Our latest distribution roundup finds Sunshine Punch and Betty Booze signing on for national distribution with one of the big guys, Play Hard vodka seltzer expanding into a new state and stadium, Gay Water going west and Teremana Tequila going global.
Sunshine Punch To Go National
Sunshine Punch — the ready-to-serve cocktail inspired by a creamsicle and made from orange, creme, rum and vodka — has signed a national distribution deal with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS). The North Carolina-based brand launched last summer and will now expand from its 15 states, “scaling very quickly” into SGWS-active states.
Founded by friends Brian Thomason and Matt Hemmings, Sunshine Punch comes in 750 ml bottles with an SRP of $24.95. The partnership provides several benefits for the startup brand, including increased reach, market penetration, efficiency and expertise, according to its founders.
“Aligning with a reputable distributor like SGWS can enhance the credibility and legitimacy of the Sunshine Punch brand in the eyes of retailers, consumers, and other industry stakeholders,” the founders told BevNet via email. “It signals that the brand is serious about expansion and committed to delivering quality products on a national scale.”
Sunshine Punch hit its $1 million sales mark within its first nine months on the market. With success in RTDs translating to the multi-serve format, Sunshine Punch is among the few independent brands with a more premium take that have launched in the last few years and are driving growth in the segment.
Play Hard Vodka Seltzer Scores In Illinois
The line of vodka seltzers donned with Andy Warhol’s playboy bunny on the can has expanded into Illinois— and secured a multiyear partnership with the Chicago White Sox as the team’s new official RTD sponsor.
Playboy Spirits is a joint venture between Chicago-based beverage innovator SIP, and Playboy, which was founded and based in the Windy City for many years. SIP specializes in incubation and growth acceleration of early-stage brands, and is led by Marc Bushala, co-founder and former CEO of Angel’s Envy and co-founder of Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Spirits.
Play Hard launched in Florida last year and plans to add a few more states this year, with the aim of heading into about 20 markets in 2025, according to Bushala. He added that the bunny head-branded RTD made sense for Playboy’s consumer today— its new apparel and lifestyle collaborations finding traction among younger generations who may not even remember its heyday as boundary pushing magazine.
But the brand also aimed to check “all the boxes” including natural ingredients, low calorie count and a low ABV.
Now Play Hard will get to hop into the marketing territory of the White Sox universe, receiving brand exposure through in-stadium video boards and TV-visible signage, and featured on the White Sox social media platforms throughout the season.
Betty Booze Signs With SGWS
Betty Booze, the sparkling low-ABV RTD brand founded by entrepreneur and actress, Blake Lively, is hitting the next phase of its brand growth strategy with the release of two new cocktails and a national distribution partnership with SGWS.
This nationwide partnership “underpins the company’s larger U.S. expansion strategy, having also recently expanded into the UK in recent months,” said a release.
After testing in 200+ stores across the country, the company plans to rapidly expand the brand’s distribution, including in Whole Foods, Sprouts, as well as other top retailers, said Andrew T. Chrisomalis, co-founder and chairman of Betty B Holdings.
The cocktails will now also be available in mixed variety packs, the top selling SKU among RTDs overall. Since launching in 2021, sparkling mixer maker Betty Buzz’s business has been humming along, establishing itself in retail accounts nationwide and beyond before it moved into alcoholic versions last year.
Gay Water Hits California
Gay Water, the canned vodka soda named for a popular cocktail in queer bars, has extended its Total Wine & More partnership to 41 locations in California. The vodka soda hit the chain’s New York and New Jersey outlets late last year, with plans to enter California soon after. The brand has been scaling its team as it expands and is currently focused on putting its newly hired team to work in the Palm Springs and Palm Desert areas, according to founder Spencer Hoddeson.
Other news:
- As agave spirits look for growth internationally, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana Tequila announced it will be launching in five new markets outside of North America in 2024, debuting in the UK, Australia, Germany, UAE, Columbia and selected global travel retail locations later this year.