It was a smooth win for Velvet Llama as the New York-based brand was named the champion in BevNET’s Cocktail Showdown 3 this weekend.
Created by former bartender Luca Forgeois, Velvet Llama launched earlier this year with a line of RTD cocktails including Moscow Mule and Spicy Margarita (12 oz. cans) and Espresso Martini (8.4 oz. can) varieties. Each drink is 5% ABV and the Espresso Martini contains 100 mg of caffeine.
During the competition, Forgeois explained that the brand was inspired by his frustration with making espresso martinis fresh while bartending and wishing for a simpler solution. The company’s playful name and colorful branding was inspired by the velvety smooth taste of an espresso martini and a pandemic-induced fascination with online llama videos.
“I’m elated,” Forgeois told BevNET after the competition. “I thought that [our] beverages were tremendous, they were good, but there were plenty of other people with delicious beverages here and I would have understood if somebody else had won. So the fact that we’re here – it’s just been a long road and I’m so grateful. There’s so many people that aren’t here that are a part of this story.”
Currently sold in around 120 New York and New Jersey retail doors, including select Shop Rite locations, Forgeois said Velvet Llama will continue to expand its door count in Q1 2023 with a focus on the Tristate area as well as Florida.
Judges for the competition included Brandy Rand, Chief Strategy Officer at IWSR; Nick Papanicolaou, founder of No Sleep Beverage; and Paul Beaupre, founder of BoPray Consulting.
The judges praised the can’s colorful design and the strong flavors of the beverages – the latter proving to be the key factor in Velvet Llama’s victory.
“I love the liquid, I thought it was great,” Rand said during the Showdown. “I think [the] packaging is really great. What we noticed in looking at all of the cans of everything, [Velvet Llama] was very easy to tell it was a canned cocktail, so you knew what you were getting and I think that’s really important.”
Velvet Llama was one of nine brands to pitch during the competition, alongside Robin Road Cocktails, Jivati, Curation Beverage Company, VING Vodka, Howie’s Spiked, Beauty Booze, Spirited Hive and Togronis.
The brand now joins the two past winners of BevNET’s Cocktail Showdown: Wandering Barman and Golden Rule.
Velvet Llama will receive an engraved trophy, an industry advertising package valued at $10,000 and – perhaps most significantly – coveted bragging rights.