As competition within the category bubbles up, Spindrift is releasing its first-ever seasonal flavor in its ongoing mission to be the leading premium sparkling water brand on the market.
The Newton, Massachusetts-based brand announced today the launch of its non-alc Spiced Apple Cider and alcoholic Spiked Spiced Apple Cider flavors, with the latter rolling out into retailers this month. The new LTO marks a notable change in the brand’s once-a-year flavor introduction strategy; Spiced Apple Cider is the second flavor to launch this year, preceded by Blood Orange Tangerine in February.
Spiked Spiced Apple Cider is currently rolling out into stores in 8-packs in select regions nationwide. Made with real fruit juice, each 12 oz. can contains 97 calories and 4% ABV. Its non-alcoholic counterpart will launch exclusively online in 24-packs in November. The company will donate 1% of all sales from the flavors as part of its commitment to environmental campaign 1% For The Planet.
“We created our version of apple cider because it’s a fall favorite beverage that evokes fond memories but something many may have stopped drinking because of the sugar, calories and carbs,” said Spindrift founder and CEO, Bill Creelman, in a press release. “With a Spindrift twist, we’re giving people a modern alternative to cider – both a non-alcoholic version, and in a hard seltzer.”
With the seasonal release, Spindrift is following in the footsteps of competitors like Waterloo, which brought back its limited-edition Summer Berry flavor in May and recently released its own seasonal Spiced Apple flavor, now available at Target for $4.99 per 8-pack.
Launched in 2010, Spindrift set out to differentiate itself from competing seltzers through the use of real fruit juice and no artificial ingredients. The drinks themselves are colorful, setting them apart from the clear liquid of many other brands.
Creelman previously said that the brand was orienting itself to be a “total sparkling water company,” playing in all areas of the category. Over the past few years, the company has launched its Spiked line and a line of lemonade seltzers.
A large part of the brand’s success has been attributed to its existing consumer community of 700,000 “drifters,” who have been tapped for feedback through Sprindrift’s newsletter program and social media channels. Creelman said the brands’ consumer base has been its “true north” amid the premiumization of the sparkling water category.
Spindrift has seen double digit growth in the past year, up 35.9% to $147.8 million in the 52-week period ending August 27, according to market research firm Nielsen.
Creelman previously told BevNET that sales of Spindrift’s core line were 90% incremental to the sparkling water category as of 2021, noting that the company doesn’t think of itself as competing against the other brands that are in the category” and is instead focused on bringing in new consumers to the space.
The Spiced Apple Cider flavor was created as an expansion of the brand’s IP it has developed over the past 12 years. Creelman views the new offering as an opportunity for new consumers to discover the brand and its “better tasting, cleaner ingredients at [their] own speed.
He added, “We’ve been doing this for a while now but in many ways we still feel like a startup because there really is not a proposition like ours. So that continues to be our true north.”