Pre-Mixed Cocktail Sales Projected to Soar by 400% in One Decade — But Are Too Many Brands Cashing In?

(Photo: High Noon)

If you’ve visited a liquor store over the past few months, chances are you’re familiar with the dizzying variety of pre-mixed cocktails popping up on shelves. Enough tequila and vodka seltzers to supply a football stadium; portable twists on the margarita, piña colada, Negroni and everything in between; dozens of celebrities whose likeness has suddenly appeared on the front of chilled drinks stocked next to the register.

A new study from the International Wine and Spirits Record sheds light on the magnitude of this fast-growing category. According to the Global Trends Report 2025, sales of ready-to-drink cocktails, often shortened to RTDs, are on track to double globally between 2019 and 2029. Much of that growth is being driven by North America, where volumes are expected to balloon by 400% within the same time frame. Compared side-by-side with projections from groups like BevSource, the data suggests that RTDs may reach a global market value of over $140 billion by the end of the decade.

Big numbers. For comparison, the international spirits market as a whole is currently valued at around $811 billion.

So why exactly are RTDs — a virtual unknown as little as five years ago — suddenly taking the reins?

IWSR’s report has a few guesses, most of which revolve around premiumization. An oft-used, though loosely defined, buzzword within the industry, premiumization refers to consumers who trade up for more expensive options, typically those with “better” ingredients, branding or some combination of the above.

The phrase feels particularly apt when it comes to RTDs. Less than a decade ago, malt-based hard seltzers like White Claw and Truly were the force to be reckoned with on liquor and convenience store shelves. Within the span of a few years, however, spirits-based alternatives like High Noon and Cutwater have emerged as fierce competitors. Alternatives like On the Rocks are bottling cocktails designed by world-class bartenders, all while industry regulars like Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam are releasing canned, spirits-based drinks at modest prices.

There are now hundreds, perhaps thousands, of brands flooding the category. And nearly all of them are being advertised as evolutions of the once-dominant hard seltzer industry, which thrived at a time when consumers didn’t have much else to choose from other than beer and Twisted Tea.

“As premiumization becomes increasingly fragmented, brand owners must invest in monitoring consumer sentiment and data to identify emerging growth areas,” added Emily Neill, COO of Research at IWSR. “Gaining a clear understanding of the dynamics between categories and the drivers of premiumisation will be key to unlocking new opportunities.”

Though RTDs are all but certain to achieve breakout success, it’s unlikely that everyone will be able to share in the spoils. As interest in the category has grown exponentially, so too has the number of brands vying for attention.

(Photo: Jack Daniel’s)

Predictably, those with the most traction tend to be backed by either celebrities or established alcohol makers. On the Hollywood side, we’ve seen RTD launches from the varied likes of Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Lil Yachty, Blake Lively, Snoop Dogg, Canelo Alvarez, Kate Upton and Dan Aykroyd — all within the past two years alone. Co-branded beverages that take advantage of household brand names are also a popular option. Ocean Spray cranberry juice has been reimagined with a splash of Absolut Vodka, and Vida Coco with a serving of Captain Morgan rum. Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola — a no-brainer of a collaboration if there ever was one — has already emerged as one of the top 25 spirits brands worldwide, outselling heavy-hitters like Jameson and Aperol.

The vast array of options has created an atmosphere of fierce competition, one in which even the most well-funded of brands are unlikely to succeed. It’s a similar situation to what’s played out in the tequila category over the past few years; up-and-comers playing ball against A-listers and international spirits conglomerates, most of which are destined to lose when brands like Don Julio and Jose Cuervo mop up the market.

But there are exceptions. Surfside, an otherwise unassuming vodka hard tea headed up by a family-owned distillery in Philadelphia, has witnessed skyrocketing growth since its launch in 2022, picking up endorsement deals with both the Yankees and Mets along the way.

As the RTD market finds its footing in the years to come, it’ll be a bloodbath of margaritas and martinis spilling in every direction. Time will tell which has the staying power to succeed and which will vanish like the bubbles in a stale seltzer.