FUNKIN COCKTAILS, creator of the Nitro Passion Fruit Martini, is shaking up the category through a bold limited-edition partnership with one of the UK’s most-loved brands. Introducing: FUNKIN COCKTAILS IRN-BRU Vodka Martini.
This collaboration, during FUNKIN’s quarter-century anniversary year, brings together two industry titans to create an innovative new serve, sure to be a hit with shoppers up and down the country, as the RTD cocktail category hits £138 million, growing 12 per cent YOY.
Scotland’s distinctive orange drink has an exceptionally loyal fanbase, as the number one brand in Scotland and outperforming Other Flavoured Carbonates (OFC) competitors nationally.
And with two thirds of consumers claiming that "something new and different" is the top purchase driver at fixture, the two brands are bringing novelty to fridges and shelves around the UK, driving sales throughout autumn and winter.
With half of all cocktail serves containing vodka and the martini format continuing to dominate the scene making up a fifth of all cocktails, there is also rising demand for drinks with a bitter orange flavour profile, with options such as Aperol Spritz growing year-on-year.
Led by these insights, the two brands have created a unique new serve, combining the taste of IRN-BRU with FUNKIN’s signature nitrogen infusion to ensure a velvety texture and smooth head rather than the soft drink’s expected fizz. The result? A bar-quality cocktail which can be enjoyed on the go or served at home.
FUNKIN COCKTAILS is backing this launch with a comprehensive marketing campaign, aligning the two bold characters leveraging IRN BRU’s distinctive tongue-in-cheek personality. The comprehensive 360° plan, which will include social media, digital activations, in-store promotions and PR campaigns, will aim to drive awareness with key consumers across the UK, with messaging focusing on the unique texture of the new serve as "IT'S NOT FIZZY, IT'S A FUNKIN COCKTAIL".
“FUNKIN has constantly pushed the cocktail category forward to bring new and innovative products to consumers – and this is bigger than ever before," said FUNKIN COCKTAILS’ Head of Brand, Ashley Birch-Ruffell.
“IRN-BRU is a truly iconic brand – loved by consumers UK-wide and backed by over a century of history while still staying fresh and contemporary. As the UK’s number one cocktail company in the UK, this partnership is truly exciting, bringing both brands to new audiences across categories.
“Following the release of our hugely successful Blue Raspberry Martini earlier in the year, which has already racked up sales worth over £700K, we’re always on the lookout for the next big thing. We want to make the cocktail consumers have been waiting for, continuing to delight and excite, keeping the category fresh and, crucially, allowing retailers to keep capitalising on this important and growing market.”
Kenny Nicholson, Head of Brand at IRN-BRU, added: “We are really excited to be partnering with the cocktail experts at FUNKIN. We know consumers are always looking for ‘something new and different’ and the FUNKIN COCKTAILS IRN-BRU Vodka Martini delivers just that - a perfect blend of our iconic IRN-BRU flavour and bold spirit with FUNKIN's mixology expertise to create the first ever alcoholic IRN-BRU ready to drink cocktail, bringing the phenomenal flavour of IRN-BRU to the growth of the RTD category.
“For IRN-BRU fans, our new collaboration offers the bold flavour of IRN-BRU but delivered in a way that it’s never been tasted before all thanks to an infusion of nitrogen to give it a velvety smooth texture. As one of the fastest growing OFC brands in the UK, we’re always looking for a way to excite and uplift the nation and this is just the start of some phenomenal BRU partnerships”
Sales of FUNKIN COCKTAILS’ existing range of Nitro Cans, including Passion Fruit Martini, topped 3.5 million cans in 2023.
FUNKIN COCKTAILS IRN-BRU Vodka Martini (5% ABV, 200ml, RRP: £2.19) will be available nationwide in Booker and Bestway.
