Heineken UK launches new ready-to-drink rum cocktails

HEINEKEN UK is expanding the Red Stripe offering with the introduction of a brand-new range of ready-to-drink (RTD) rum cocktails, Rum Stripe by Red Stripe (7.5% ABV).

The new range is available in three unique flavours- Rum Punch, Cherry & Cranberry and Pineapple & Coconut.

Rolling into the convenience channel in 250ml single can formats from this month, the range aims to tap into Red Stripe’s unparalleled Jamaican heritage by combining a delicious mix of real fruit juices with a double measure of high-quality Caribbean rum. All three SKUs are also vegan friendly, with no artificial flavours or colours.

The Red Stripe brand is worth £25.5M and is incredibly popular in convenience. This latest innovation aims to expand Red Stripe’s potential for retailers by tapping into the strength of the booming RTDs category which, in turn, is worth £181M in convenience and growing +5.4% year-on-year.

The Rum Stripe by Red Stripe concept was first introduced in Jamaica last year, allowing consumers to recreate the experience of Rum Cocktail drinking culture at home for the first time. A subsequent US launch also proved successful, and this latest roll out is set to create excitement among loyal Red Stripe fans in the UK as well as driving trial with new consumers. The innovation taps into changes in drinking habits among Gen Z consumers, with younger consumers preferring shorter, sweeter sweets drinks.

Katie Park, Head of Beyond Beer at HEINEKEN UK, comments: “We are thrilled to introduce Rum Stripe by Red Stripe in three creative flavour combinations which will allow UK consumers to ‘Taste the Tropics’. At HEINEKEN UK, we have a strong track record of bringing category-leading innovation to the market, consistently evolving our portfolio of brands in line with market trends, and always keeping the consumer at the heart. This is exactly what we have set out to achieve with this launch.

“By investing in categories outside of traditional beer & cider, we can leverage the strength of our popular brands to introduce innovative drinks that consumers can trust will deliver on quality. From a shopper perspective, seeing renowned brands move into new formats naturally inspires curiosity and excitement which, in turn, will help our retailer partners grow their sales and drive footfall.”

Synonymous with music and gig culture, the Red Stripe brand has been a go-to choice for bands and music venues over the past few decades – from the underground to the mainstream. In celebration of this association, Rum Stripe by Red Stripe is making its UK debut at Notting Hill Carnival. A raft of sampling and branding activity will make the new range unmissable, with branded t-shirts worn by the Carnival’s 500+ staff, goodie bags handed out to attendees, and local convenience stores being gifted branded decorations and POS materials.