WKD Unveils Original Blue Freeze Pouches

30 Mar 2015 --- SHS Drinks is aiming to bring a new element of fun and excitement to the at home consumption experience with the launch of WKD Original Blue in a new freeze pouch pack format.

WKD Original Blue will be rolled out in April to all take home sectors in 250ml freeze pouches enabling retailers to make the most of the significant summer sales uplifts generated by this increasingly popular pack format which now accounts for 7% of sales in the £242.6 million take home RTD category.

Supplied in shelf-ready display outers of 9 x 250ml packs, the WKD Original Blue freeze pouches will have an RRP of £2.50 and the launch is being supported by via social media activity. Morrisons, Nisa, Spar and Booker will be among the first to stock the new line.

The launch comes within weeks of SHS Drinks unveiling a new pack design across the WKD portfolio of 275ml, 500ml and 700ml bottles; 275ml x 4-, 8-, 10- and 12-bottle multi-packs; and 330ml cans; and follows the launch of the new WKD Vegas Limited edition in January.

Debs Carter, marketing director – alcohol at SHS Drinks, says: “Freeze pouches are currently taking the RTD market by storm. They are easily portable fun packs and have novelty appeal amongst 18 to 24-year old consumers who are excited by the latest new trends."

“Sales of freeze pouches have more than trebled from £5 million to £16 million over the course of the past year, accounting for almost half of the £11.4 million increase in total take home RTD sales  and they really do come into their own during the summer months. Last year, rates of sale of freeze pouches were one and a half times higher during this key trading period than at other times of the year."

“As WKD is the brand leading RTD and WKD Blue is the biggest-selling RTD flavour accounting for 13% of all take home RTD sales, making WKD Original Blue available in the new freeze pouches is a natural extension to the choice of pack formats which will add even further to the appeal and popularity of our flagship WKD Blue variant.”