Molson Coors launches alcohol-free canned cocktail Roxie in DTC play

Seizing on the growing interest in non-alcoholic adult beverages, Molson Coors is introducing a canned cocktail line called Roxie. But don’t look for it in bars quite yet. The brand, inspired by craft cocktails, is aimed at 21-to-34-year-old consumers looking for non-alcoholic options during “Dry January” and throughout the year. Roxie, which contains no alcohol, has 90 calories per 12-ounce serving. The zero-proof drink comes in three varieties—Lost In The Mango (described as sweet mango with rich and aromatic flavors); Forbidden Pineapple (tangy pineapple tinged with tropical tones); and Ripe With Passionfruit (tart passionfruit with a hint of botanicals). Roxie marks the first time Molson Coors would build a brand fully in-house, a company spokeswoman said. Molson Coors will also collaborate with LA Libations, the beverage incubator Molson Coors holds a stake in, “so they’ll be partnering with us on some of the marketing along with their agency, Red Antler.” Ad Age events Sign up for events and awards Learn more here In another first for the company, Roxie is launching exclusively as a direct-to-consumer brand, a strategy meant to provide the opportunity to communicate with consumers directly, and account for Roxie's relative lack of scale, Jamie Wideman, Molson Coors’ VP of innovation, wrote in a blog post announcing the launch. “Using online and social platforms allows us to hear consumer feedback and innovate off that feedback quickly,” Wideman said. Other brands in the alcohol-free canned cocktail category include Recess and Kul Mocks. In 2022, 35% of adult drinkers stayed away from alcohol for the entire month of January, up from 21% in 2021, according to Nielsen CGA data cited by Molson Coors in the blog post. And the non-alcoholic beverage category is poised to grow by 27.6% among 21-to-24-year-olds by 2025, based on data from beverage industry analysis firm IWSR, according to the brewer. Molson Coors is separately preparing the launch an alcohol-free version of its Peroni beer, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0. Roxie is Molson Coors’ latest offering in the beyond beer space and builds on brands such as Simply Spiked Lemonade, Five Trail blended American whiskey and ZOA energy drink. “As we think about our innovation approach in general, we’re going to have ideas that are big and ready to scale. We’re also going to have initiatives that are at the forefront of growing categories and emerging spaces that need time to be nurtured,” Wideman added. “That’s where Roxie comes in.” Molson Coors said it worked with bartenders on getting Roxie’s flavors right, seeking a “recognizable experience” but with “added depth that’s often absent in zero-proof cocktails,” Wideman said. Roxie sells online for $18 for a 4-pack of 12-oz. cans and $43 for a 12-pack including all three varieties. The cans feature a stylized fox and a look evoking high-end nightlife.

Molson Coors launches alcohol-free canned cocktail Roxie in DTC play

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