This cocktail party comes in a can

Ready-to-drink cocktails, from classic Cosmopolitans to refreshing G&Ts, are making it quicker and easier to mix drinks for parties. But do they taste as good a freshly shaken cocktail?

There are party hosts, and then there are smart party hosts. The latter have now figured out how to ease the hassles of running a DIY home cocktail bar.

“Chuck those spirits, mixers, garnishes, glassware and ice buckets,” says Nitesh Prakash, founder of O’be Cocktails, which makes Bangalore-based RTD (Ready-to-Drink) cocktails. Nitesh explains how these right-off-the-shelf cocktails replace the processes of chopping, muddling, shaking and blending with just a twist of a cap. Prakash, who launched his brand in July 2019, offers customers three classics — Cosmopolitans, LIITs and mojitos — in 330 ml bottles.

Like O’be, most RTD cocktail brands in India today are sticking to the classics. This is because, “The classics are classics for a reason. They have been tried and tested over the years, and have a broad appeal that customers from all walks of life can relate to,” says Ajay Shetty, founder of Bengaluru-based Salud Beverages. Salud Beverages made a mark on the world stage this year, with all three of its RTD entries winning at the prestigious London Spirits Competition: Salud G&T 2.0 Lavender won gold, while Salud G&T 2.0 Cucumber and Salud Sonic (both cocktails) walked away with silvers.

In this new wave of RTD cocktails, which is washing across countries, companies are distilling their alcohol and then blending in natural mixers or flavourings, such as oranges, lemons, apples, coffee and more. The results, fortunately, are a world away from the sugary pre-mixed cocktail packs that were sold in liquor stores a few years ago.

Premium gin Bombay Sapphire, for instance, released its first line of canned gin and tonic in the UK in March 2020, while Tequila Cazadores entered the market with a pre-mixed margarita four-pack, spicy margarita and paloma. Luxury wine label Decoy also announced wine-based seltzers, while coffee-liqueur brand Tia Maria, introduced an RTD iced coffee frappe. These are all priced between $13 and $15. 

According to an online market survey by Grand View Research based out of Mumbai, the global ready-to-drink cocktails’ market size was valued at $782.8 million in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4% from 2022 to 2030. The study goes on to state that the growing demand for flavoured drinks (another category of cocktails) due to rising health concerns is expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

Most RTD cocktails contain about 9-12% alcohol same as the alcohol content in cocktails served at bars. In India, with more cocktails now available in bottles and cans, this category offers innovative options at competitive prices. Stating that cocktails are a “happy celebratory drink,” Nitesh says the inconsistency in taste at bars led him to explore these drinks as a business opportunity. “Targeted at house parties, we have decided to keep the price 30% less than the cost of cocktails at bars.” O’be Cocktails are made in South Goa with a focus on being premium and sustainable ( the brand claims zero plastic use throughout its supply chain). The brand is available in Bengaluru, Goa, and Hyderabad.