The Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focused on the latest news in the rapidly changing and growing beverage sector. From inaugural product lines to big investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench the thirst for developments in the category.
5-Hour Energy gets saucy
The 5-Hour Energy is giving the BBQ sauce category a boost.
The energy product, which has a sweet and tangy peach mango flavor, is partnering with The National Food Lab to create a sauce with 60 milligrams of caffeine per serving, The product will be available for a limited time DTC on 5-Hour Energy’s website.
“As we continue to redefine what 5-hour ENERGY is and can be, we’re excited to be the first energy brand to offer hardworking BBQ aficionados what they really need — a caffeinated sauce to help stay focused and keep the party going,” Jeff Sigouin, the president and COO of Living Essentials, the makers of 5-hour Energy, said in a statement.
While BBQ sauce sales are unlikely to supplant 5-Hour’s presence in shots and beverages, a condiment should give additional recognition to the brand that is competing with several other energy offerings in the marketplace. The sauce is currently the only food-based product sold online by 5-Hour Energy.
5-Hour noted that BBQ is a popular way to unlock big connections and even bigger flavors, noting that nearly three-quarters of Americans don’t need a special occasion to fire up their grill, the brand noted, citing Statista data.
With the Fourth of July last week, the grilling season is in full swing across the United States. BBQ sauce sales have been nearly stagnant, averaging about $2 billion annually in the U.S., according to data from Statista.
— Christopher Doering
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Courtesy of Free AF
Free AF pours zero-proof whiskey ginger flavor
An upstart nonalcoholic beverage brand is debuting its take on a classic cocktail.
Free AF’s latest offering, Whisk#y Ginger, is inspired by the whiskey ginger cocktail, which traditionally blends the spirit with ginger beer and lime. The beverage contains smoky and zesty flavors and features low sugar and natural ingredients, according to the brand. It is designed to be enjoyed in a highball glass with a lime or orange peel as garnish.
The beverage is available online and at Sprouts stores. Free AF began selling some of its products at Target and Walmart earlier this year. The company sells six other nonalcoholic cocktails: Apero Spritz, Cuba Libre, Vodka Spritz, Cucumber G&T, Paloma and Sparkling Rosé.
Free AF said its new offering compliment complements not compliment “Dry July,” a movement similar to Dry January that promotes abstaining from liquor.
The nonalcoholic cocktails market continues to gain steam, with botanical alternatives like Kin Euphorics and more mainstream offerings like Mingle Mocktails achieving greater distribution during the past year. The nonalcoholic spirits market is projected to be worth $156 million by 2033, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9% according to Natural Origins.
— Chris Casey
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Courtesy of Red Barn Distillery
Round Barn launches lower-calorie canned cocktails
The summer months have brought a slew of new entrants into the crowded ready-to-drink cocktail space. A small-town beverage maker from Michigan is the latest to put its hat in the ring.
Round Barn Distillery — which produces craft beer, wine and spirits — has debuted four new RTD cocktails with 7% alcohol by volume. Lemon Elderflower Vodka Soda and Moscow Mule contain Round Barn’s DiVine Vodka, which is made with grapes. Blackberry Gin Gimlet features botanical notes of the brand’s 269 Gin with lime and simple syrup. And the Strawberry Margarita contains the brand’s agave liquor with fruity flavors.
The alcohol maker emphasized the better-for-you elements of the drinks. The 100-calorie offerings are available online, at regional stores and Round Barn locations, according to the brand.
Canned cocktails are driving innovation in the alcohol space, from vodka teas to tequila seltzers. The global ready-to-drink cocktails market is projected to be worth $33 billion by 2033 from $19 billion a year ago, a compound annual growth rate of 6%, according to Future Market Insights.
— Chris Casey