Were thrilled to partner with the Big 12 Conference, said COOP Beverage Works President Sean Mossman. - Service fees vary and are subject to change based on factors like location and the number and types of items in your cart. 1Source: Grand View Research, I., 2022. To celebrate 2023 Interna Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A., 56, rue Charles Martel, L-2134 Luxembourg, LuxembourgR.C.S. The first you know about. Despite this substantial disparity, some individuals claim enjoyment from sucking on wedges for fun possibly catering towards Sonics Lemonade demographic crowdsourcing? As it so happens, the hard-seltzer-ficiation of Ocean Water would lead to a sea change for COOP. Is there a more distinctly American institution than the Sonic Drive-In? As the Official Hard Seltzer of the Big 12, SONIC Hard Seltzer will have category exclusivity and use of Conference and Championship marks at the retail level, along with social and digital engagement on the official Big 12 Conference channels and receive exposure in conjunction with the Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship; Phillips 66 Big 12 Mens Basketball Championship; and Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship. The latest product offering takes inspiration from SONIC Drive-In signature beverage flavorswith a hard seltzer twist. Over a half century later, Sonic Drive-In has expanded to a total of 3,549 locations across the United States. 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice. Sonic Cherry Limeade Seltzer stands out from the crowd, boasting an intense and unmistakable fake cherry flavor. If you drink seltzers, try it! ARKANSAS, USA SONIC Drive-in is jumping on the hard seltzer craze and you can now enjoy the restaurant's famous flavored drinks in alcohol form . I'm a food photographer and recipe developer with a passion for creating healthier alternatives to all time favorite recipes. I did drink them all because I refuse to waste alcohol (unless its Whiteclaw surge I just couldnt finish them) but I will not buy again unless its the only thing available. The Big 12 is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics conference that encompasses five states with over 40 million people within its geographic footprint. So in mid-2020, they went back to the well, whipping up another Sonic-inspired hard seltzer, modeled after the restaurants polarizing, electric-blue Ocean Water to release in spring 2021. Product While Texas boasts nearly 1,000 drive-in locations, there are zero Sonics in Maine and New Hampshire. Nothing was the same after the summer of White Claw. Save your money, these are not tasty, they are very artificial tasting. Beverage Cans The closest positive comparison we can make to this is the San Pellegrino citrus sodas, but that's honestly a real stretch. All Rights Reserved. Sonic, the beloved fast food restaurant that has made its mark in supplying drinks to quench your thirst, is now joining the increasing trend of hard seltzer with its lineup. Thanks for letting us know what youve thought of these, Stormy! IRVING, Texas Big 12 Sports Properties, the LEARFIELD team dedicated to the Big 12 Conference as its sponsorship rights holder, announces a multi-year agreement with Oklahoma City-based COOP Beverage Works, makers of SONIC Hard Seltzer. As Oklahomas top-selling craft brewer, COOP had been carefully stewarding its own brand for the last 13 years, and with popular Sonic-style hard seltzer flavors, Mossman had a ready-made conversation starter with a nationally known licensor whose offices were just a mile south of the brewery. The thought occurred to him on a socially distanced jog a few months prior. In this video I try the Sonic hard seltzer! Pick up a pack and host your own happy hour any time you want! And if you do everything right, your liquid stays solid, and you get a little lucky, your rocket just may go well, supersonic. [M]ost consumers are either fans or are at least familiar with our popular drink flavors across Sonics 46-state footprint, explains Springer, noting that while the firms franchisees are excited by the hard seltzer rollout, there are no plans to sell the alcoholic beverage at the drive-ins themselves. "Colder faster, 360-degree branding on the vessel and leading recycling rates and recycled content rates make this the . If youre within striking distance of a Sonic, assume youre surrounded by cherry limeade acolytes. (According to. And the firms longstanding popularity in the Midwest and Great Plains states suggests that theres room to grow, even absent further geographical expansion. For more information, visit COOPAleWorks.com. But youd be wrong. Sonic has decided to capitalize on its fast-food beverage supremacy by hopping on the hard seltzer bandwagon, releasing a lineup of eight flavors. They werent horrible, just not amazing. Don't Miss Out! Order up! But for the uninitiated reading this: Cherry limeade is Sonics signature fountain drink, a refreshing concoction of juice, flavor syrups, and Sprite served over the chains beloved pebble ice. Find Sonic Hard Seltzer near you! According to Sonic's website, each flavor has 100 calories, one gram of added sugar, and one gram of carbs. All rights reserved.Produced by COOP Ale Works, Oklahoma City, OK. Sign up for SONIC Hard Seltzer served straight to your inbox. And the choice to package this growth? After just under a year on shelves, Sonic hard seltzer is doing both. All your favorite SONIC flavors are now available as hard beverage! 2014 - 2023 VinePair Inc. Made In NYC, The Number of Sonic Drive-Ins in Every State [MAP] | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/map-states-sonic/, dining out, Infographics, map, restaurants, sonic, VinePair Happy Hour: Whats Your Favorite Way to Drink Bourbon? They are not amazing I was disappointed because I really wanted to love them. Quickly, a leader emerged among the four flavors: cherry limeade. But having already cracked into the categorys upper echelon after less than a year on the market, its worth taking a closer look at how COOPs pioneering QSR deal came to be, how its structured, and what it means for the collapsing landscape of American alcohol. (According to a 2021 Business Insider report, a full quarter of Sonics pandemic receipts came from its soft drink menu. Powered by WordPress VIP. We loved it, but if you like your fruit-flavored things to taste like real fruit, this isn't the seltzer for you. The pineapple notes that are present are less artificial-seeming than the orange, which may contribute to them coming across as more muted. COOP Beverage Works manufactures and markets alcoholic beverage products in the seltzer, ready-to-drink (RTD) and malt-beverage categories such as SONIC Hard Beverages (SONIC Hard Seltzer, SONIC Hard Slush and SONIC Hard Southern Sweet Tea) and future licensing partnerships. Limeade excels because it delivers a multifaceted lime experience, offering reasonably convincing facsimiles of the flavors of lime juice and lime zest. This unique flavor, which combines blue coconut syrup and Sprite to create a taste reminiscent of sunscreen, has become so popular that the company even copyrighted its name! SONIC Hard Seltzer was made for any . But Sonic was thinking bigger, and COOP came calling at the right time. The plain Limeade seltzer was a surprisingly pleasant surprise. Mossman says Sonic hard seltzer is firewalled from the rest of the business to make sure COOP services the license as best it can and to give the former licensing executive an opportunity to keep his brewerys partnership momentum going. This feature was not appreciated when it came to this particular imbibe. The Citrus pack includes four flavors - Lemonade, Limeade, Lemon Berry, and Cherry Limeade; while the Tropical boasts Mango Guava, Melon Medley, Orange Pineapple, and Ocean Water. Luxembourg B 251465, Modern Slavery Statement OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SONIC Hard . Many of us may have noticed the difference in flavor between limes and lemons; At the same time, one delivers a refreshing, citrusy taste that excites our senses, and the other only serves an overpowering sourness. SONIC Drive-InSONIC, founded in 1953, is the largest drive-in restaurant brand in the United States with more than 3,500 restaurants in 46 states. Lemon Berry's fatal flaw is that it's just, well, boring. It's like if you made lemonade and just forgot to put sugar in it. This seltzer might also please fans of black cherry soda. Since 2009, COOP has created a core lineup of seven year-round beers, four seasonal beers, and various limited and barrel-aged releases. Although this seltzer drinks well on its own merits, it doesnt stand out among highly-rated siblings within the same range. About Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is comprised of 10 Universities - Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia. Whether the money printer will go brrrr for Sonic hard seltzer longterm remains to be seen. Christmas came early for Sean Mossman two Decembers ago, and it came in the form of a phone call from Americas Drive-In. The president at Oklahoma Citys COOP Ale Works was headed into the holiday in relatively high spirits, having navigated the pandemics opening nine months with a successfully launched hard seltzer line and more new flavors on the horizon. In 1953, the first model of the drive-in restaurant opened in Shawnee, Okla., originally named Top Hat. Understandably so. The Tropical offers Mango Guava, Melon Medley, Orange Pineapple, and Ocean Water. With just 100 calories and 1 gram of sugar per can, SONIC Hard Seltzer is a guilt-free (and gluten-free!) To learn more about the SONIC Hard Beverages products and where to purchase, visitsonichardbevs.com. No other fast-food place serves anything like it, and the company has copyrighted the drink's name. Colder faster, 360-degree branding on the vessel and leading recycling rates and recycled content rates make this the easy choice for quality and environmental superiority for the market and for SONIC., Claude Marbach, CEO, Ardagh Metal Packaging North America, agrees, confirming hard seltzers are a beverage category increasingly committing to cans. That was pretty much the default drink, explains Katie Camlin, former liquor store operator who now works for KC Bier Co. and grew up making Sonic runs in Kansas City, Mo. Expanding into more markets is a natural extension for us as we continue to grow the brand.. OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SONIC Hard Seltzer today announced the expansion of its hard seltzer into six new markets: Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Nebraska . $14) + More, Best Subway Coupons | BOGO Free Footlong Subs + More Deals, Best Cheesecake Factory Coupons | FREE Cheesecake Slice w/ $45 Purchase (Last Day!) But in the 11 months since launching the brand, COOP has expanded its footprint twice: first to an additional six Midwestern states in October, and then to 24 more in March 2022. Yet, sought-after actual guava flavoring can be. Moreover, this version is tastefully milder than regular Lemonade seltzer meaning no unpleasant sourness here! Since 2007, Sonic has put its soft drinks program front and center with a profligate mix-and-match menu and daily Happy Hours. That non-alcoholic beverage pedigree has helped power banner billion-dollar revenues for the locally founded chain (which is now owned by Inspired Brands) throughout the pandemic when other quick-serve restaurants were scrambling to deploy QR codes. Updated: 10:54 AM CDT November 4, 2021. Best Christmas present ever, he says, delight evident in his voice. COOP brews Sonic hard seltzers which now number eight flavors total in its home region, and contract-brews a third-party co-packer for the volume it needs across the rest of its footprint. Served by SONIC's iconic Carhops, the restaurant's expansive, award-winning menu offers unique, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and drink options for the whole family. While accurately formulated to deliver a balanced sweet-and-sour experience, Lemon Berry needs to captivate the taste buds. To be frank, it tastes exactly like Mango White Claw. For more information, visit coopaleworks.com. Sign up for VP Pro now! This one is certainly better than the regular Lemonade seltzer, as it's not painfully sour. We know there are people out there who claim to enjoy sucking on wedges of lemon or lime for fun. For more information, visit Big12Sports.com and follow the Conference on Facebook (Facebook.com/Big12), Twitter (@Big12Conference), Instagram (Instagram.com/big12conference/) and YouTube (YouTube.com/Big12Conference). Sonics Hard Seltzer Is Hot. In its first three months in-market, SONIC Hard Seltzer became one of the top 10 fastest selling seltzer brands nationally. You asked and we delivered: SONIC Hard Seltzer is now available across nearly half the country! Your email address will not be published. Visit fal.cn/3jx7J to find your nearest retailer. The Lemonade Sonic seltzer fails to bring the same refreshing satisfaction as its Limeade counterpart. Licensing corporate brands to build out parallel commodity businesses targeted to mass consumers? What are ya waiting for?! It is over-saturated with an extreme sourness that can be unpalatable for some, leaving only plain sparkling water without any sweetness or fruit flavor. We trust youll agree Team Cherry limeade is the way forward! Cookie Policy | Privacy Statement | Terms&Conditions. There is no other drive-in quite like them! In addition to Oklahoma, SONIC Hard Seltzer is now available in Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri & Texas! Count us as firmly Team Cherry Limeade. Sonic's Mango Guava seltzer tastes like pure mango. With its monochromatic flavor profile and lack of complexity, there is no incentive for palates looking for an exciting adventure. In fact, demand for this flavour-packed hard seltzer has grown from a regional Oklahoma, U.S. launch in May 2021 of this year to. This one is a big departure for Sonic, as they don't have any melon-flavored beverages in their restaurants. That sounds kind of unsexy, but your brand is one of your strongest assets, and you have to be really, really diligent about managing that and putting in the right places and treating it the right way, being consistent, he tells VinePair. 4-5 Raspberries. They're made out of carbonated water, alcohol fermented from sugarcane, and natural flavors. Although the ingredients on the label didn't include artificial sweeteners, it had a little bit of that kind of flavor, with a saccharine aftertaste that smacked of diet soda. Each offering provides a modern and craveable take on fan-favorite beverage flavors. The only things that set these seltzers apart from the competition are the Sonic branding and some unique flavor options. Pick up a pack and host your own happy hour any time you want! Your email address will not be published. Copyright 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme, Sonic Shark Week Slush: What It Is + Review, Wendys Cheddar Bun: Everything About Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, Sonic Milkshakes: Their Milkshake Menu Ranked, Chocolate Ganache Brownies: Most Fudgy Recipe, Oreo Milk Tea: How To Make Cookies & Cream Boba, Tapioca Syrup: What It Is & Hows Different from Corn Syrup. SONIC Hard Seltzer COOP Ale Works partnered with SONIC Drive-In to license their iconic name to create SONIC Hard Seltzer. If you're a fan of Crystal Light, Mio, or similar flavored water products, you'll probably enjoy this, as it's a dead ringer for Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade. SONIC Hard Seltzer is sold in two variety packs inspired by the fruity flavors of SONICs iconic frozen slushes Tropical (with Ocean Water, Melon Medley, Mango Guava, and Orange Pineapple) and Citrus (with Cherry Limeade, Original Limeade, Classic Lemonade, and Lemon Berry). With the popularity of the chain still growing, its no surprise that the recently launched Sonic Hard Seltzers are also a hit. Results were mixed at first, a fact that was not lost on Mossman and his COOP colleagues in Oklahoma City. A hard seltzer typically has a distinct sweet taste, as opposed to regular seltzer. (Well, MOST of them. So along with COOPs general counsel, he hit the road. Its sales velocity in major chain retailers is strong. A Sooner State fast-food staple for nearly eight decades, Sonic has national name recognition and legions of fans. The R&D process at COOP would eventually coalesce as Will & Wiley, a hard seltzer line named for actor Will Rogers and boundary-pushing pilot Wiley Post, two native Oklahomans. Sonic continues to capitalize on this success by encouraging customers to join either Team Ocean Water or Team Cherry Limeade in promotional materials for their Hard Seltzer brand. They come in two variety packs, Tropical and Citrus. Sonic seltzer contains no gluten or distilled spirits. Every craft brewer and their mother was spinning up a hard seltzer brand at the time, given the then-surging popularity of category leaders like White Claw and Truly. To find SONIC Hard Seltzer near you, visit https://sonichardseltzer.com/locator/ or learn more at @sonichardseltzer on Instagram. 1/2 oz Orange Liqueur. SONIC Hard Seltzer is not available for purchase at SONIC Drive-In locations. Recipe. If faced with the challenge of describing guava flavors on the spot, it may prove difficult due to a lack of experience or familiarity. Its the brewerys ballgame. Its not just orange juice- this drink has a unique and delicious taste reminiscent of those classic corn syrup drinks from years ago now, excited for adults who want more than a refreshing treat! The Citrus Variety Pack features Cherry Limeade, Original Limeade, Classic Lemonade and Lemon Berry. ST. LOUIS SONIC fans in St. Louis will soon be able to buy SONIC Hard Seltzer at select retailers. Required fields are marked *. Hip2Save may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you via trusted partners and affiliate links in this post. Sonic prominently features Ocean Water as an iconic item on their expansive slush menu. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Continue reading to learn the number of Sonic Drive-In locations in your state. Between my husband and I we are hard pressed to find a hard seltzer at least one of us wont drink. Not only is it delicious, but it doesn't taste like any other hard seltzer we've tried. Take advantage of this one-of-a-kind seltzer experience! Sonic Hard Seltzer comes in two themed 12-packs: Citrus and Tropical. "Expanding into more markets is a natural extension for us as we continue to grow the brand.". In terms of the tactical execution of getting the Sonic hard seltzer from its tanks to store shelves, though, the brewer treats its licensed liquid pretty much identically to the rest of its offerings. The taste is stronger than some of the others, and the extra sweetness really helps sell it as Limeade rather than just another weak-tasting hard seltzer. With this drink on your side, youll never have to worry about running short of sweet refreshments! At first glance, everything about Sonic Hard Seltzer is what we've come to expect from this beverage category, from the ingredients to the nutrition to the slim white can. We talked to them, to see if they want to partner with us, and theyre like Why dont you just license the brand and go?. This seltzer is by far the most candylike of any of the flavors, which is what we really wanted from Sonic seltzers. Lemon Berry SONIC Hard Seltzer. Will & Wiley debuted in early 2020, and grabbed up around 8 percent of Oklahomas hard seltzer market in its opening weeks, according to Mossman. As the consumer profile of seltzer drinkers continues to expand, so do the occasions for drinking a SONIC Hard Seltzer. Ill have to try the blue one! SONIC Hard Seltzer will be available at select retailers across Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia and is not for purchase at SONIC Drive-In locations. Some people go to Sonic just for this combination of blue coconut syrup and Sprite that smells vaguely like sunscreen (in a good way). Because Sonic hard seltzer is sold in third-party retailers, not the chains 3,500 locations nationwide, getting the look and feel just right is paramount to the partnership. grown-up refresher with 5% ABV. Not going to be my go-to, but they are worth a try IMHO. Sonic Hard Seltzers, which were previously only sold in Oklahoma, are now . Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Is this the Edward vs. Jacob of our generation? It was announced that the fast-food chain has expanded its eight hard seltzer drinks to other markets, including Missouri, Illinois, Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut,Georgia,Iowa,Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. When you come in with a name that is known nationally, or at least very strong regionally, obviously that is going to be a stronger buying opportunity for high-volume stockists, he says. In contrast, Lemon Berry feels like a powder you'd add to your Nalgene when you got tired of plain water. Still, its a big if. The road to consumer packaged goods gone bad is paved with good licensing intentions, after all. Oh darn! It was announced that the fast-food chain has expanded its eight hard seltzer drinks to other . Your email address will not be published. Sonic Seltzers Melon Medley is an unrivaled tropical treat that stands out among the rest. We Tried Every Sonic Hard Seltzer So You Don't Have To. To do that, Mossman needed to find new wholesalers and a lot of them. TM and 2021 Americas Drive-in Brand Properties, LLC. The Sonic Hard Seltzer website contributes to America's worsening polarization by exhorting visitors to publicly declare whether they stand with Team Ocean Water or Team Cherry Limeade. Thanks so much for sharing your honest thoughts with us, Jessica! SONIC Hard Seltzer is available in two variety packs, Tropical and Citrus. Cherry Limeade is Ocean Water's nemesis in the Sonic flavor battle, but unlike its competitor, it's actually deserving of its star status. Now, on Christmas Eve 2020, it was coming to fruition. Returning from a morning run in early September 2020, he got in touch with the brand marketing team at Sonic to pitch a one-off collaboration. Of course, the chain's distinctively chewable pellet ice has a cult following, but that's only one of many unique touches the iconic drive-in brings to their drinks. Available at: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hard-seltzer-market-size-worth-49-4-billion-by-2028-grand-view-research-inc-301438691.html, Media Contact:Jessica Zweigbaum(631) 624-2705[emailprotected], Cision Distribution 888-776-0942 The Tropical offers Mango Guava, Melon Medley, Orange Pineapple, and Ocean Water. On Memorial Day 2021, Sonic Hard Seltzer hit shelves in the Sooner State. Rather than having watermelon as its primary flavor which dominates many American beverages in this category Sonics version is dominated by honeydew notes with subtle hints of watermelon playing off them to create harmony and intrigue. Following the adoption of the new name, and alongside entrepreneur Charlie Pappe, owner Troy Smith opened some 41 locations before Pappes death in 1967. Sorry, Chili Cheese Tot lovers.) SONIC is part of the Inspire Brands family. Whether Sonic hard seltzer can sell well in, say, New England, where the drive-ins brick-and-mortar presence is comparatively sparse, is an open question; Bichsel speculates that the going would get tougher for the licensed FMB further afield of its true-blue footprint. Earlier this month, rumors emerged online that the toymaker was Want to know how to say Happy St Davids Day in Welsh? The Tropical Variety Pack features Ocean Water, Melon Medley, Mango Guava and Orange Pineapple. And its no secret why cans are the answer for this market. All your favorite SONIC flavors are now available as hard beverage! All these flavors come in at only 100 calories each while containing no added sugar or gluten, making them healthier alternatives than many other items on Sonics restaurant drink menu (excluding alcohol). Its a lot easier for you to come in with Sonic hard seltzer than it is to get a meeting with the Wal-Marts of the world when youre pitching a small craft brand that the planogram guy has neither heard of, nor can find with a quick Google search, he says. We took the hard job of tasting them all and ranking them so you know which one to buy. Sonic Hard Beverages - All your favorite SONIC flavors are now available as hard seltzer! The Citrus Variety Pack features Cherry Limeade, Original Limeade, Classic Lemonade and Lemon Berry. | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/favorite-way-to-drink-bourbon/, wbs_cat Spirit, wbs_type Bourbon, bourbon, drinking, happy hour. In August 2021, the seltzer will be distributed across five other states - Nebraska, Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. Where else can you customize your soda or slush with chopped fruit, an array of flavor syrups, and Nerds candy? This is one of the best, if not the best, of the Sonic Seltzer bunch and definitely beats everything else in the tropical box. SONIC Hard Seltzer products are packaged in Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) North America 12 oz. Pick up a pack and host your own happy hour any time you want! I wonder how they measure up to the competition. The level of sourness is totally out of whack, making some sips taste like pure citric acid dissolved in plain sparkling water. The fully immersive seltzer taproom will offer drinkers . Sonic hard seltzers comes in a wide variety of flavors! SONICDrive-In According to data reviewed by VinePair, this spring, Sonic cracked the top-15 hard seltzer brands in Nielsen scan data for grocery, convenience, drug, and liquor stores, despite limited distribution and volume compared to both craft and mass-market category leaders.