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.”
Fortitude Spirits Group has unveiled a new premium bottle design for Hawksbill Caribbean Spiced Rum, the award-winning range of four rums which donates 10 per cent of profits to sea turtle conversation projects in Barbados.
The rebrand marks a major milestone for the brand as it secures a major listing across 130 Booker depots, bringing the premium spiced rum to an even wider audience. Hawksbill Rum is already one of the biggest sellers of spiced rum on Amazon in the UK.
The striking new bottle was designed to highlight the quality of Hawksbill Caribbean Spiced Rum and showcase each individual expression, Island Spices, Pineapple Core, Mango Peel and a brand new addition to the range, Banana Skin Caribbean Spiced Rum.
Banana Skin Caribbean Spiced Rum
The new bottle design also shines a spotlight on Hawksbill’s commitment to the support of Hawksbill Sea Turtles. The new bottles are made with 100 per cent post-consumer recycled glass, plant-based inks and seals, as well as labels made from recycled sugarcane fibre and corks crafted with waste materials.
Each flavoured expression is also made using fruit that would have otherwise gone to waste, helping the brand to further minimise its impact on the environment. Launched in 2021, Hawksbill Caribbean Spiced Rum draws inspiration from the laid-back charm of the Caribbean, the people's lively spirit and the ocean's natural wonder.
As the January transfer window begins, Jameson has teamed up with Drinkaware, the leading alcohol harm charity, and former England international and football legend Jay Bothroyd, to continue its commitment to promoting responsible drinking within British football culture.
Jameson’s new signing, Bothroyd, encourages fans to visit Drinkaware’s website and use its free Drinking Check tool to kick off the new year by checking whether their drinking habits are putting their health at risk.
The Drinking Check is a quick, three-minute online quiz that provides a personalised drinking score. It helps users understand the potential impact of their drinking habits on their health and offers tailored advice and support for those who may need help moderating their consumption.
“After almost 18-months, our partnership with the EFL has become an integral part of Jameson’s DNA here in the UK and our collaboration with Drinkaware this January is the second campaign we have launched during this time to promote responsible drinking within British football culture," said Josh McCarthy, Brand Director for Pernod Ricard UK. "At Jameson, we love a get together and live for the craic, and be responsible, which means being in control and knowing how much you’re drinking. Drinkaware’s Drinking Check tool is so easy to use and we are proud to have football legend Jay Bothroyd on board to help us drive maximum awareness and change behaviour.”
Karen Tyrell, CEO of alcohol charity Drinkaware, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Jameson and former England international and football legend, Jay Bothroyd, to encourage football fans to take a moment and check their drinking habits. As clubs and supporters return from the festive break, it’s a perfect time to consider your alcohol consumption and ensure its not putting your health at serious risk. More than eight million people in the UK regularly drink above the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended guidelines, and its crucial we work together to reduce that number. Tools like the Drinking Check provide a simple way for individuals to assess their drinking and provides personalised advice and support to help moderate your alcohol consumption.”
The Drinking Check is based on the internationally recognised World Health Organisation (WHO) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which is used by medical professionals across the world to check the risk of alcohol-related problems, including alcohol dependence.
Luxury gin brand Renais, created by Harry Potter actress Emma Watson and Alex Watson, "inspired by terroir and tradition", and launched in May 2023, has announced a fundraise of £4.95 million as it closes out a successful 2024.
The raise will support further international expansion and marketing campaigns designed to bring its unique offerings to a broader audience. Upcoming international launches in 2025 include France, Spain, Dubai and Canada.
“It’s been an exciting year for Renais and this new raise is a key milestone in the brand’s growth. As consumers preference for premiumisation and a desire to drink less, but better, continues to grow, we are in a unique position in the gin category to capture their attention and tell our story of heritage, craftsmanship and provenance. I am also excited to have some of the foremost drink’s experts on board as investors, their experience will be invaluable to Renais to reach its full potential”, said Alex Watson, CEO & Co-founder of Renais Gin.
Investors include strategic drinks industry experts including US Based InvestBev and Jean-Sebastien Robicquet of Maison Villevert.
Brian Rosen General Partner InvestBev said: "We are thrilled to support Renais Gin in its journey to become a globally recognised brand. The premium gin category continues to demonstrate remarkable potential, and Renais Gin's quality and sustainability credentials align perfectly with our strategic investment focus. We believe our capital—coupled with our deep industry expertise and network—will amplify Renais Gin’s ability to reach new consumers and markets."
Renais has also bolstered its board with ex-Lathwaites Group CFO Jimmy Weir, who will join other drinks industry veterans including Andrew Morgan ex-Diageo European Chief and Alex Staartjes, previously Global Marketing Director at Pernod Ricard.
Diageo said five Royal Warrants of Appointment to His Majesty the King have been granted to its brands for the supply of spirits and wines to the Royal Household.
These Royal Warrants are granted to: Justerini & Brooks as Wine & Spirits Merchants, John Walker & Sons (Johnnie Walker) and Royal Lochnagar for Scotch Whiskies, Tanqueray Gordon & Company (Tanqueray and Gordon’s) as Gin Distillers, and The Pimm’s Company.
For Justerini & Brooks, this association dates back to the supply of wines for the coronation of King George III in 1761, Johnnie Walker has held a Royal Warrant to the monarch for the supply of its Scotch whiskies since King George V in 1934, and this is the fifth Royal Warrant to be granted to Tanqueray Gordon & Company over almost a century, since 1925.
Diageo said each brand, all of which held a Royal Warrant to Queen Elizabeth II, is proud of this mark of recognition for supplying the Royal Household and shares the commitment to the highest standards of service, quality, excellence and craftsmanship that unites all Royal Warrant holders, along with the public commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices.
“It is a great privilege to supply our products to the Royal Household, and with the granting of these five new Royal Warrants to HM The King, we will display His Majesty’s Royal Arms on these brands with immense pride,” Dan Mobley, global corporate relations director at Diageo, and Grantee for the Royal Warrant held by John Walker & Sons, said.
John Walker & Sons (Johnnie Walker)
Scotch Whisky Distillers By Appointment to His Majesty The King
Johnnie Walker has held a Royal Warrant to the Monarch for its Scotch whiskies since first granted by George V in 1934.
“It is an honour to continue to supply the Royal Household with a Royal Warrant to HM The King, and support this with a commitment to sustainability, grain to glass,” the brand said.
In 2021, His Majesty, as HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, conducted the Royal opening of the flagship visitor experience Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh. The visit also marked the beginning of a hospitality training partnership between Johnnie Walker and The King’s Foundation.
Since the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Johnnie Walker has continued to support the Royal Warrant Holders Association charity QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust), of which HM The King is Patron, to fund craft training for talented makers.
Justerini & Brooks
Wine & Spirits Merchants By Appointment to His Majesty The King
Fine wine and spirits merchant Justerini & Brooks, established in London in 1749, said they are honoured to have been granted Royal Warrants since providing wines for the Coronation of George III in 1761 through to Queen Elizabeth II.
“Justerini & Brooks has celebrated its 275th anniversary throughout 2024; receiving a letter granting a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HM The King is a particularly special way to conclude this milestone year,” the firm said.
Pimm’s
Distillers & Compounders By Appointment to His Majesty The King
James Pimm first mixed his famous cocktail at his Oyster Bar in London in the 1840s. The recipe for PIMM’S No. 1 Cup - gin infused with herbal botanicals, caramelised orange and spices - remains a closely guarded secret.
In 2011, Pimm’s was granted a Royal Warrant as Distillers & Compounders By Appointment to Queen Elizabeth II. Limited edition PIMM’S bottles were released in 2022 for the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, with a call for friends, families and communities to celebrate “Come Reign or Shine”, and a Coronation Edition in 2023 “To King & Country”, with the PIMM’S bus and bars popping up in London and Windsor.
Royal Lochnagar
Scotch Whisky Distillers By Appointment to His Majesty The King
Opened in 1845, the distillery became known as Royal Lochnagar following a visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert from neighbouring Balmoral, the Highland home of the Royal Family, in 1848.
His Majesty The King, as HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, has been welcomed three times to Royal Lochnagar: in 1995 and 1998 to mark the 150th anniversaries of the distillery and Queen Victoria’s visit, and in 2018 to receive a cask, bottled to raise funds for The Prince’s Foundation (now The King’s Foundation).
Royal Lochnagar was granted a Royal Warrant as Scotch Whisky Distillers By Appointment to Queen Elizabeth II in 2021. The distillery team planted seven commemorative birch trees at the distillery for the Queen’s Green Canopy, and an eighth in 2023 to mark the 75th birthday of HM The King.
Tanqueray Gordon & Company
Gin Distillers By Appointment to His Majesty The King
The rich heritage of Gordon’s and Tanqueray began in London with the creation of gins by Alexander Gordon in 1769 and Charles Tanqueray in the 1830s. Tanqueray Gordon & Company was formed in 1898 and first granted a Royal Warrant as Gin Distillers to HRH The Prince of Wales in 1925.
Royal Warrants have been held since, granted by George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, and now, almost a century on, as Gin Distillers By Appointment to HM The King.