DARN! Sonics lineup consists of eight flavors and is currently available across seven states throughout America! Licensing corporate brands to build out parallel commodity businesses targeted to mass consumers? Born from the collaboration between SONIC Drive-in, a 68-year-old brand powerhouse, and COOP Ale Works, a 12-year-old quality craft brewery, SONIC Hard Seltzer continues to gain a devoted customer following. SONIC Hard Seltzer products are packaged in Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) North America 12 oz. Tags: We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. This story is a part of VP Pro, our free content platform and newsletter for the drinks industry, covering wine, beer, and liquor and beyond. Now, Sonic Hard Seltzer is entering a new phase of its nationwide rollout by adding eight states to the list of locations where it can be purchased. The Citrus pack has Lemonade, Limeade, Lemon Berry, and Cherry Limeade. To find SONIC Hard Seltzer near you, visit https://sonichardseltzer.com/locator/or learn more at @sonichardseltzer on Instagram. 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice. The Tropical offers Mango Guava, Melon Medley, Orange Pineapple, and Ocean Water. Sonic Cherry Limeade Seltzer stands out from the crowd, boasting an intense and unmistakable fake cherry flavor. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. But those are stunts. the technical definition of sonic). But two things happened that would dramatically expand the course of the brewerys FMB foray. 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. 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. SONIC Hard Seltzer is available at select U.S. retailers and is not for purchase at SONIC Drive-In locations. No content on this site may be reused in any fashion without written permission. Orders . Make sure to check this post about Sonic Shark Week Slush! Speaking of the past: Even as recently as a decade ago, it would have been anathema for a legitimate craft brewery to partner with a major fast food chain. With craft beer growth slowly rebounding from the pandemic, heavy crowding in off-premise chain retail, and category lines blurred nearly beyond recognition thanks to malt- and spirits-based momentum with American drinkers, staking out a stable place in the market is no mean feat. While accurately formulated to deliver a balanced sweet-and-sour experience, Lemon Berry needs to captivate the taste buds. Once you join, you'll be able to save & share your favorite deals, rate posts and recipes and add items to your HipList and Cookbook! Sonic Hard Seltzer has crafted a unique beverage experience with its two themed 12-packs: Citrus and Tropical. Lemon Berry's fatal flaw is that it's just, well, boring. 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. Enjoy Responsibly.SONIC, double-delta logo and Ocean Water are trademarks of Americas Drive-In Brand Properties, LLC used under license. 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?. The Tropical Variety Pack features Ocean Water, Melon Medley, Mango Guava and Orange Pineapple. We got some in Oklahoma. "Expanding into more markets is a natural extension for us as we continue to grow the brand.". Follow me on tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cinestalker Follow me on instagram: https://www.instagram.co. Sign up for VP Pro now! Combine all ingredients, except for the Lemon Berry SONIC Hard Seltzer, into a cocktail shaker and muddle the berries. Site by ST. LOUIS SONIC fans in St. Louis will soon be able to buy SONIC Hard Seltzer at select retailers. The brand manager at Sonic called me and said, Were a go, recalls Mossman in a recent interview. There is no other drive-in quite like them! It is both sweeter and more sour than its brethren, with an assertiveness that may prove divisive. What are ya waiting for?! The lime essence in this can is full-flavored, with a citrusy pop and distinctive hints of lime oil. 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. 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. We know there are people out there who claim to enjoy sucking on wedges of lemon or lime for fun. We took the hard job of tasting them all and ranking them so you know which one to buy. Since 2009, COOP has created a core lineup of seven year-round beers, four seasonal beers, and various limited and barrel-aged releases. 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. On the front end of that seltzer craze, we decided that we would get into seltzer but with a very local-centric seltzer in Oklahoma, to stay focused on our home market, he recalls, crediting Spiked Snowmelt, a hard seltzer that Colorados Upslope Brewing Company introduced in May 2019, as a bellwether for the OKC brewerys own foray into FMBs. Limeade, however, has got it all juicy lime notes in combination with refreshing zesty elements that create a harmony as pleasing on the tongue as it is stimulating. Pick up a pack and host your own happy hour any time you want! Sorry to hear you didnt care for them. Top Hat was already copyrighted, restricting the Oklahoma restaurants ability to expand. 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. 1/2 oz Simple Syrup. The original, nonalcoholic version from the drive-in is almost painfully sweet and instantly gives you a brain freeze because of Sonic's magical pellet ice. FA Cup prize money has become a trending topic after the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham, West Ham and Grimsby took part in the 5th Find out how much tickets are for Post Malones just-announced UK tour in May 2023. Join our large community of insiders - it's totally free! The closest positive comparison we can make to this is the San Pellegrino citrus sodas, but that's honestly a real stretch. Sour fake orange dominates this seltzer, with pineapple playing a supporting role. 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. SONIC Hard Seltzer is only available at select retailers, so you will not find it on the menu at SONIC Drive-In locations. I'm a food photographer and recipe developer with a passion for creating healthier alternatives to all time favorite recipes. The alcoholic beverages are not available at SONIC Drive-In locations, according to the press release. "The choice toward cans was an easy one as this is the iconic package for the hard seltzer market," Daniel says. According to Sonic's website, each flavor has 100 calories, one gram of added sugar, and one gram . Sonics Limeade Hard Seltzer boasts a bold, sweet flavor unmistakably reminiscent of its citrus inspiration. About SONICHard Beverages With just 100 calories and 1 gram of sugar per can, SONIC Hard Seltzer is a guilt-free (and gluten-free!) 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? At first, the brewer was plugging the resulting variety packs directly into its existing distribution network. They kinda taste like playdoh. (Well, MOST of them. The Melon Medley seltzer tastes more like Japanese Melon Ramune soda than it does, say, a Watermelon Truly. 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. $14) + More, Best Subway Coupons | BOGO Free Footlong Subs + More Deals, Best Cheesecake Factory Coupons | FREE Cheesecake Slice w/ $45 Purchase (Last Day!) 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. (If you sense in the moniker a vague echo of Bartles & Jaymes, a before-its-time wine cooler marketed with before-its-time whimsy in the 80s, Mossman would be delighted to hear it: The nod was intentional.). It just made sense for us to look at a COOP partnership with a mirroring regional footprint, Sonic chief marketing officer Lori Abou Habib told Forbes in March 2021. 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. 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. After just under a year on shelves, Sonic hard seltzer is doing both. It simply wouldnt do to jeopardize that sort of big-ticket revenue by cheapening Sonics beverage brand equity with a fly-by-night hard seltzer simulacrum.) To be frank, it tastes exactly like Mango White Claw. Its the brewerys ballgame. Support: https://ko-fi.com/birdstorcThank you for adventuring with us! Cherry Limeade is Ocean Water's nemesis in the Sonic flavor battle, but unlike its competitor, it's actually deserving of its star status. COOP needed one of those, sure but what if there were a way to turn tongue-in-cheek brewhouse innovation into a bigger play? Sleek cans. Ocean Water is perhaps the most distinctive item on Sonic's massive slush menu. Because Sonic hard seltzer is sold in third-party retailers, not the chain's 3,500 locations nationwide, getting the look and feel just right is paramount to the partnership. The Big 12 is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics conference that encompasses five states with over 40 million people within its geographic footprint. With its continued market expansion, SONIC Hard Seltzer is on track to see significant growth across the US. . . Of all the Sonic seltzers, this one is the most faithful to its flavor inspiration. Each offering provides a modern and craveable take on fan-favorite beverage flavors. They are not amazing I was disappointed because I really wanted to love them. Sonic Hard Seltzers are an exemplary contender in the crowded hard seltzer market, boasting a classic beverage profile and unique flavor options. 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. They come in two variety packs, Tropical and Citrus. Their version is a refreshing twist on the melon seltzer formula because its taste isn't dominated by watermelon. Would you also like to leave us a comment? Its extreme sweetness and sourness are sure to make an impression, though some may find the flavor too intense if you prefer natural fruit flavors in your beverage options, this one isnt for you. 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. This one is certainly better than the regular Lemonade seltzer, as it's not painfully sour. Two weeks after the [Will & Wiley] launch party, Rudy Gobert famously caught Covid here at the Thunder game in Oklahoma City, and our whole world changed, says Mossman. If a bottle of Orangina lived a hard life that drained it of all sweetness and light, leaving only sourness and disappointment, this is what you'd get. All your favorite SONIC flavors are now available as hard seltzer! Sonic Hard Seltzer. Is this the Edward vs. Jacob of our generation? It definitely gives a lack of longevity to whatever youre trying to extend with that branding. He thinks that Sonic hard seltzer has found success in part because of the aesthetic continuity from restaurant to package, and in part because Sonic has spent so much time and effort building its QSR business as a beverage-centric destination. But times have changed, and these days, for a regional craft brewery, its as good a place as any to stack your chips. Sonic hard seltzer is another opportunity for us to reach our Sonic fans outside of the drive-in, explains the firms director of brand marketing and activation, Grant Springer, in response to emailed questions from VinePair. The mayor of Park College City submitted President Joe Bidens ash cross to mark Ash Wednesday has some under the false impression it is a forehead bruise. 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. SONIC is part of the Inspire Brands family. - Service fees vary and are subject to change based on factors like location and the number and types of items in your cart. 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. Sonic seltzer contains no gluten or distilled spirits. Sonic hard seltzers comes in a wide variety of flavors! That doesn't mean it tastes bad, but it does mean it's putting on airs and pretending to be more special than it actually is. Along with serving up never-before-seen Truly concoctions, we work with . 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. Save your money, these are not tasty, they are very artificial tasting. Hi, I'm Ana! You'd think the Limeade would taste pretty puckery, but it was less sour than some of the other seltzers, with a slightly more soda-like flavor. They generously sent us a couple of cases so we could test out all the flavors and share our results with you. Take advantage of this one-of-a-kind seltzer experience! According to new reports, the hard seltzer market is expected to reach $49.4 billion by 2028[1], showing that the category is still highly in demand with no sign of slowing down. Thanks for letting us know what youve thought of these, Stormy! Youd be hard-pressed to find one, what with sweet slushes, Ocean Waters, shakes, and gooey mozzarella sticks, all from roller-skating waiters. We generously provided a few cases for us to test out all these delicious flavors so we could report back our results. According to Velocity, Sonic Hard Seltzer arrived in the state of Oklahoma on 17 May, where it can be found in most liquor, convenience and grocery stores. The Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez drama has resurfaced again in 2023 and many are talking about their matching G tattoos. grown-up . The pineapple notes that are present are less artificial-seeming than the orange, which may contribute to them coming across as more muted. Updated: 10:54 AM CDT November 4, 2021. Limeade excels because it delivers a multifaceted lime experience, offering reasonably convincing facsimiles of the flavors of lime juice and lime zest. Facilitating deals between brands like 3M and DuPont and major retailers like Lowes and Home Depot gave him an appreciation for the upside of licensing deals and an intimate understanding that the devil is in the details. Some states clearly have a greater appetite for the restaurant than others, though. No way. Oh darn! 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. An additional 22 new U.S. states will be added this January with plans in place to extend distribution to retail stores across the rest of the country by the end of the year. While Texas boasts nearly 1,000 drive-in locations, there are zero Sonics in Maine and New Hampshire. We each tried these and unfortunately promptly threw the whole pack away. The Greatest Hits Pack features fan-favorite flavors such as Cherry Limeade, Ocean Water and Lemon Berry. 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. If you drink seltzers, try it! All rights reserved.Produced by COOP Ale Works, Oklahoma City, OK. Sign up for SONIC Hard Seltzer served straight to your inbox. Jenna has a Bachelor's Degree from Lycoming College and her Master's from Penn State, holding 4 years of writing experience between a variety of publications and Hip2Save. For more information, visit COOPAleWorks.com. Thanks for the honest feedback. Ill second and third and fourth this comment section. 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. We loved it, but if you like your fruit-flavored things to taste like real fruit, this isn't the seltzer for you. The Tropical Variety Pack has flavors, including Ocean Water, Melon Medley, Mango Guava, and Orange Pineapple. Well, not actually like mango, but like the ersatz mango we've come to expect from hard seltzer flavorists. Weve worked for the last year-plus on executing 198 new distribution agreements in 25 states, he says. We ended up throwing away the rest of them. Order up! (According to a 2021 Business Insider report, a full quarter of Sonics pandemic receipts came from its soft drink menu. 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. You can update your preferences by clicking the "Cookie Policy" link at the bottom of any page on our website. SONIC Hard Seltzer products are packaged in Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) North America 12 oz. To find a local retailer where SONIC Hard Seltzers are sold, click here. It doesnt look like just a play on the [Sonic] name, it looks like an extension on what the company was already doing in the past.. The latest product offering takes inspiration from SONIC Drive-In signature beverage flavorswith a hard seltzer twist. The fake cherry flavor is big and bold, calling to mind memories of eating cherry snow cones in the summertime. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. There's no sweetness or fruit flavor, real or fake, to counteract the unrelenting acidity. I wonder how they measure up to the competition. We had high hopes for the Ocean Water seltzer going into this taste test, but sadly it was one of the least impressive flavors in the lineup. SONIC Hard Seltzer is not available for purchase at SONIC Drive-In locations. 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. All these flavors come in at only 100 calories each . The press release does not specify when the SONIC Hard Seltzers will be available in St. Louis or where they will be purchased. Follow @birdstorc and @goldenwitchfire on Twitter and Instagram for daily updates!Feb.. SONIC Happy Hour, redefined. Whether its their famous pellet ice, chopped fruit additions, or extra flavor syrups Sonic brings us as close to that classic soda fountain experience we all long for. Maybe Sonic had this demographic in mind when they formulated the Lemonade flavor, because we don't know who else this could possibly be for. 1/2 oz Orange Liqueur. Hed been thinking about the line as a bolt-on to COOPs traditional beer portfolio, an effervescent ancillary revenue stream that would run in tandem with the core business. And, of course, the branding and packaging require close collaboration with the chain: Directly prior to his interview with VinePair, Mossman was going back and forth with Springer about font usage and intellectual property parameters. "Following the initial excitement for SONIC Hard Seltzer, we have accelerated product availability for customers who are brand fans or excited to try it for the first time," says Sean Mossman, President of COOP Ale Works, makers of SONIC Hard Seltzer.