Matso’s Australia has announced the draught launch of Matso’s Vodka Lemon Lime Crush in select venues across WA, representing a permanent move into the RTD market.
The new release has been well received, reaching its three-month sales target within the first few weeks of release.
The citrus RTD segment has seen significant growth lately, though Matso’s Brand Manager Liv Waters believes that the current market is dominated by brands with strong male appeal. In order to sustain category growth, Waters identified a need for brands with stronger female appeal.
“Matso’s has always enjoyed strong appeal amongst female drinkers in the ginger beer space and we think attracting new female drinkers to the citrus RTD category is a great role we can play to sustain category growth in the segment,” she said.
Waters also noted that an Australian brand provides an important point of difference within an increasingly crowded market.
“The citrus RTD category is very much a multi-national space at the moment, but we’re hoping the fact that we’re 100 per cent Australian owned and made will also aid our appeal,” she said.
The new release was inspired by Matso’s second home in the Sunshine Coast, which opened earlier this year. The new facility includes a distillery, allowing the team to apply the Matso’s approach to spirits and RTDs.
“We know the RTD category is continuing to grow, so we included a new distillery at Matso’s Sunshine Coast to test flavours and get the creativity going. To be able to combine the strength of the Matso’s brand within a rising sector is a real win for our customers,” Waters said.
Although currently only available on tap in WA, Matso’s Lemon Lime Crush is set to be rolled out nationally in keg and can later this year.