Smirnoff pilots new flavours

The UK's number one spirit brand, Smirnoff vodka, has been blended with natural lime and green apple flavours to create two distinctive-tasting vodkas. The flavours have been developed to appeal to consumers looking to add more variety to their current drinks repertoire.

Lime has long been a complement to spirit drinks and cocktails, with apple a popular flavour in drinks due to its clean, crisp taste. By blending the flavours into the vodka itself, the lime and green apple cuts through mixers to offer a refreshing-tasting take on classic long mixed drinks.

Vodka's popularity, a category currently worth 756m to the off-trade, shows no sign of wavering. The test of Lime Smirnoff and Green Apple Smirnoff in Great Britain will investigate the potential for growth in the flavoured vodka market, which currently accounts for 4% of total volume sales in the vodka category globally, compared with less than 1% in Europe.

Mike Martin, Senior Innovation Manager at Diageo, comments:
"Both Lime and Green Apple Smirnoff are great options for retailers looking to differentiate their vodka serves. They complement popular serves of Smirnoff, providing additional flavour to a classic long mixed drink. The Bristol test will aim to create further excitement and consumer interest in the vodka category, while driving incremental profit for retailers.

"Feedback we've had from consumers indicates the added flavour adds a higher perception of quality and value, so we are recommending that retailers sell Lime Smirnoff and Green Apple Smirnoff at a 10% premium to Smirnoff No.21 vodka."

The test of Lime Smirnoff and Green Apple Smirnoff will be supported by a range of marketing activity in the Bristol area, including print advertising, online, and in store merchandising material. The creative aims to educate consumers on the signature serve of each flavour, clearly positioning flavoured vodka as a long mixed drink with enhanced taste.

Lime Smirnoff and Green Apple Smirnoff are available in 70cl bottles and have an ABV of 37.5%. A 50ml serve contains 1.9 units.