U.S. alcohol sales rose during the pandemic as consumers found themselves bored, anxious, and isolated at home. But more recently, Americans have taken to cutting back on alcohol.
Part of that shift may relate to a broad pullback in spending.
Consumers are being more mindful of where their dollars are going given a years-long stretch of rampant inflation. And with interest rates unlikely to come down anytime soon, Americans are limiting what they buy to avoid needless debt.
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There are also growing health concerns about alcohol consumption. Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about the long-term risks of drinking.
A 2024 Gallup poll found that more Americans are acknowledging the negative effects of alcohol. Many are now turning to beverages with a lower alcoholic content as a middle-ground solution.
Coca-Cola is expanding into a growing beverage category.
Image source: TheStreet
Pre-made cocktails are grabbing consumers’ attention
At a time when consumers may be avoiding bars and their overpriced menus, a growing number are turning to pre-made cocktails for the convenience as well as the novelty.
Many pre-made cocktails are, by nature, lower in alcohol — though not necessarily in calories. But for consumers who are trying to be more mindful about the former than the latter, they’re an easy solution and alternative to happy hour.
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A growing number of beverage companies are jumping on the pre-made cocktail bandwagon. SunnyD Vodka Seltzer debuted in 2023, and more recently, Kraft Heinz introduced Crystal Light Vodka Refreshers.
Coca-Cola has never been a company to sit on the sidelines when a new trend in beverages emerges. Now, it’s rolling out a new concoction that fans might swoon over.
Coca-Cola goes all-in on canned cocktails
Cola-Cola hasn’t been shy about getting into the alcohol game. It already has a partnership with Brown-Forman that produces Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola, as well as a partnership with Constellation Brands on Fresca Mixed. And its Minute Maid spiked line features flavors like Strawberry Daiquiri.
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Now, Coca-Cola is bringing a new vodka cocktail into the mix. Dubbed Minute Maid spiked, it’s a mix of vodka and lemonade (both classic and pink).
Coca-Cola’s new drinks, which will be released through the company’s Red Tree Beverages subsidiary, have 5% alcohol by volume. They also don’t contain carbonation.
In recent years, beverage brands have enjoyed success by focusing on the quality of their spirits in pre-made drinks. Surfside, the maker of non-carbonated vodka-infused tea and lemonade, was the second-best-selling canned cocktail made with spirits in 2024.
As Americans take a more cautious approach to spending, focusing on spirit quality is a smart move for beverage-makers, as is veering away from carbonated beverages. Coca-Cola’s new offerings may prove to be a smoother, more sophisticated version of the pre-packaged cocktails today’s Gen Xers drank when they were younger (Zima, we’re talking to you).
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Still, Coca-Cola may want to tread lightly at a time when Americans are rethinking their relationship with alcohol.
The company already has a number of pre-made cocktails in its lineup. And at a time when consumers may be looking to cut back on booze as well as calories, it may not want to put too many eggs into this particular basket.
A 2025 NC Solutions survey found that 49% of Americans plan to drink less alcohol in 2025. So what Coca-Cola may want to do following its latest move is expand into the mocktail space.
It’s clear that consumers are still willing to spend money on fun beverages, and they’re eager to stock their own fridges rather than pay a premium to drink outside the home. As beverage companies dive headfirst into the world of pre-packaged cocktails, they should keep a pulse on the growing mocktail trend.
Maurie Backman owns shares of Coca-Cola.
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