Dive Brief:
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The collaboration between Campbell’s Company’s V8 beverage and sparkling cocktail brand Spritz Society has resulted in the creation of the Bloody Mary Spritz.
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This limited-time offering is a mixture of white wine, natural ingredients inspired by V8’s classic tomato flavor, and spices. Each 12-ounce can contains 4.5% alcohol by volume, 120 calories, and 5 grams of sugar.
- The Bloody Mary Spritz is the latest addition to V8’s product lineup, following successful launches like the V8 Grillo’s Dill Pickle Bloody Mary Mix in partnership with Grillo’s Pickles and mocktail recipes created with Ritual Zero proof a few years ago.
Dive Insight:
Established in 1933, V8 was originally created to provide affordable vegetable nutrition to a wider audience, eventually being acquired by Campbell’s 15 years later. The brand has been synonymous with its iconic red vegetable juice for most of its history.
In 2011, V8 Energy was introduced to the market and has seen consistent growth ever since. Retail sales have increased by over 5% in the past year, according to data from Circana provided by Campbell’s.
Expanding its offerings, the New Jersey-based company introduced V8 Vegetable and Fruit Juice Beverages to the shelf-stable juice category four years later.
Despite its success, Campbell’s incoming CEO Mick Beekhuizen acknowledged in September that V8 had not been a top priority for the company compared to other brands. Moving forward, resources and focus have been reallocated to strengthen the brand’s position in the market.
The introduction of the Bloody Mary Spritz taps into the popularity of the cocktail, with nearly three-quarters of Americans enjoying this alcoholic beverage according to Campbell’s. By offering a wine-based alternative to the traditional vodka-based Bloody Mary, the Spritz provides a unique drinking experience.
This innovation not only showcases the versatility of the V8 portfolio but also highlights the brand’s potential as a key ingredient in alcoholic beverages. The ready-to-drink format aligns with consumers’ desire for convenience and portability in their beverage choices.
Campbell’s emphasized that their strategy is not focused on increasing or decreasing alcohol content, but rather on showcasing the diverse usage occasions for their V8 products and reaching new audiences through innovative offerings.