It may feel like we've been walking in the depths of the hard seltzer pool for a while, but it looks like we've only scratched the surface. It was announced this week that Coca-Cola will be in the market in the coming year. If you haven't succumbed to the soda craze yet, now is the time.
Unfortunately, there's very little information about the spiny Topo Chico other than the fact that it's coming. Topo Chico currently only has two varieties: Original and Lime. So the hard seltzer line will likely include lime, but other flavors are still up in the air. Hopefully they'll add some of Coca-Cola's various flavors like vanilla, orange vanilla and cherry.
The upcoming Topo Chico hard seltzer is Coca-Cola's first foray into the spiked seltzer category. According to CNN, in 2017, Coca-Cola acquired Topo Chico for $220 million. With the hard seltzer category expected to triple by 2023, according to a recent report from beverage market analyst firm IWSR, it appears to be a pretty sound investment.
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will begin selling in select cities across Latin America starting later this year. In the US, we'll have to wait until 2021 for the Topo Chico Hard Seltzer. Luckily, there are plenty of other spiked sodas you can drink to satisfy your taste buds in the meantime.
According to MSNBC, this is Coca-Cola's first foray into alcoholic beverages since the launch of the Wine Spectrum business in 1983. Although Wine Spectrum is long gone, Topo Chico hard seltzer joins the ranks of dozens of hard seltzers, old and new.
Want to feel older? According to a Nielsen report, in 2018, there were only 10 hard seltzer brands on the market. As of June 2020, there are more than 65 hard seltzer brands on the market. There are some tried-and-true hard seltzer staples like White Claw, Truly, Bon & Viv, and Press. Larger alcohol brands such as Bud Light, Four Loko and Natural Light are also getting into spiked sodas. Even Jelly Belly launched its own line of sparkling waters this year, with flavors including French vanilla and orange sherbet. (While these are non-alcoholic, there's absolutely nothing stopping you from adding a splash of vodka.)
Let’s hope Topo Chico Hard Seltzer lives up to expectations.
