While ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages "aren't the primary choice for most consumers," according to recent research from T. Hasegawa, 32% of survey respondents drink RTDs in casual social gatherings.
Expanding occasions and offering refreshing, low-sugar flavors can drive growth, especially among women, according to the company.
"Consumers are drawn to RTDs by spirit type and flavor. Adjustments like higher ABV, seasonal flavors and cocktail-inspired creations can expand consumption occasions. The RTD market is slowing, reflecting a natural correction that calls for adjusted expectations. Hard seltzers are facing the biggest challenges as their novelty fades and consumers explore other RTD options," according to the report.
Unique flavors are reportedly key for over half of consumers, outranking spirit type, brand and ABV. On the other hand, while many consumers seek variety in RTDs, oversaturation is "causing fatigue, with 47% feeling there are too many options and only 51% open to trying new products."
The report highlighted 10 emerging flavors in RTDs based on consumer preference research. The top 10 were:
- Mimosa
- Prickly pear
- Cucumber
- Blueberry
- Sour
- Rosé
- Ginger
- Mandarin/tangerine
- Blood/red orange
- Pear
Earlier this week, NACS reported that convenience stores excelled in alcohol sales in 2024, particularly with wine and spirits, taking share from drug stores, liquor stores, grocery and other channels, according to the NIQ 2024 Beverage Alcohol Insights report.
The convenience channel saw alcohol sales up 0.3% in 2024, NIQ reported. That boosts c-stores’ share of spirits dollar sales to 10%, compared to liquor stores’ 64%, grocery’s 17% and drug stores’ 2% share.
Curious about how c-stores performed in other categories in 2024? Join your peers at the 2025 NACS State of the Industry Summit, April 8-10, in Dallas to discover how c-stores fared across all key in-store categories last year.