Move over, HARD MTN DEW: A Jarritos-style hard soda is set to launch in the coming months.
Cantaritos by Jarritos Hard Soda is a joint venture by Anheuser-Busch and Jarritos producer Novamex, according to a Nov. 1 newsletter by Beer Business Daily. The 5 percent ABV drinks, produced by Anheuser-Busch, will mimic the classic flavors of the fruity Mexican soda.
Starting in spring 2023, there will be a limited rollout of Cantaritos by Jarritos at retailers in California and Texas. The brand plans to initially launch a 12-bottle variety pack; a six-bottle pack of mandarin and pineapple flavors; and 25-ounce cans of mandarin and pineapple flavors.
Initial flavors in the spiked variety packs include mandarin, pineapple, tamarind, and fruit punch — all of which align with the selection of Jarritos’ current, nonalcoholic offerings.
The Mexican soda brand, launched in 1950, features flavors such as lime, passion fruit, strawberry, mango, and pineapple in iconic 12-ounce glass bottles. It’s a popular sip in the southwestern United States, where drinkers also sometimes use it as a cocktail mixer.
The alcoholic versions will also feature similar packaging to the classic glass bottles, according to initial images shared by Beer Business Daily. In keeping with the path of other hard sodas, though, non-alcoholic and alcoholic versions will be clearly differentiated in branding and physically separate in retail spaces.
A bottled version of the Cantarito cocktail? Don’t mind if we do.
