The O.G. celebrity tequila has made its way into canned cocktails. George Clooney’s Casamigos announced today the launch of Casamigos Margaritas, its first ever ready-to-drink (RTD) product.
The new margaritas are made with tequila, natural flavors, triple sec liqueur and lime juice, and come in a variety pack of four flavors – Passionfruit & Prickly Pear, Guava & Hibiscus, Strawberry & Colima Lime and Classic Lime. The 200ml cans are non-carbonated and 10% ABV.
One of the first major celebrity brands, Casamigos was founded by Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman in 2013, and sold four years later to Diageo in a $1 billion deal. It’s been one of the fastest growing spirit brands until recently, when premiumization trends pitted Casamigos and similarly-priced Diageo brand, Don Julio, against each other.
Casamigos sales tumbled by 21% in the last six months of 2024, while Don Julio offset those losses at +50%. Earlier this year, Diageo chief financial officer Nik Jhangiani said that the company now has a “two-brand strategy” in tequila through “price ladders, taste profiles and cocktails versus straight drinking.” A recent class-action lawsuit accused both tequila brands of including non-agave alcohols like cane spirits in their bottles.
Backed by a marketing campaign featuring supermodel and wife of Gerber, Cindy Crawford, the brand launched Casamigos Jalapeño in April 2024. Now, it’s placing a bet on another innovation – but in a much more crowded category. Vodka and tequila continue to dominate as base spirits in RTDs, with margaritas gaining share (10%) of RTD styles in retail channels in 2024.
The growth of spirits-based RTDs has lured Diageo to leverage some of its best known premium brands into the space, and even into the flavored malt beverage category.
“Tequila-based ready-to-drink cocktails are driving the next wave of growth in the category, and consumers are looking for trusted brands that deliver both quality and convenience,” said Jamie Young, vice president of RTD and ready-to-serve (RTS) at Diageo. “With Casamigos Margaritas, we’re bringing a premium experience into the can – backed by the cultural credibility that set this brand apart.”
The release builds on the brand’s new global creative campaign, “Anything Goes with my Casamigos,” which includes a partnership with “Las Culturistas Culture Awards” airing August 5 on Bravo, and the next day on Peacock.
The Casamigos Margaritas variety packs are available in California, Washington and Florida, with national distribution rolling out in the coming months. They will first become available in an 8-can variety pack featuring all four flavors for a suggested retail price of $19.99.