Coca-Cola and Bacardi partner on ready-to-drink cocktail

Coca-Cola and Bacardi plan to launch a ready-to-drink cocktail that includes their namesake brands.

The latest product with Bacardi follows a similar strategy Coca-Cola used in its partnership with Brown-Forman’s Jack Daniels in 2022. For years, the cola and the spirit have been paired to create the famous drink, Jack and Coke.

The two companies took advantage of that to create a ready-to-drink version of the cocktail.

The collaboration increased the opportunities when consumers could enjoy both brands. It also tapped into the surging interest in cocktails and ready-to-drink beverages. And with the drink and brands already popular, there was less inherent risk for each company to introduce the product.

Mahesh Madhavan, CEO of Bacardi, said Bacari Mixed with Coca-Cola RTD will allow consumers to “enjoy one of the most world’s most popular cocktails — first invented generations ago with BACARDÍ rum and Coca-Cola — in a high-quality, convenient format.”

This is not the first time the two brands have come together, the companies noted. In 1900, the Cuba Libre cocktail was invented using Bacardi rum, Coca-Cola and lime at the American Bar in Havana.

The new item comes as demand for canned cocktails soars. Pre-mixed cocktails, including spirits-based RTDs, rose 26.8% to $2.8 billion in 2023, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.’ annual economic report. It was the fastest-growing spirits category.

With further growth expected, Bacari Mixed with Coca-Cola RTD will allow the companies to grab a piece of that market while using their popular brand names to stand out in an increasingly crowded space.

Just Food