Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I sees a fresh opportunity in the wine spritz market

Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain and Ireland (SBF GB&I) announced the launch of a new ready-to-drink alcohol (ARTD) brand, La Casera, as it furthers its category expansion ambitions in the UK.

La Casera is a leading brand of ‘Tinto de Verano’ in Spain, combining wine and soda to create a refreshing drink that appeals to UK consumers wanting an aperitivo moment with friends.

Elise Seibold, chief operating officer at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I commented “This is another significant milestone in our ambitions to expand our portfolio into new categories beyond soft drinks. We’re adding another well-loved heritage brand to our portfolio alongside Lucozade and Ribena, but this time with a Spanish twist. La Casera is a symbol of community and celebration and we can’t wait to see UK consumers ‘spritz like the Spanish’ this summer.”

RTD is the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage category globally, which witnessed an average growth rate of approximately 20% from 2020 to 2022. Growth is expected to continue, with the global market size estimated to exceed £39.2 billion (US$50 billion) by 2030. La Casera is the number one ‘Tinto de Verano’ brand in Spain and in 2024 performed remarkably, contributing 88% of the category’s volume growth. It has equally performed impressively in the on-premise channel, where it’s responsible for 9 out of 10 incremental litres.

Last year, SBF GB&I moved into alcohol with the launch of Suntory’s unique Japanese pre-mix alcohol brand, minus 196. The brand brought something new and different to the RTD alcohol category in Great Britain, combining a traditional Japanese spirit with modern technology to deliver an exciting new taste and experience for consumers.

Alpesh Mistry, sales director at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I commented: “Spritz drinks have seen great growth in the on trade and yet this category is only just getting started in the ready to drink format. A lot of the ARTD on shelves right now is spirit led which gives us a brilliant opportunity to bring something new to the market. There is huge potential in this unexplored segment and we can lead the way with the launch of La Casera.”

La Casera will be produced in Toledo in central Spain where it is made by Suntory Beverage & Food Spain and will be launched with its red and white wine flavours. La Casera is now stocked in WHSmith stores and online with Amazon.