watch out, white claw
Fort Worth favorite Topo Chico's new hard seltzer will soon hit shelves
The hard seltzer spinoff of Texas' favorite mineral water hits shelves this month. Topo Chico Hard Seltzer debuts March 29, global brewer Molson Coors announced.
That the product will arrive in time for spring patio season might come as a bit of a surprise. When the Coca-Cola Company revealed last year that it would utilize Topo Chico to get a foothold in the lucrative seltzer market, it only said the product would debut sometime in 2021.
The drinks aims to balance the effervescence and minerality that have made Topo Chico a statewide obsession with the tartness and sweetness that have made hard seltzers a runaway sales success. At launch, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will come in four flavors: Tangy Lemon Lime, Exotic Pineapple, Strawberry Guava, and Tropical Mango. Like most of its competitors, it's gluten-free, has only 100 calories with two grams of sugar, and 4.7-percent ABV per 12-ounce can.
Shoppers have the choice of different purchase formats: four-flavor, 12-can variety pack; two, 24-ounce singles; and 16-ounce single cans. In addition to Texas, the drink will launch in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Oregon, plus six metro areas including Boston, Chicago, New York City, Northern New Jersey, Seattle / Vancouver, Washington, and Washington D.C.
“We are seeing incredible excitement for the launch of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer with drinkers and retailers alike,” said Matt Escalante, senior director of seltzers at Molson Coors, in a release. “Topo Chico Hard Seltzer is a modern take on refreshment that brings entirely new character to the red-hot seltzer category.”
Whether drinkers agree with that assessment remains to be seen, of course. Led by brands like White Claw and Truly, the space has become increasingly competitive. Anheuser-Busch produces five different seltzer lines, including this week's launch of Travis Scott’s CACTI.
Molson Coors certainly plans to give the drink every opportunity to reach cultural critical mass. A release touts a "robust 360 marketing campaign" that includes influencers, celebrities, traditional advertising, and, well, articles like this one. Tropical Mango Topo, anyone?