Beam’s Pucker Extended With Watermelon, Aims To Stem Slide
March 28, 2013Beam Inc. has extended its Pucker flavored vodka line with a new entry, Watermelon Wow. The new Watermelon flavor is in national distribution, priced at $16.99 a 750-ml. The Pucker range features six other flavors—Sour Apple Sass, Grape Gone Wild, Cherry Tease, Citrus Squeeze, Lemonade Lust and Raspberry Rave.
After launching in April 2011 with four flavored products and no core, unflavored vodka, Pucker got off to a fast start, benefiting from the flavored vodka trend and selling 117,000 cases in its first year on the market on the way to becoming an Impact “Hot Prospect.” But Beam reported in its full-year results that the brand’s net sales were down 5% in 2012, as the company moved to invest behind its more recent vodka play, Pinnacle, acquired for $605 million from White Rock Distilleries a year ago.
Beam president Matthew Shattock has said Pucker will play a supporting role in the company’s vodka business looking ahead, with Pinnacle taking the lead. While Pucker is adding Watermelon Wow, Pinnacle is welcoming two flavors of its own next month—Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Sherbet.
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