This past summer, the beverage world sat up at Coca-Cola’s announcement that it was teaming up with Jack Daniel’s for a canned Jack and Coke, launching first in Mexico before expanding to the United States and beyond. This offering from two global icons was in the vanguard of a new industry expansion into the canned cocktail space. The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. records that pre-mixed cocktails was the fastest-growing spirits category in 2021, stealing share from among other beer and hard seltzer, which had its own Cinderella moment in 2020.
Jack and Coke has a double advantage: first, whiskey and cola is already a classic order for many. Second, both brands offer top-tier quality assurance for those wanting to access pre-mixed convenience. Most competitors won’t benefit from such strong associations on either count ― especially if they want to be a little different and edgy.