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UK rollout for flavoured Smirnoff and Baileys

Written by Nigel Huddleston   
Monday, 02 March 2009

Diageo is rolling out two new flavoured Smirnoff vodkas and a coffee-flavoured version of Baileys in the UK, after successful test markets.

The company is also giving a national launch to pre-mixed cans of Gordon's and Schweppes slimline tonic and Smirnoff and cranberry juice, again after tests.

It's also launching straight-to-market - with no test - canned premixes of Bulleit Bourbon with cola, Morgan's spiced rum with cola and Smirnoff and tonic.

The lime and green apple flavoured versions of Smirnoff are going national in the UK after a six-month on- and off-trade test in Bristol.

Diageo hopes the products will sell for a 10% premium over Smirnoff Red.

Innovation commercialisation director Steve Hamilton said the coffee version of Baileys had outsold existing mint and crème caramel variants in a pre-Christmas test in Asda stores.

It will be launched nationally with a £1 million TV ad campaign in time for Easter.

He added that the market for canned premixed branded spirits and mixers - as opposed to stand alone RTD brands - had grown by 13% in the year to Jan 24 in the off-trade, based on Nielsen figures.

Hamilton said: "Retailers have brought in their own brands which has helped move the market forward and turn it into a category in its own right within stores."

Diageo is also planning to roll out a ready-mixed litre bottle of Jose Cuervo Margaritas cocktails, and an on-trade version where a mix is added to the parent spirit, this year.

Hamilton added: "The downturn makes it more important than ever that we innovate.

"History shows that companies who innovate in a downturn are the ones that come out of it stronger."

 

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