Leading vodka brand Smirnoff has announced the appointment of Grammy-nominated global star Troye Sivan as its new Chief Vibes OFFicer (CVO), marking the start of a new multi-year partnership with the Australian singer-songwriter.
One of the most celebrated artists in popular culture today, Sivan has just completed the much anticipated ‘Sweat’ tour alongside friend, artist and frequent collaborator Charli XCX, and is about to embark on the Australia and New Zealand leg of his global solo tour, following the release of his hit 2023 album, ‘Something to Give Each Other’.
Amidst this busy schedule, Sivan will now step into his tongue-in-cheek CVO role as global ‘curator of immaculate vibes’ for Smirnoff – showcasing the Go OFF spirit to fans all around the world. The campaign is a call to arms to ditch to-do lists and dive into some fun - getting together, going out and going OFF. As the next stage of the brand’s wider WE DO WE campaign, it aims to create a more connected, open and exhilarating world.
“We are so excited to partner with Troye - as someone who radiates joy and shares our ‘WE DO WE’ spirit he is the ultimate vibe shifter for his fans all around the world,” Stephanie Jacoby, SVP Global Vodkas at Diageo, said.
“We knew from the moment we first spoke to Troye and his team that this was going to be something truly special – we share a passion for fun, for bringing people together and for not taking ourselves too seriously.
“I am delighted to welcome our new Chief Vibes OFFicer to the team, Troye is the perfect fit, and we can’t wait to collaborate over the coming months together – exciting things to come!”
The partnership launched this week across socials, after a series of teaser drops, with a video showing Sivan taking part in a tongue-in-cheek press conference, announcing his new CVO position to interviewers and sharing his mission, for people to Go OFF.
In true Smirnoff style, a collective of global creatives was brought together to craft the latest Go OFF work and bring a pop-world spin to the vibrant Smirnoff brand world.
Sivan said: “For me, Smirnoff has always been omnipresent – whether it’s at house parties, backstage at shows, or nights out with friends. I see the brand all around the world, and whenever I do, it feels like something I want to be part of. "Go OFF” is all about getting people together and being ourselves, something I’ve really embraced in this part of my life and something I’m excited to continue to do with this partnership.”
The launch will be followed by Smirnoff’s sponsorship of Sivan’s Australia and New Zealand tour where he will share the Go OFF vibes with fans at exclusive after parties in both Sydney and Melbourne.
The global partnership will show up across social, OOH, digital, in-store and through event activations in over 20 countries including the UK, Brazil, Australia and India over the coming months and forms part of Diageo's wider focus on embedding their brands at the heart of key cultural moments for consumers - from music and fashion to sports, food and more.
2025 will do doubt be the year the drinks industry truly feels the repercussions of the global and UK economic climate, political turbulence at home and away, and the duty hikes threatened for such a long time coming into play. While inflation has seen a gradual reduction over the last 18 months, the increase in interest rates and the knock-on effect this has on household expenditure will continue to be a theme as we head into 2025. We may see some prosper, but for many, it will be a year of adaptation, change and resilience. However, as an industry, we innovate, shape tastes and trends, strive to deliver world class drinks to the on-trade and retailers, and find ways to drive pockets of growth.
2025 will not be easy, but it will be interesting and there are areas of growth shaping the industry during the year ahead.
In the Bag (In Box)
The conditions for this still-emerging format are ripe for success, with producers, brand owners and retailers investing in quality of liquid, innovative packaging and campaigns that educate the shopper on the format’s virtues. However, there is still some way to go and in 2025 we’ll see the industry invest more in communicating the quality and longer shelf life of bag in box wines, their value to cash conscious shoppers and how they meet the needs of those moderating alcohol consumption.
The industry, brands, press and influencers are waxing lyrical about bag in box wines, and slowly but surely the format is shaking off its reputation as a ‘cheap’ alternative.
Data shows that consumers are switching on to wines in this format, so we must embrace what they offer; recyclability, affordability, and longer lasting wine. New consumers to the bag-in-box category realise the benefits in terms of convenience, freshness, quality and some environmental benefits to glass, such as lower CO2 emissions.
Kingsland Drinks expanded its Campaneo range with the addition of new, convenient 2.25L Bag in Box (BiB) format recently, which extends the offering into new parts of the market. In anticipation of demand, the employee-owned drinks firm also upgraded its overall filling capacity to 180 million litres on its production lines, spanning various sizes from 187ml up to 3L, formats such as bottles, cans and boxed wines, and liquids ranging from no and low, spirits, and red, white, rosé and sparkling wines.
Go low
Volume sales of low alcohol drinks almost doubled in 2023 and IWSR expects considerable growth over the next few years (particularly driven by low-alcohol beer but across the category).
The rise in duty has ensured it’s in everyone’s best interests to bed in low and no alcohol brands for the long term. It’s good news for the industry, who have responded with a wave of innovation that excites consumers. Importantly, this segment is getting better all the time. In the last 12 months we’ve seen wine and spirits producers up their game and elevate the taste the credentials of the liquid.
In the year ahead, we’ll see this segment continue to soar, as lower and no abv wines and spirits earn their place on fixtures and consumers respond by integrating into their shop. However, quality will be key – in the year ahead it’s important style, substance and price work hard together to nurture growth in this segment and ensure it reaches its potential.
Andrew Peace has worked tirelessly to craft wines at 11% abv which give consumers a great tasting wine while maintaining a great value price point. We’ve seen a considerable number of listings at 11% abv and lower, but some haven’t hit the mark in terms of quality. The new additions to the Andrew Peace range have helped to drive seen significant market share growth up 22.6% value and 17.6% volume, in a backdrop of 7.3% volume decline in the Australian category in the latest 12 months (up to 2nd September).
Kingsland Drinks started packing non-alcoholic wines and spirits in 2019 and is now responsible for developing and launching some of the market’s leading brands. The company currently blends and bottles non-alcoholic gin, rum, whisky, tequila, and still and sparkling wines, using world class technology and controls to ensure the highest possible quality assurance standards.
Mind the gap
Mindful drinking is making its way into the mainstream, with consumers sustaining a ‘drink less but better’ mindset. In 2025 we can expect this will clash with an increasingly price sensitive shopper, who will search for brands that meet their needs on all fronts: budget, status, taste, quality, format and social currency.
Lesser-known becomes bigger business
Consumers are already taking a leap into the unexpected and branching out in their wine buying, with Eastern Europe in particular getting the recognition it deserves for the region’s wine quality, craftmanship and winemaking credentials.
This year we expect Eastern European wines to become much more prevalent in the UK, and demand for Bolgrad from Ukraine, Bediani from Georgia, and Salcuta, a Moldovan Feteasca Negra to sustain their play to consumer interest in lesser-known varietals. The wines from these producers were recognised by retailers for their authentic, distinctive, credible, well-made properties in 2024, and really demonstrate the breadth of wines available Eastern Europe.
Greece will continue to be celebrated in 2025. Kingsland Drinks was proud to launch Athlon Nemea into the UK with Aldi UK in 2024, which was met with much excitement from shoppers. Aldi is known for its quality wines from emerging and up and coming regions, and has a shopper that is open to trial new experiences from sources – like Aldi – that they trust.
Our advice for retailers in 2025 is to seriously consider the path less trodden in your range. Wines from the Mediterranean, central and Eastern Europe and beyond across all quality levels and price ranges, will be a real point of interest in the year ahead.
What’s your flavour
It was clear throughout Christmas 2024 that our customers wanted drinks with more flavour profiles to offer shoppers than before. For example, some retailers went from one or two mulled wines on shelf to six or seven. It’s a sign that consumers continue to experiment with flavours - perhaps as a result of experimentation within RTDs - and throughout 2025 we expect a continuation. Shoppers will continue to expand their flavour repertoire, open to trying new profiles.
Jo Taylorson
We have an on-site NPD lab that is best in class at developing spritz drinks, no and low spirits and made wine - we work alongside brand owners and customers to develop drinks in alcoholic and non-alcoholic formats. The team constantly researches and tests new flavour combinations, profiles and liquids. Our insights team expects to see fruit flavours such as pomegranate, watermelon, blueberry and mango come to the fore in 2025, along with drinks containing herbal and botanical flavours such as rosemary and wormwood, and the resurgence of drinks with tomato juice, such as the bloody mary.
Tins to go
Innovation in RTDs has slowed a little, with focus on sustainable, considered, longer-term growth. In 2025 we expect efforts to go towards targeting urbanites and those seeking simplicity and convenience at an affordable price point. Therefore, getting the product right is key as we move into spring and leverage summer, cementing RTDs in shopping baskets and on shelves in convenience stores.
Rum do
In 2025, rum will still be the darling drink and consumer preference will shift towards golden and darker rum expressions, with a warmer, spicier flavour profile.
Rum sales in the UK surpassed £1 billion this year, overtaking whisky, and it’s a category that brings something for everyone – from dark, decadent rums, to spiced variants, through to lighter, smooth easy drinking white rums. While many consumers continue to enjoy the sweet vanilla and caramel flavours of spiced rums, there is also exploration into more nuanced options, such as golden rum as it brings a well-balanced cross between white and dark expressions, aged in oak barrels to give it its signature amber colour and mellow flavour.
Kingsland Drinks partnered with Co-op to launch the retailer’s first Fairtrade golden rum. A show of what’s trending in 2025, and also proof that consumers want to buy into brands and liquid with a social conscience. It’s a Bourbon Barrel Aged Fairtrade Rum, which is a Caribbean coast blend from the Dominican Republic, Barbados and Venezuela. It really shines in a long drink with cola and lime, with ginger beer, and in a long rum old fashioned, a mule and a mojito.
Agave drinks have grown rapidly in retail, but from a small base. It’s still a small market in the UK and growth is plateauing slightly. However, the opportunity remains with the WSTA reporting that 11k hls were sold over the last 12 months (+5 percent) to the tune of £37m (+11 percent) (WSTA October 2024).
Going green
Sustainability continues to be a key focus for us as brands and consumers become more environmentally conscious. Climate change, sustainability and care for the planet are topics that need to stay in the mainstream conversation and remain high on the agenda of all businesses and brands. Consumers are ever more aware of the crisis and informed about actions being taken and changes required.
We’ll see even more developments and a doubling down on alternative formats. We can expect to see more canned wines, bag in box wines, paper-based bottles, and light-weight glass on shelf in the very near future.
No type of packaging is the silver bullet in terms of sustainability, but openly discussing the pros and cons of each packaging format and make the most educated and best decisions possible will bring the biggest environmental and economic benefits in 2025.
At Kingsland Drinks, our commitment to being environmentally sustainable is intrinsic to who we are and how we operate, but we have expanded our wider sustainability work across economy, society and environment both inside and outside the business as a strategic priority. As a result, we launched our Thirsty Earth sustainability strategy which seeks to create a better society and drinks industry for all, now and in the future.
Faustino, distributed by Amber Beverage Group UK, is the largest vineyard owner in Rioja with a long commitment to the traditional style of the region’s wines. With over 160 years of family winemaking history, Faustino’s wealth of knowledge makes it the leader in Gran Reserva wines in the Rioja region. With its exceptional quality and taste – Faustino continues to perform well in the UK retail market, and volume sales have increased by +13 per cent since 2022.
Elevated affordability
Affordability remains a key concern for many this Christmas, as 53 per cent of consumers worry about how they will afford presents. However, 55 per cent of consumers are also willing to pay full price for important gifts, meaning stocking products that resonate with consumers’ gifting needs will be essential.
This is the perfect time for retailers to stock premium wines at a price point that is still accessible and good value for money, as consumers continue to buy less, but better-quality wines, not only for personal consumption, but for gifting hosting and gifting loved ones.
For example, Faustino I Gran Reserva – the flagship from Bodegas Faustino – is a quality wine at an accessible price point of £18. Celebrating its 60th vintage this year, it is the leading Rioja Gran Reserva in export markets and available in more than 140 countries.
It is complex and elegant, with fruity and spicy notes, pairing well with medium-aged cheese used for creating festive charcuterie boards.
A Rosé-coloured Christmas
Whilst most consumers have traditionally opted for red and sparkling wines at Christmas, 56 per cent of drinkers consider Rosé suitable for drinking all year round including the festive season. Rosé is ideal for the social gatherings that take place around Christmas and New Year. Faustino has enhanced the consumer experience of its VII Rosado with new packaging that includes food pairing suggestions, such as fish, traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. This caters to the 70 per cent of millennials who seek wines that complement their culinary preferences.
The conscious Christmas consumer
This Christmas, consumers are predicted to be more mindful of their buying habits, with almost half intending to buy from sustainable brands and 21 per cent willing to spend more on them.
Consumers looking for more sustainable gifting options could reach for a bottle of Faustino, as its rebranded labels are made of 100 per cent recyclable materials and the V range has changed from a matte bottle to a clear bottle, resulting in lower CO2 output – making it particularly appealing to the 63 per cent of Millennials who say they are concerned about climate change.
Kopparberg, a partner of Budweiser Brewing Group, has announced its latest product, Crisp Apple, expanding its listing with the 4% ABV beverage that taps into the evolving tastes of cider drinkers.
Kopparberg Crisp Apple offers drinkers the much-loved taste of a classic apple cider, balanced with a slightly sweeter profile that the brand is famous for. Whilst apple cider is seeing a resurgence, particularly amongst younger drinkers, Kopparberg, the brand with more 18-34 year old drinkers than any other beer or cider brand [Savanta, 2023] is perfectly placed to bring its cider expertise to the evolving category.
In addition to creating an offering that meets growing consumer demands, this new product aims to attract a new audience and offer an alternative to the more traditional cider brands already on offer.
Whilst Kopparberg has continued to increase its share across both the on and off trade since 2023, Crisp Apple offers drinkers the opportunity to try a modern apple cider, from a brand that consistently delivers on taste and refreshment. Consumers will be able to get their hands on the new product on draught, bottle and can, across both the on and off trade, giving drinkers the chance to consume the product in their preferred format.
“Taste spearheads everything we do at Kopparberg and there is no brand that understands younger drinkers better than we do. With a growing demand for modern apple ciders, we are thrilled to be able to bring Kopparberg Crisp Apple to market in 2025, to ensure that drinkers can access the products they want, from the brands they love,” Peter Bronsman, founder, Kopparberg, said.
Brian Perkins, president, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, added: “Kopparberg’s ability to meet evolving consumer tastes with new flavours is a key reason behind it being the leading brand in fruit cider in the UK. With the rise in apple cider as a preferred choice in the category, the product will not only attract existing fans, but also build new brand fans. We’re confident it will be a big hit across both the on and off trade and we look forward to seeing the reaction.”
Kopparberg Crisp Apple will be available in on trade from January 2025 and the off trade from March 2025.
Café Solo has announced the global launch of a world-first Pedro Ximénez Sherry (PX) Cask Finished Coffee Liqueur.
Café Solo PX is the first in a range of cask-finished coffee liqueurs to be released by the brand and the third expression that has launched this year in the Café Solo range, which includes the debut expression, Café Solo Original and Café Solo Espresso Martini Cans.
Café Solo said the latest launch adds to their mission to shake up the UK’s coffee cocktail market and offers interest and complexity for mixologists shaking up cocktails in bars and at home.
Ground with exceptional coffee, Café Solo is crafted with premium SOLO Cold Brew Coffee, which boasts a full-bodied flavour profile, rich acidity, and a refreshingly clean finish. Café Solo is matured in PX Sherry casks which impart residual sweetness and rich, dried-fruit notes.
Café Solo PX Cask Finished Coffee Liqueur is indulgent and dessert-like, with the PX Sherry Cask adding layers of sweetness, depth, and complexity. Café Solo PX offers notes of rich toffee, fig, walnut and lemon.
Made from the sun-dried Pedro Ximénez grapes (in Jerez, Spain) PX Sherry is intensely sweet and rich, and Jerez’s unique terroir and tradition make PX sherry one-of-a-kind. PX casks are often repurposed to age or "finish" whiskies and other spirits, imparting their residual sweetness and rich, dried-fruit notes. These casks are prized for the intense flavours they impart, transforming the profiles of other liquids.
"We are delighted to launch our first Café Solo cask edition, which was inspired by an evening of enjoying delicious Espresso Martinis with added PX Sherry! We sourced our casks from Jerez, Spain, and I was lucky enough to witness the incredible craftsmanship at the Antonio Páez Lobato cooperage,” Café Solo brand manager Holly Harwood said.
“PX sherry offers a wonderfully rich profile, and the combination of coffee with notes of dried fruit and caramel is truly something you need to try!"
Café Solo PX is available to the UK trade via Fortitude Drinks.
Dolin, a historic family-owned spirits company established in 1821 in the Alpine region of Savoie, France, is set to expand its UK presence through a new distribution partnership with Mangrove Global.
With a legacy spanning over two centuries, Dolin has distinguished itself through authentically sourced local ingredients and traditional production methods that create premium spirits to be enjoyed worldwide. The company's first international Vermouth award in 1876 marked the beginning of its enduring reputation in Parisian cafes and European cocktail culture.
“Aperitifs like Vermouth have enjoyed a renaissance in the last few decades, and Dolin represents the quintessential French classic,” said Nick Gillett Managing Director of Mangrove Global. “The Mangrove team have long admired the range, and we’re excited to showcase these exceptional, provenance-driven spirits.
“We’re all about exceptional brands that celebrate the heritage and craftsmanship behind their liquids, and Dolin fits the bill perfectly. We’re ready to get started, building upon all the wonderful work that’s been done so far.”
The partnership arrives at a pivotal moment, as contemporary drinkers increasingly seek spirits with strong heritage, authenticity, and provenance. Dolin Vermouths embody these qualities in abundance, with their lighter, more delicate flavours making them a perfect choice for a wide range of cocktails, such as the classic martini, or even enjoyed neat.
Each Vermouth is crafted through the maceration of at least 30 Alpine botanicals in white wine, offering a complex flavour profile that has consistently ranked Dolin among the top five global Vermouth brands since 2020.
Joining the Mangrove portfolio will be Dolin Vermouth Dry, Dolin Vermouth Rouge, Dolin Vermouth Blanc, and Dolin Chamberyzette, the latter of which is a delicate cocktail made from Dolin’s white Vermouth Blanc and its much-loved Liqueur Framboise – strawberry liqueur. Each variety of Dolin’s Vermouth uses a unique selection of herbs and plants, blended with quality wine to achieve the resulting flavour – a flavour which, as noted by Drinks International, has kept Dolin amongst the top five best-selling Vermouth brands, since 2020.
Pierre-Olivier Rousseaux President Owner of Dolin said: “We are delighted with this new partnership. Mangrove will bring its distribution expertise and its solid presence in the spirits sector to promote the authenticity of Dolin products in the UK, while respecting the heritage and artisanal know-how for which our brand is renowned since 1821.”