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Fresh from a $3 million crowdfunding equity raise last year, Melbourne-based non-alcoholic ready-to-drink cocktail company Naked Life Spirits has struck a partnership with American-Canadian brewing giant Molson Coors to take the brand to the US.
Molson Coors plans to introduce the Naked Life range to the US market early next year as part of a broader move to “premiumise” its portfolio and expand its offering in the non-alcoholic category.
"Consumers want more than just an alternative," says Kevin Nitz, vice-president of non-alcoholic beverages for Molson Coors.
“They want a sophisticated, great-tasting option that aligns with their lifestyle. Naked Life provides a high-quality non-alc cocktail, delivering an experience of the best alc-based versions.
"After you taste Naked Life, I dare you to believe it's not a full-strength cocktail."
The Molson Coors agreement follows a distribution deal secured by Naked Life in Hong Kong last year, building on the company’s existing base in Australia where Naked Life claims to be the country’s number one non-alcoholic cocktail.
Molson Coors notes that non-alcoholic ready-to-drink category has increased nearly 70 per cent in the U.S. over the past year and that Naked Life will fill an “unmet desire for drinks that offer the same premium experience as alcohol options”.
"The consumer market is shifting and is demanding more low- and no-alc options, but the availability of truly great-tasting alternatives has been slow to catch up," says David Andrew, the founder of Naked Life.
"This partnership aligns perfectly with both companies' goals to innovate and meet the evolving needs of today's consumers, allowing us to rethink the beverage landscape for the future."
Naked Life’s products will join a portfolio of brands at Molson Coors that include beer brands Coors and Miller, as well as hard seltzers, premium spirits and non-alcoholic products.
The crowdfunding equity raise completed in July last year was among the biggest on the Birchal platform in 2023, as Naked Life raised $3 million from 935 investors.
The company has a solid distribution base in Australia, with the company revealing it has more than 30,000 distribution points through its arrangements with Coles (ASX: COL), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Dan Murphy’s, First Choice Liquor, Drakes and IGA. The company also says it dominates the grocery market with an 81 per cent share of the category.
Naked Spirits also has secured hotels group Australian Venue Co as a non-alcoholic partner, giving the company access to more than 200 hospitality venues.
Molson Coors plans to launch Naked Life in the US from March next year both online and through selected retail locations, with the initial launch to include five Naked Life cocktail varieties – namely Mojito, Negroni Spritz, Gin and Tonic, Cosmo and Margarita.
Andrew founded Naked Life Spirit in 2019, born from an earlier startup Naked Life Beverages which was established to create sugar-free products for consumers.
Both businesses have stemmed from Andrew’s personal journey to reduce sugar in his own diet which he says has since become “my relentless mission to change the face of drinking across Australia and the globe”.
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