“You look at the premium segment, the premium segment is well positioned by 2025 to almost, I think, no longer be considered the premium segment, but rather, the mainstream,” Arnold said. The mixer category has also benefited from some new blood through startups like AVEC, Top Note Tonic, and the actress Blake Lively’s Betty Buzz entering the fray. Now, this wave of innovation – combined with the poor performance of many of the old mainstream brands – is leading some retailers to rethink the mixer shelf. And if the retailer does decide to expand its NA set at the expense of mixers, it’s less likely to come out of the premium brands’ space. Gibb suggested that canned cocktails may even be complementary to premium mixers by introducing more consumers to upscale alcohol consumption.
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