Paper or plastic? Craft cocktail mixers get ‘impactful’ branding update

By Beth Newhart

- Last updated on GMT

Rare flavors like Jalapeno Margarita, Mango Passionfruit Margarita and Sriracha Bloody Mary round out the mixer lineup.
Rare flavors like Jalapeno Margarita, Mango Passionfruit Margarita and Sriracha Bloody Mary round out the mixer lineup.

Related tags Cocktail Mixer craft beverages

Powell & Mahoney Craft Cocktail Mixers have switched from plastic top packaging to corrugated paper boxes for its multipacks in an effort to be mindful of the environment and generate more shelf impact.

Powell & Mahoney has upgraded the secondary packaging for its sparkling cans from plastic ring tops to recyclable cardboard boxes. The new packaging will begin rolling out to retailers this fall.

‘Pioneers of the industry’

The cans come in four flavors: Tonic, Mojito, Ginger Beer and Blood Orange Ginger Beer. Powell & Mahoney added the carbonated can line in 2017 as a part of a flavor expansion plan.

The Massachusetts-based company started off producing bottled mixers in 2010 with traditional options like margarita and Bloody Mary . In 2015 the Powell & Mahoney team began to branch out and develop more on-trend flavors to stay competitive in the market.

The lineup now consists of 18 different craft cocktail mixers including rare flavors like Jalapeno Margarita, Mango Passionfruit Margarita and Sriracha Bloody Mary. Staying on top of popular ingredients and concoctions has been an important part of the brand connecting with its young consumers in the last few years.

powell and mahoney 2

Meredith Orfanos Cyr, director of marketing at Powell & Mahoney, told BeverageDaily “We’ve been one of the longest-standing craft cocktail mixer brands, so we’re sort of like a pioneer in the industry, or someone that other brands might look to for inspiration. We’re just really excited to continue to innovate and evolve and give consumers new options for craft cocktails.”

Two-pronged decision

Powell & Mahoney products are all-natural and made with no artificial flavors or preservatives. The ‘natural’ label has been important to the brand identity and carries over with the packaging update. Paper boxes are more environmentally sustainable than plastic rings and more easily recyclable.

“We definitely want to be mindful about the environment and being sustainable, so that all played into ​[the decision]. We knew this was the direction we wanted to go into, but we wanted to get that product out on the shelves,”​ Cyr said.

But increasing brand awareness and shelf impact were also main drivers behind the redesign choice.

“When you have your cans in the plastic tops, sometimes they can turn, and there’s nothing you can do about that. But with the boxes, the message that we want is front-facing and will be there, so it’s much better of a vessel for us for branding for the consumer message,”​ she said.

Powell & Mahoney products are sold online and in retail locations like Target and Whole Foods nationwide. The newly boxed sparkling cans come in a four-pack and retail for $5.99.

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2 comments

Cutting down trees or taking advantage of recyclable plastic

Posted by Peter Bourke,

On average you will use 10 times the weight in paper board compared with fully recyclable polyethylene shrink film pack - with polyethylene 'Polatote' you can also put ice in pack to keep your drinks cold and return the empties and lids to the Polatote pack for 100% recycling.

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PakTech can carriers are made with 100% recicled resin and are 100% recyclable

Posted by Mario Serra,

Just a clarification that PakTech carriers (featured in some Powell & Mahoney advertisements) are made with 100% recycled resin and are also 100% reciclable. In addition, the manufacturing process uses less energy than the production of corrugated paper boxes.

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