period in 2023.
“Given stout’s surging performance across the total market, we have seen consumers explore the category further,” said Alexander Wilson, Category & Commercial Strategy Director, Off Trade.” As a credible, authentic stout option, Murphy’s has exploded in the on-trade over the past year. This expansion of formats in the off-trade will enable even more customers to maximise the stout opportunity and provide consumers with quality options to enjoy at home.”
Murphy’s boasts a well-fired, toasty and earthy taste with notes of toffee, coffee and chocolate. Its silky-smooth feel also features aromas of coffee grinds, mocha, chocolate, sweet, and malt syrup.
Murphy’s Irish Stout
Pack size: 4x440ml / 10x440ml
Case size: 6x4x440ml / 2x10x440ml
RRP: £5.00* / £12.00*
ABV: 4%
*Recommended retail price only. Retailers are free to set their own prices.
The stout category has performed incredibly well over the past year as consumer demand for the "black stuff" surges, with strong value and volume growth in the total market of +23.7 per cent and +18 per cent, respectively. In the off-trade, specifically, stout has grown +15.6 per cent in value and +11.3 per cent in volume.
Founded in Cork in 1856, Murphy’s Irish Stout has always been a trusted, authentic stout brand, and this position has been solidified over the past year as the demand for stout has increased and consumers explore the category further – with many discovering Murphy’s for the first time due to increased distribution in pubs and bars.
Murphy’s saw a significant increase in sales across 2024, resulting in a total uplift of 104 per cent for the year. This peaked in December, when there was overwhelming demand for Murphy’s, with pints up an incredible 632 per cent in UK pubs and bars, compared to the same period in 2023.
“Given stout’s surging performance across the total market, we have seen consumers explore the category further,” said Alexander Wilson, Category & Commercial Strategy Director, Off Trade.” As a credible, authentic stout option, Murphy’s has exploded in the on-trade over the past year. This expansion of formats in the off-trade will enable even more customers to maximise the stout opportunity and provide consumers with quality options to enjoy at home.”
Murphy’s boasts a well-fired, toasty and earthy taste with notes of toffee, coffee and chocolate. Its silky-smooth feel also features aromas of coffee grinds, mocha, chocolate, sweet, and malt syrup.
Murphy’s Irish Stout
Pack size: 4x440ml / 10x440ml
Case size: 6x4x440ml / 2x10x440ml
RRP: £5.00* / £12.00*
ABV: 4%
*Recommended retail price only. Retailers are free to set their own prices.
A centuries-old Indian spirit, banned during British colonial rule, is poised to make a dramatic entrance onto the UK drinks market.
Six Brothers Mahura, distilled from the culturally significant Mahura flower (Madhuca Longifolia), will launch in the UK in 2025, marking the first time this unique spirit has been sold outside of India. This launch follows the unveiling of a limited-edition ultra-premium release, the Six Brothers 1922 Resurrection Mahura, of which only 102 bottles are available.
Also known as Mahua, Mahuva, Mahuda or Mhowra, the Mahura tree is native to the forests of western and central India. Its flower has long been cherished by indigenous tribal communities and royalty alike, but its distillation was suppressed during colonial times to protect European spirit imports. Now, South Seas Distilleries, one of India’s oldest malt distilleries, is reviving this forgotten heritage with two Mahura expressions.
Six Brothers Small Batch Mahura, the spirit launching in the UK, is a premium spirit, double-distilled in copper pot stills and platinum filtered. Its complex and aromatic profile offers sweet, earthy notes of dried fruits, pepper, and ginger, followed by a clean, spicy finish with lingering raisin. The spirit is expected to be versatile, lending itself to a range of sophisticated cocktails.
To celebrate the UK launch and introduce Mahura to the market, South Seas Distilleries has launched the Six Brothers Mahura Masters cocktail competition. Set to take place in March at the prestigious Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood London, the competition invites top bartenders to create innovative cocktails using Mahura.
Andy Loudon, Director of Bars at Scarfes Bar, said the venue was the perfect setting for the launch of a new spirit category.
“With a legacy of redefining cocktail culture through creativity and narrative driven storytelling, Scarfes Bar naturally aligns with the symbolism of the Mahura flower: rare, vibrant, and full of possibility,” Loudon commented.
“The venue’s history of hosting world-class competitions and championing forward-thinking bartending makes it a fitting stage to unveil a spirit that, like the Mahura, signifies growth, transformation, and a bold new chapter in the world of cocktails.”
Drinks critic Douglas Blyde, a judge for the competition, added: “The competition provides an opportunity to introduce this groundbreaking spirit to the UK market, engaging the capital’s best talent in the process. Bartenders will have the unique chance to shape the way Mahura as a category is received in the UK, and to push the boundaries of what this versatile spirit can do in cocktails.”
The competition will see two winners being rewarded with a luxury trip to India to learn about the spirit’s cultural and distilling heritage, timed to coincide with the Mahura tree’s blooming season.
Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola ready-to-drink (RTD) has been crowned the winner of the Pre-Mixed Spirit category at the 2025 Product of the Year Awards, the UK’s largest consumer-voted accolade for product innovation.
The launch in March 2023 brought the two brands together, each with a vast global footprint, to offer a convenient, consistent bar quality drink for consumers to enjoy at home. Voted by a panel of 8,000 shoppers, the win reflects the popularity of the product among consumers and retailers alike.
To date, the drink – which includes variants with and without sugar – has generated more than £55m in sales, with Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Original Taste becoming GB's top-selling ARTD SKU. The Zero Sugar variant caters to rising demand for low and no sugar options, contributing 16 per cent of sales so far and showing strong growth potential.
To help deliver visible value for convenience shoppers, the brand introduced price-marked packs (PMPs) last summer – further solidifying Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD as a must-have offering in the convenience channel, where value remains one of shoppers’ primary motivations.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to win this prestigious award, particularly because it’s voted for by consumers themselves,” said Elaine Maher, Associate Director, Alcohol Ready-to-Drink at CCEP GB. “It’s the ultimate seal of approval, and with 71 per cent of shoppers more likely to buy a product that has won, the drink is set to go from strength to strength.
"This achievement is a powerful reminder of why we’re so passionate about innovation and delivering what consumers want in the ARTD category – which is worth £554m in GB. It’s the perfect way to kick off what’s set to be a very exciting year for our ARTD portfolio, with incredible new launches and campaigns set to unlock continued growth."
Celebrating 21 years of innovation in the UK, the Product of the Year Awards operates in more than 45 countries, offering a trusted seal that boosts brand recognition, increasing consumer awareness by 81 per cent and purchase intent by 71 per cent, helping to reinforce Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola ARTD’s leadership in the booming ARTD category.
SERVED, Ellie Goulding’s award-winning RTD brand, has announced the launch of its new range of super premium full-strength cocktails targeting the at home drinking occasion.
SERVED is the fastest-growing ready-to-drink cocktail brand in the UK1 following the success of their double measure 250ml 8% ABV premium accessible range in both retail and convenience channels.
The new super premium full-strength range, with an RRP of £3.90, specifically targets consumers looking to replicate bar serves at home and includes four cult bar favourites: Lychee Martini (14.9% ABV, 125ml), Strawberry Daiquiri (14.9% ABV, 125ml), Espresso Martini (14.9% ABV, 125ml), and Cosmopolitan (14.9% ABV, 125ml).
Each cocktail is expertly crafted with SERVED Founders Reserve spirits and the finest natural, sustainably sourced ingredients – and designed to be shaken in the can before pouring into glassware to deliver a perfect bar serve every time. The tactile design is deliberately elevated to replicate that super-premium experience you would expect, but delivered in an easy-to-serve, sustainable format.
The range has recently won two Gold (Lychee Martini and Cosmopolitan) and two Sliver (Strawberry Daiquiri and Espresso Martini) Awards at the Pre-Mixed & RTD Masters 2024.
The premium RTD cocktail category is growing at 82% year-on-year2, the fastest growing category within the total alcohol, as consumers look to enjoy high-quality cocktails in a convenient and sustainable format. A trend that shows no signs of slowing down.
The range has a national retail roll out planned from February 2025.
Dean Ginsberg, co-founder of SERVED, explains: “We’re hugely excited about this launch. We are delivering genuine innovation to the super premium cocktail category with new cocktails not currently on shelf. As a brand SERVED also attracts a much younger consumer compared to current super premium brands on the market - so we can add real value and drive incremental growth to the category”.
Ellie Goulding, co-founder of SERVED, adds: “These are my new go-to cocktails at home when I want to enjoy a fancy cocktail with my friends or family.
"They’re as fresh and delicious as the cocktails in your favourite bar, but in a convenient super premium format, allowing everyone to enjoy a high-quality drinking experience at home.”
Fortitude Drinks UK today (22) announces that it has been awarded the exclusive distribution rights for Pampero, the renowned Venezuelan rum brand, in the United Kingdom.
This partnership supports Fortitude Drinks' commitment to bringing world-class spirits to UK consumers and trade partners.
Pampero, a name synonymous with craftsmanship and premium rum, is a celebrated brand with deep roots in Venezuela's rich rum-making heritage.
It is one of the leading Rums in Europe, known for its smooth profile and exceptional quality, Pampero offers a versatile range of expressions that have earned a loyal following worldwide.
With this new partnership, UK consumers can look forward to wider access to Pampero's award-winning portfolio, including Pampero Blanco, Pampero Especial, Pamero Seleccio and the iconic Pampero Aniversario.
The addition of Pampero further bolsters Fortitude Drinks' growing portfolio of premium spirits.
With its established distribution network and expertise in introducing high-quality brands to the UK market, Fortitude Drinks is uniquely positioned to elevate Pampero’s presence across on-trade and off-trade channels.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Gruppo Montenegro and welcome Pampero into the Fortitude Drinks family,” said Nick England Managing Director of Fortitude Drinks UK.
"Pampero’s legacy of quality and authenticity perfectly aligns with our mission to provide UK consumers and partners with exceptional spirits from around the world.
"We are confident that this partnership will deliver strong results and help grow Pampero’s reputation in the highly competitive UK market.”
This move is expected to strengthen Pampero’s footprint in the UK market, following its recent acquisition by Gruppo Montenegro, while offering consumers an authentic taste of Venezuela’s rum-making tradition.
Marco Seminaroti, Europe Director of Gruppo Montenegro comments, “We are delighted to partner with Fortitude Drinks in the UK.
"The Pampero acquisition strengthens Gruppo Montenegro’s international growth ambitions with a brand of strong quality and heritage, the first Venezuelan rum aged for more than two years.
"We are committed to long term sustainable growth and look forward to unleashing Pampero’s full potential in the UK.”