From their performance-style bottle flips as they mix the ingredients to the spectacle of the drink itself, it’s truly a form of art.
The bottle flips take time to master, but creating that perfect cocktail at home is definitely within reach. However, it can be intimidating. While craft cocktails are in vogue right now – especially with millennials – many of them report they don’t know how to make them.
We were approached in the summer of 2016 by Walmart’s mixed drinks buyer, Tammy Patton, who wanted help in creating a new, exciting product that resonated with these customers. “The mixed drinks and bar ingredients category hasn’t seen innovations in a while. It all started with us needing lime and lemon juices, which surprisingly, we didn’t have in that category,” Tammy said.
What we came up with – a selection of mixers and bar ingredients called Cocktail Artist – fills this gap. From the ingredients to the packaging, it stands out. We went straight to the experts – eight award-winning mixologists from across the U.S. – and worked with them to create premium ingredients they would be excited to use. They became our spokespeople for each of the products, with their faces on the bottles of the ingredients they helped make.
Each mixologist honed in on the mix or ingredient he or she was passionate about. They were enthusiastic and took ownership from the get-go – all the way to doing store demos, taking pictures with customers and signing bottles. We went with an Andy Warhol-style concept and the idea of turning the labels into actual pieces of art.
We started with two products, then grew to eight in March of this year. And in 2018, we’ll expand to a total of 15. And with new products, come new bartenders. One of them, Skyy John, better known as Tipsy Bartender, is one of the biggest influencers in this category, with 26 million followers. To keep up with demand at our plant in Cincinnati, we’re proud to be adding jobs to that community. What’s great is that none of our mixes are made with high-fructose corn syrup and at the same time, they’re affordable. You can make some really high-quality cocktails and not break the bank.
“This line has really revitalized the category. The major players in that space are bringing more to the table and innovating. We’re growing a new customer base, and they’re coming back more often,” Tammy said. “We’re really proud we can offer quality products like this to our customers.”
Our goal was to create a craft cocktail movement. I think we’re on our way.