While creating cocktails for a family event, buzzbox Founder and CEO Rod Vandenbos had an epiphany.

He had gone to the store to buy all the ingredients to make some cocktails. While he worked to assemble everything, his young daughter ran by with her favorite juice box, “fruit juice cocktail.” A lightbulb light up—Adult juice boxes would be simpler than mixing all these cocktails. Long story short, Vandenbos collaborated with local bartenders to produce some popular well-balanced cocktails. Then he brought his production team in to develop the recipes that would allow him to scale up his bartender-driven cocktails.

 

To date, buzzbox boasts nine award-winning cocktails: Perfect Margarita, Cuban Mojito, Long Island, Classic Cosmo, Bloody Mary, Vodka Lemonade, Hurricane, Classic Greyhound, and Whiskey Lemonade. Also, buzzbox just launched its new Tequila Paloma made with silver tequila imported from Jalisco and fresh California grapefruits and limes.

 

We asked Rod Vandenbos about buzzbox, the RTD category explosion and where he sees the canned cocktail craze headed.

 

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Talk to us about entering the RTD category. What inspired this entry?

Rod worked with some local bartenders to come up with some popular, well-balanced cocktails. He then worked with his production team to develop the recipes that would allow him to scale up his bartender driven cocktails.

Rod then worked with the Tetra Pak company to develop their proprietary aseptic package for real cocktails. buzzbox’s aseptic packaging is the best way to ensure product safety and longevity, especially when you must ship cocktails. The science behind that packaging allows buzzbox to use top-shelf, high proof spirits and all natural ingredients, ensuring you’re getting the highest quality and freshest tasting cocktail available.

 

Tell us about some of your different expressions.

buzzbox is headquartered in Indio, California, which is part of the Coachella Valley. The company worked with the Tetra Pak company to build one of the most state-of-the-art facilities in the country. Today, buzzbox is the only US company that produces the most eco-friendly cocktail in the Tetra Pak.

At buzzbox, the company is proud that they only use top shelf spirits. They produce their vodkas, gins, and whiskeys and procure some of the best rums and tequilas on the planet.

Freshness is important to them and that’s why they get most of our fruits and vegetables from local farmers right there in the Coachella Valley. Andy, because of the great technology in their Tetra Pak packaging, they never have to use preservatives, stabilizers, artificial ingredients, or anything that is unnatural.

 

Now that this category has made its way on premise- what should bartenders know about RTD’s?

The RTD category has seen a resurgence over the last couple of years, a lot of it driven by the “new norm” established by COVID. Ready-to-Drink cocktails are viewed differently today than they were 5 years ago. Gone are the days of sugary, heavy alt-based products aimed at the off-trade. Today, consumers are looking for convenience and portability without sacrificing quality.

According to AC Nielsen panel data, RTDs and Hard Seltzers consumers are both much younger and active in the on-trade than the average US consumer. These consumers will be closely following ne3w trends and exploring new options.

Consumers want to know what is in their RTD cocktails. Not surprising, Vodka is the most popular spirit base for RTD cocktails. Tequila, Whiskey and Rum are also seeing solid growth numbers amongst the RTD consumer.

RTDs are a convenience play for bartenders, especially during busy times. They also offer a great “to-go” alternative for on-premise accounts where this is legal.

 

What should bartenders know about your RTD brand?

Buzzbox only uses top shelf spirits and all natural ingredients. No artificial flavors, colors, our stabilizers. Buzzbox cocktails are real cocktails made with real ingredients. They are bar quality cocktails you’d be proud to serve your friends and family members. Buzzbox cocktails have a higher-ABV, ranging anywhere from 12% to 14% AVB, depending on the cocktail. They are perfect for fast-paced environments like music festivals, sporting arena, and pool bars, where bartenders are looking for quick turns so consumers are not waiting in long lines for great cocktails.

Buzzbox cocktails have a higher-ABV, ranging anywhere from 12% to 14% AVB, depending on the cocktail.

 

Would you like to add anything about its packaging?

The new buzzbox 250ml packaging includes bold new colors and vibrant graphics that prominently highlight the cocktail name followed by the featured spirit, such as small batch rum or premium vodka. These new illustrations reinforce the all-natural, quality ingredients in each buzzbox premium cocktail. The new designs also replace the plastic straw with the Dreamcap, Tetra Pak’s state-of-the-art resealable screw cap made from renewable materials. The innovative design provides optimum beverage flow control and a resealable closure, delivering the ultimate drinking experience. This plant-based cap made from plastic derived from sugar cane further increases the renewable content of the buzzbox’s carton packaging from Tetra Pak. The new designs maintain the recyclable benefits of buzzbox’s signature lightweight Tetra Pak cartons made primarily from paperboard, while in a larger 250mL format. The new boxes increase the cocktail contents, but the price remains unchanged, providing consumers 25% more value.

“buzzbox is a purpose-driven company. Crafting cocktails focused on quality and sustainability is the heart of everything we do. Our latest packaging updates show this purpose in action by increasing the renewability of the package while protecting the fresh quality ingredients found in our cocktails. Plus, with new graphics, our boxes look even better while doing it!” said Rod Vandenbos, buzzbox Founder and CEO. “We are always pushing for more as our customers demand sustainable solutions. As next generation solutions become available, we will continue to innovate to offer our consumers and trade partners the best quality ready-to-drink cocktails possible in lightweight, recyclable packages made from renewable materials.”

 

Where do you see this category headed in the future?

The Nielsen panel data projects robust growth for the RTD category (Off and On-premise), and they don’t see the trends slowing down anytime soon. Covid established the “new norm” and has forced us to look at life in a different way. Consumers are open to new possibilities. They want portability and convenience. They place a higher measure on time with friends and don’t want to wait, nor do they want to compromise, and this is where RTDs and specifically buzzbox come into play. RTD cocktails like buzzbox can help bartenders increase speed of service in high volume settings like music festivals, sporting events, and beach bars with a quality cocktail they’d be proud to service their friends.