Heineken UK is launching Rum Stripe by Red Stripe, a rum-based extension of the Jamaican beer brand.
The new line consists of 7.5% ABV ready-to-drink cocktails in three variants – Rum Punch, Cherry & Cranberry, and Pineapple & Coconut (RRP: £2.75/250ml). The range is vegan-friendly, with no artificial flavours or colours.
Rum Stripe by Red Stripe will start rolling out in the UK convenience channel from today.
The brand extension was first launched in Jamaica before being rolled out to the US last year. The innovation aims to tap into changes in drinking habits among Gen Z consumers, with younger consumers preferring shorter, sweeter drinks.
Katie Park, Head of Beyond Beer at Heineken UK, commented: “We are thrilled to introduce Rum Stripe by Red Stripe in three creative flavour combinations which will allow UK consumers to ‘Taste the Tropics’. At Heineken UK, we have a strong track record of bringing category-leading innovation to the market, consistently evolving our portfolio of brands in line with market trends, and always keeping the consumer at the heart. This is exactly what we have set out to achieve with this launch.
“By investing in categories outside of traditional beer & cider, we can leverage the strength of our popular brands to introduce innovative drinks that consumers can trust will deliver on quality. From a shopper perspective, seeing renowned brands move into new formats naturally inspires curiosity and excitement which, in turn, will help our retailer partners grow their sales and drive footfall.”
