Impact’s “Hot Brand” RTDs Keeping Up A Torrid Pace This Year 

Earlier this year, Impact awarded “Hot Brand” honors to 15 spirits-based RTD brands that have set the pace for the category in recent years. So far in 2025, the vast majority of those brands are continuing to show marked growth in retail channels. By year-end, RTDs are expected to surpass vodka as the largest-selling spirits category in volume terms, according to Impact Databank. Marketers are responding to the trend, exemplified by Pernod Ricard’s recent move to form a special RTD selling division to bolster its presence in the category.

While Gallo’s High Noon remains by far the category leader, second-ranked Surfside is making a strong push, with volume soaring by more than 200% in Nielsen channels this year through July 12. “We started with the hard iced tea, and now that’s branched off into in 12 different flavors,” says Matt Quigley, president and co-founder of Surfside parent company Stateside Brands. “But the core of our message is that we are a hard iced tea and hard lemonade company. And then there’s various flavors in both of those categories.”

Other spirits-based RTDs showing especially strong growth in Nielsen channels this year include Buzzballz (Sazerac), Sun Cruiser (Boston Beer Co.), and VMC (Gallo). “On the RTD side, VMC is doing great, and the launch of Lucky One Lemonade has been incredible,” Gallo chief commercial officer Britt West recently told SND. “That’s tapping into the premiumization of lemonade, but also the no- and low-carbonation space.”

Carbliss, the 2.8-million-case label from SNFood & Beverage is also thriving at retail, up more than 80% this year. And Anheuser-Busch has a dynamic RTD duo in the Cutwater and Nütrl brands, both of which have risen more than 20% in Nielsen channels this year after combining for 6.7 million cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank.

The market has now expanded to field several different subcategories of RTDs. “Mom Water was the first to provide a spirit-based product with no carbonation and that served a segment of customers who wanted something like High Noon without the bubbles,” says Shaun Brown, director of sales for retailer Chan’s Wine World, which has several Florida locations. “[The Finnish] Long Drink offers a little more body and a different flavor profile than High Noon. On the Rocks is from Suntory Global Spirits, but they were smart to make it its own brand.”

Those three brands, as well as Anheuser-Busch’s Cutwater, are also on the rise at the Illinois-based Garfield’s Beverage Warehouse retail chain, according to Jeremy Brock, chief purchasing officer and general manager. “I think these are the best of what is on offer in their respective niches,” he says. “On the Rocks does well for high-quality cocktails in a package, Cutwater fills the need for those not concerned about sugar and calories with the convenience of a can, and the rest are there for the calorie-conscious consumer.”

“People see one brand doing something successful and they flood into it,” observes Surfside’s Quigley. “Over a handful of years, we’re going to see dozens, and maybe hundreds of brands come into the market. It will become a game of attrition, where five to 10 years down the line there will be a few brands that really make it through and other ones will ultimately be absorbed or just won’t work out.”

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