Supermodel Jordan Barrett has announced the launch of a range of sake hard seltzers with drinks company XED Beverages.
The 4.5%-ABV hard seltzers, named Hapē Sake Spritz, which are made from all-natural ingredients including Junmai sake, fruit and tea, will donate a portion of sales proceeds to mental health organisations.
Barrett said: “While I am intricately involved in every aspect of this brand, it is not a traditional ‘celebrity’ brand like many others out there. Hapē is a truly unique and differentiated brand which stands on its own and redefines the ready-to-drink and spiked seltzer categories.”
XED Beverages co-founder and CEO Zeke Bronfman said: “Sake is an amazing alcohol that we believe is about to explode, similar to how Tequila took off over the last decade. However, 85% of sake is still consumed on premise at Japanese restaurants. When we ask a group of friends if they like sake, 8 or 9 in 10 raise their hand. But, less than 2 of them can name a single brand. Hapē will be the first relatable brand, in an accessible and mainstream format – the spiked seltzer – that will bring sake outside of the on premise setting and into our everyday lives. Just like Tequila and vodka based seltzers have been rapidly gaining market share over the last two years, sake seltzers are about to be the next frontier in the evolving RTD landscape.”
Nate Medow, co-founder and president XED Beverages added: “With Hapē we continue to combine health and wellness with robust flavors. Rather than developing new concepts for the next generation of legal drinking age consumers in a focus group, we develop concepts through lived experiences as part of this generation. All of our concepts are dynamic and create new categories within beverage alcohol and occupy white spaces that are informed by data and trends.”
Hapē Sake Spritz will be available in three initial flavours: Grapefruit with elderflower and ginger; Green tea with yuzu and lemon; Lemonade with hibiscus and lemongrass.
The hard seltzers will be available online nationwide and in stores throughout California and is set to be in 11 states by Spring 2022.