Key Points:
- Anheuser-Busch is introducing Skimmers, a non-carbonated vodka tea available in almost 20 states and Washington, D.C.
- Skimmers is made with Cutwater vodka, real tea, and natural flavors, coming in Original Tea, Half & Half, Peach Tea, and Lemonade varieties.
- The vodka tea sector saw a 332% surge in 2024, meeting the growing demand for spirits-based RTD beverages.
Insight:
Consumers are shifting towards hard tea as an alternative to traditional alcohol, with the market valued at $2 billion in 2021 and projected to grow at a rate of 24.7% annually through 2030.
Several alcohol makers, including Anheuser-Busch, have added hard teas to their portfolios to cater to this trend.
Boston Beer’s Twisted Tea has long dominated the market, but newer offerings like Surfside tea and Sun Cruiser are gaining popularity.
Skimmers, with 4.5% ABV, 100 calories, and two grams of sugar per 12 fluid ounces, aims to compete in this growing category and expand Anheuser-Busch’s product range.
As consumer preferences evolve, products like hard tea help companies like Anheuser-Busch diversify and meet changing demands.