Operating as a digitally-native, direct-to-consumer brand is different from trying to stand out on-shelf in stores. As its presence increases in bev-alc retailers, CBD and hemp-derived THC drink brand Flyers Cocktail Co. has revamped its look to meet new consumers in fresh retail channels.
“On a DTC model, you have a really great opportunity to communicate about the brand, about the reasons to believe, about all of the awards and work that went into it. On-shelf that is all eliminated,” Flyers founder Craig Lewis told BevNET. “All you have is your can and your brand.”
Understanding that different framing was why Flyers has spent the last six months working with branding agency Safari Sundays (operated by Flyers co-founder Damon Gorrie) to develop a bolder look for its 3-SKU line of hemp-derived THC beverages (Ol’ Fashioned, Margarita and Apéro Spritz).
The packaging refresh has only impacted the Delta-9 (D9) THC drink cans but changed all elements of Flyers branding – from its logo to color scheme and front-of-label callouts – in an effort to “catch consumers who have never discovered the brand,” Lewis said. It is also part of the brand’s evolution from CBD non-alc cocktail maker to THC beverage brand that has aligned with alcohol distributors nationwide.
Flyers announced its entrance into the CBD beverage category in October 2021 with three varieties of non-alcoholic canned cocktails. But the brand really took off when it launched its 5mg hemp-derived THC drinks in Spring 2023. Now, Flyers’ D9 drinks now make up between 80% and 90% of sales.
That growth is seen in both DTC and brick-and-mortar retail where Flyers is now in about 600 retailers nationwide and expects to hit over a thousand by the end of the summer. Flyers has been one of the many D9 beverage brands finding success selling in Total Wine and More and independent bev-alc distributors.
“Honestly, it’s difficult to stand out,” he said about operating in the traditional retail environment. “So what we tried to do [with the rebrand] was really own this classic cocktail side of things. We really try to create this clear hierarchy of comps and prioritize what we want top down.”
This included simplifying the callouts on the old packaging, replacing them with clearer descriptors and leaning into the aesthetic of nostalgic mixed drinks.
“It’s simple to make things difficult, but it’s difficult to make things simple,” Lewis said, comparing the two label styles.
The goal was to have all three flavors live on the shelf as a family of drinks. The bolder look added new colors “as a cognitive shortcut to flavor” while defining the core attributes that make up the beverage: zero-proof, flavor, volume and milligram dosage of THC.
Another key change was renaming its Sparkling Spritz variety to an Apéro Spritz. It’s not the first time the company has found a need to transition as it simplifies its messaging: Originally, Flyers launched with a Tokyo Marg flavor calling out its use of chili and yuzu but has pivoted to just Margarita with its ingredient profile listed on the label.
The new look comes just over a month after Flyers announced the closing of a Series Seed round of investment led by cannabis-focused investment firm Delta Emerald Ventures with Mindset Capital also participating.
Despite the gains that Flyers has seen with its brick-and-mortar retail business and its decision to revamp its packaging to meet these new consumers, the brand is not abandoning its DTC model. As of March, DTC sales were up 32% in the last year and 136% over the three months prior. Between retail and DTC, sales fluctuate month-to-month make it hard to prioritize one over the other, Lewis said, so Flyers is doing “a bit of a dance” on where it is investing its marketing dollars.
Future planning can be difficult in the cannabis beverage category as new hurdles continue to pop up on the horizon as states attempt to regulate hemp-derived THC products and a new Farm Bill is drafted with potential potholes for the hemp industry.
Flyers rebrand is a way to further align the company with the bev-alc industry and provide a low-dose THC product that “brings more people into the fold,” Lewis said.