Ready-to-Drink Cocktails

With the incredible rise in popularity of Ready-to-Drink (RTD) cocktails – one of the fastest growing categories in drinks – consumers can enjoy expertly crafted drinks anytime, anywhere. However, creating a convenient, high-quality RTD cocktail involves more than mixing ingredients and sealing the package. From preserving taste to managing sustainability, here’s a look at the unique challenges faced in bringing RTD cocktails to market.

Flavour Preservation

Crafting a cocktail that maintains its flavour profile over time is tricky. Cocktails are sensitive to air, light, and temperature, and even slight exposure can alter flavours and delicate aromas. Traditional cocktail ingredients like citrus and herbs are particularly difficult to stabilise as they are easily oxidised by even tiny amounts of Oxygen entering through the container or closure (i.e. screw cap or stopper).

ecoSIP, having been developed around the requirements of storing wine for a year, has an extremely good oxygen barrier, and an inert gas process avoiding any damage during filling.

Shelf Stability

Choosing the right container is crucial. Glass is durable and preserves flavour well but is often impractical due to its cost, weight and fragility – not to mention its incredibly high carbon footprint. Lightweight alternatives like aluminium cans are popular, but they may impact certain flavours if the liner gets damaged and require additional preservatives to prevent biological processes taking place. The latter is particularly challenging in lower ABV cocktails.

ecoSIP’s clean room process can help ensure excellent shelf stability, even for cocktails lower than

Sustainability

RTD cocktails are especially attractive to a younger generation of consumers who are far more eco-conscious, so sustainable packaging is increasingly important. Aluminium cans are highly-recyclable, and work well for cocktails, but are still relatively bulky and need plenty of additional secondary packaging to avoid damage in transit.

ecoSIP can reduce the carbon footprint even beyond an aluminium can.

4. Carbonation and Freshness

Many popular cocktails are carbonated, and keeping them fresh and fizzy is a unique challenge. Carbonated cocktails require airtight seals and careful filling techniques to avoid loss of effervescence. However, achieving this on a mass scale without compromising the cocktail’s flavor or texture is difficult and requires specialized equipment.

Innovation Meets Taste

From portable cans to on-the-go bottles, RTD cocktails bring convenience to cocktail culture. But the journey from bar to shelf is no easy feat. As demand grows, innovation in packaging technology and materials will continue to push the boundaries, allowing consumers to enjoy premium cocktails that are fresh, sustainable, and delicious wherever they go