The drink will be about 5% alcohol by volume depending on the market. (Most light beers are around 4.2% ABV). Absolut & Sprite’s packaging will include both brand trademarks, the companies stated, but can designs have not yet been released.
The companies said they would adhere to “responsible marketing practices,” saying that cans would include “clear responsibility symbols” stating that the drink is to be enjoyed only by consumers of legal drinking age.
Coca-Cola has teamed with beer company Molson Coors on Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Simply Spiked Lemonade and the recently released Peace Hard Tea. Separately, the company released a Jack & Coke premixed cocktail in partnership with Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman. Jack & Coke cans entered the U.S. market earlier this year, and global volumes for the premixed cocktail have reached 1.8 million cases across 11 markets, Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting said on an Aug. 30 earnings call. In the U.S., he called it “the most successful launch in Brown-Forman history,” noting the distribution gains it has made. It only trails the liquor company’s flagship Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey in distribution penetration, he said.
Absolut & Sprite is another bar call turned canned cocktail—and although it might not have the same awareness as Jack and Coke, Coca-Cola execs expressed optimism.
“We keep consumers at the center of everything we do as we continue to develop our portfolio as a total beverage company,” said James Quincey, chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola, in a press release. “We are expanding in the alcohol ready-to-drink space, including products that use select brands from our core portfolio. We are excited about our new relationship with Pernod Ricard and look forward to the introduction of Absolut & Sprite.”