Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has launched a new flavour of its market-leading white spirit premix – Hard Rated Alcoholic Lemon Lime Zero Sugar.
The new Lemon Lime flavour joins the existing range, Hard Rated Alcoholic Lemon and Alcoholic Lemon Zero Sugar. The company describes it as having sweet juicy lime notes and a slight bitterness provided by the alcohol.
Global beverage company, Asahi Beverages, acquired CUB in 2020, with Hard Rated offering an alcoholic version of the company’s popular soft drink brand, Solo.
The brand was initially launched last September under the name Hard Solo, with the packaging and branding updated in December after market research suggested it appealed to minors.
CUB’s head of RTDs & Cider, Sarah Wilcox, said that customers had asked for more Hard Rated innovation, and the company had responded accordingly.
“Leveraging a great tasting lemon liquid has seen Hard Rated transcend category, gender and generational divides, appealing to women in their 20s at the same rate as Gen X men and regular beer drinkers,” said Wilcox.
“With RTDs increasingly popular among alcohol consumers, we hope Hard Rated’s Lemon Lime Zero Sugar helps continue this trend.”
Lemon Lime Hard Rated is set to hit shelves this week in liquor stores nationally, with RRP $24 for a 4-pack of cans.
