Festive fizz

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Soft drinks are essential to holiday celebrations in Ireland, as families stock up for festive meals and gatherings. ShelfLife reports

Brand Central

20 November 2024

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Irish folks hold soft drinks in high esteem during the festive season.

A well-stocked supply is the unsung hero for those impromptu guests and family gatherings from Christmas to New Year’s Eve. As the holidays approach, families are gearing up for festive meals, creating a rising demand for a variety of beverages to complement their gatherings.

According to Straits Research, the global soft drinks market was valued at €200.3 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach €246.5 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 2.5% during the forecast period (2024–2032). 

This year, shoppers are increasingly seeking options that cater to a wide range of tastes. From fizzy drinks to refreshing iced teas, these beverages are essential for making every occasion enjoyable, whether it’s a family dinner or a casual get-together with friends over the festive season.

Convenience stores and discount shops are popular destinations for those looking to stock up on holiday favourites. As families fill their fridges with festive beverages, the soft drinks aisle plays a key role in ensuring that each celebration is memorable. This Christmas season, the right drinks will help create moments of joy and connection among loved ones.

Celsius Energy Drinks set to expand its presence in Ireland 

The vision of Celsius 

Celsius aspires to be the global leader within the Energy Drinks Segment.  Consumers are increasingly looking for modern energy options and traditional; solutions are perceived to be unhealthy and performance enhancing only.  This will make brands with better functional (cleaner and healthier) and emotional (supporting a wellness lifestyle) benefits a mainstream segment of the global energy drink category. 

Celsius is not your average energy drink. Celsius notes that it provides essential energy.

Celsius is functional energy, made with premium and proven ingredients. It will keep consumers fueled and active all day for their live fit lifestyle.  

Celsius is packed with seven vitamins including vitamin C, and green tea extract & caffeine to reduce tiredness and fatigue and contains zero sugar, no artificial colours or flavours. 

Celsius has four essential energy flavours:

Fantasy Vibe – Sparkling Orange flavour

Peach Vibe – White Peach flavour

Sunset Vibe – Mango Passion Fruit flavour

Cosmic Vibe – Fruit burst flavour

Celsius was created for ‘Gen Z and their endless desires for experience and connections.’ 

So, who is the core consumer for Celsius? 

They go to the gym three-five times per week

They like to stay ahead of trends

Spend five-six hours on their phone

Enjoys healthy foods

Has a broad range of interests

Enjoys time with their friends

Cares about the environment and are very much about life experiences.

 Global Trends: Consumers are looking for their energy drinks to provide benefits and functionality other than just an energy boost.  Globally, 50% of consumers have increased their energy drink consumption.  With a growing anti sugar sentiment, 31% of consumers are purchasing items more tailored to their health 

Celsius has already taken the Energy drink category by storm in the United States. 

According to Celsius it is the No. 3 USA energy brand and the No.1 USA energy growth brand.  

Celsius sales* have grown exponentially over the past five years and in 2024 the brand held 40% share of category growth 

*Source: CIRCANA TTLUS MULO+&C ENDING SEPT 15 2024 

Here in Europe Celsius says that it is winning in Sweden, growing incrementally ahead of the category.  According to Celsius it is now the No.1 category growth driver and has now overtaken Monster.

The brand Launched across UK and Ireland, Celsius has ‘big plans’ to grow the Energy drinks category. Celsius is the future of Energy drinks.

 To support the brand in Ireland, Celsius has a vast number of influencers across sports, fitness and lifestyle.    

One key partnership that Celsius will bring to the fore in 2025 is its official partnership with Ferrari Formula 1 Racing and Ferrari Driver Charles LeClerc. Celsius says that it will leverage this partnership (among all its other global and local influencers!)  across social and digital channels and will be activated in–store across Ireland in 2025. 

 Celsius is currently widely available in Ireland.

Coca-Cola continues to ‘hero zero’

Building on its success from previous years Coca-Cola continued to ‘hero zero’ maintaining Coca-Cola Zero Sugar as the No.1 zero sugar soft drink in Ireland, followed by Diet Coke with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine gaining popularity*.   

Coca-Cola also continued its commitment to sustainability and recognises the urgency consumers expect when it comes to the environment. Through World Without Waste, it continues to eliminate the need for 5,000 tonnes of new or unnecessary plastic on an annual basis.  

In 2023, the Coca-Cola portfolio moved to a 100% recycled bottle significantly reducing the need for new or virgin plastic. Together with the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme in Ireland, we are one step closer to creating a true circular economy for plastic. 

Coca-Cola was the first beverage provider to launch KeelClip, an innovative cardboard packaging solution for four, six and eight multipack cans and Q’Flex, a cardboard solution for larger multipack cans. In addition, Coca-Cola continues to lightweight our products annually, reducing the amount of plastic used throughout the Coca-Cola portfolio.   

Source: Nielsen GTC MAT April Value Share. For more information, visit ie.coca-www.colahellenic.com or www.Coca-Cola.ie.  

Christmas FM sponsorship   

Christmas FM, the much-loved radio station that ‘Switches Christmas On’ across Ireland every year, have announced that Coca Cola are on board again this year as one of the Premier FM sponsors for the festive radio station. 

The radio station, which will return to the airwaves on FM in late November for its 17th year (subject to licence), has also announced the return of an exciting competition for Irish businesses in 2024. 

Innocent’s 12 Acts of Christmas  

Innocent is giving away 12 acts of service this Christmas from all the team at Fruit Spire, Dublin.

From the 1 December they will be giving away things like a make-your-own-smoothie class, some last-minute emergency presents, and of course, lots of innocent socks. 

Each prize is a little different and entries will have 24 hours to enter each one before the Innocent team randomly pick a winner.

Innocent will post one act every day for the next 12 days across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter).

So, be sure to check each of the aforementioned social media platforms.

And what’s the first prize we hear you ask? An innocent Christmas storybook written just for you. 

Liquid Death turns world of bottled water into a ‘lively experience’

Liquid Death has made an unexpected, yet powerful entrance into Ireland’s beverage market, bringing a refreshing twist to the way consumers view bottled water.   

Sourced straight from the Austrian Alps, its rebellious, tongue-in-cheek branding has turned the traditionally “serious” world of bottled water into a lively experience.  

The brand has recently been making waves across major Irish retailers like Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, BWG, where it offers both still, sparkling and flavored sparkling mountain water which appeal to health-conscious consumers, while providing a fun, unconventional experience. 

Beyond appearances, the brand walks the talk on environmental impact. The company donates a portion of profits to combat plastic pollution and has embraced fully recyclable aluminum cans, which has resonated with eco-conscious buyers across Ireland. 

What sets Liquid Death apart is its unique approach to marketing. Viral campaigns and collaborations with influencers and unconventional partners, has seen Liquid Death build a dedicated fan base in Ireland appealing to a wide demographic which is growing exponentially by the day.  

As one of the world’s fastest-growing beverage brands, Liquid Death’s future in the Irish market looks incredibly promising. With a $1.4 billion valuation and a top three ranking in global beverage followings. This success underscores Liquid Death’s ability to connect with consumers in fresh, bold ways while remaining rooted in purpose-driven values. 

Their unique blend of humor, sustainability, and high-quality hydration has established a loyal following that’s only set to expand. 

Liquid Death is proudly distributed in Ireland by www.unifybands.ie 

Pepsi rolls-out new rebrand

Pepsi unveiled a complete rebrand in March, with exciting new pack designs for all formats rolling out across grocery, wholesale, licence, and convenience. The rebrand created a consistent identity across the Pepsi MAX®, diet, regular and flavoured cola ranges, with new packaging visuals, in-store materials and displays.  

 The roll-out was supported by a fully integrated campaign, including TV, digital, out-of-home, in store branding and experiential marketing.  

As Ireland’s fastest growing cola brand1, this rebrand formed part of Pepsi’s vision to ensure long-term growth in the cola category. Pepsi Max, a €28.5 million brand2, continues to recruit more buyers into the cola category than any other brand3. In a blind taste challenge, 66% of Irish people preferred the taste of Pepsi Max4. The new design focuses on great taste and refreshment, aligning with research showing that taste is a key driver for carbonated soft drinks5. By modernising its flagship Pepsi brand with bolder, more vibrant packaging, this refresh helps retailers capitalise on sales amid evolving consumer tastes, in particular the no sugar category has grown by over 13% in 20236.  

The vibrant new look will grab attention at shelf, playing a key role in enticing new consumers into the category. This rebrand will help retailers maximise sales by sparking a renewed interest in the brand. Pepsi and Pepsi MAX are well-known and loved by many, but as a brand with such a rich history, it’s vital that we work to evolve its look and feel, driving relevance for the next generation. 

Vitamins and more 

Introducing ’Vitamins and more’ a new vitamin and protein concept from Avonmore.

A new delicious low-calorie blend of water, juice and tea. It’s a refreshing drink with benefits – immunity, energy and protein. Each 330ml serving contains only 34 calories, high in whey protein and delivers a range of vitamins and minerals including Vitamins B, C, D and zinc. 

Immunity support: Vitamin C contributes to normal function of the immune system.

Energy release: Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism.

High in protein: Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass.

This drink can be enjoyed any time of the day as a refreshing thirst quencher or a meal accompaniment. It is packaged in a recyclable mainly paper based carton sourced from responsibly managed forests. 

Vitamins and More is an exciting innovation for Tirlán’s as it represents a step out of the dairy category for the Avonmore brand into the functional water space. Capitalising on the trends of functional health and well-being the product is a new to the market vitamin water which uses protein as a key differentiator. 

The product is now available in SuperValu, Centra and Spar stores with more to follow. 

Red Bull unveils limited winter edition Iced Vanilla Berry

Iced Vanilla Berry

The temperature is getting colder and the air brisk, but the fun is just getting started as Ireland looks forward to Red Bull unveiling this year’s Red Bull Winter Edition, Iced Vanilla Berry, available for a limited time only from November.  

Whatever is on your winter adventure bucket list, discovering a new Red Bull Winter Edition is a fun way to find your wiiings. This year’s Red Bull Winter Edition serves up the taste of blueberry and vanilla with icy-fresh notes of eucalyptus, and is available in ice blue–coloured, 250ml cans.  

Available in over 170 countries worldwide, Red Bull’s expanding range of editions and beyond the ordinary marketing strategy continues to wing its way into Irish consumers’ hearts, minds and shopping baskets.  

Founded in 1987, Red Bull established the energy drinks category, promising to vitalize body and mind and has since seen over 100 billion cans of Red Bull Energy Drink consumed. 

Red Bull Sugar Free and Red Bull Pink Edition (Forest Fruits) serve the no sugar category trend, while Apricot-Strawberry, Curuba-Elderflower, Juneberry, Tropical, Watermelon and the brand-new Red Bull Winter Edition (Iced Vanilla Berry) provide wings for every taste. 

Giving wings to people and ideas, Red Bull is a proud supporter of Irish athletes including hockey goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, gymnast Rhys McLeneghan, surfer Conor Maguire, downhill mountain bikers Greg Callaghan and Ronan Dunne, drifter Conor Shanahan and rugby player Mack Hansen.     

For more inspiring content, visit: www.redbull.ie or follow @RedBullIre on Instagram and Tik-Tok.  

Packing a Winter Spiced Punch

Share the moment this festive season and stock up on the ultimate Christmas staple, Shloer. Nothing says Christmas quite like it and this year we are expecting our biggest Christmas ever so don’t miss out!  

Created from a blend of the finest grape juices, deliciously refreshing Shloer has been trusted by generations to provide a delicious alcohol alternative that looks, feels and tastes special. Whether it’s a festive get-together with friends or a Christmas dinner with family, our sparkling grape range adds a touch of sparkle to every social occasion. 

And just in time for Christmas, White Grape & Apple is back by popular demand with a fancy new look but the same delicious taste. Ireland asked and we listened, making the return even sweeter. Created with juicy apple and grape flavours, it is the perfect way to add sparkle to sharing occasions over the festive period. 

Finally, don’t miss Shloer’s limited edition flavour, Winter Spiced Punch. A blend of red grapes with notes of cinnamon and apple. Spice up your consumers’ winter and indulge them in this warm and comforting flavour today. 

For sales enquiries, please contact SHS Sales & Marketing at +353 (1) 401 6200 or info@shs-sales.ie.  

Read more: Big softies!

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