Dunkin' Is Launching a Line of Alcoholic Spiked Drinks | Entrepreneur

Dunkin’ is introducing alcoholic versions of its popular drinks, Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffees and Iced Teas, with an official announcement released on Monday.

The malt-based beverages, set for release in early September, will feature eight flavors inspired by Dunkin’s iced coffee and tea varieties. The move comes as the ready-to-drink sector has been gaining significant traction and massive growth, with over $10 billion in U.S. sales over the last year, according to an NIQ report, per CNN.

“You can start and end your day with Dunkin’, which is a testament to our continuous drive for innovation and understanding our fans’ desires,” Dunkin’ president Scott Murphy told the outlet.

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Dunkin’s Spiked Iced Coffee will be available in four flavors: original, caramel, mocha, and vanilla. They contain about 30 milligrams of caffeine and 6% alcohol.

The hard tea line, consisting of flavors like slightly sweet, half and half, strawberry dragonfruit, and mango pineapple, will contain 5% alcohol and caffeine levels ranging from 15 to 30 milligrams.

Both products will be sold in variety packs and individual packs, but they won’t be available at Dunkin’ locations due to alcohol regulations.

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The launch will begin in 12 U.S. states (Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont).

However, entering the hard coffee segment may be challenging. While coffee-spiked cocktails like the espresso martini have gained popularity at bars and restaurants, packaged hard coffee struggles to gain traction in the market, The Washington Post reported in 2022.

Last year, Pabst Blue Ribbon discontinued its hard coffee line, after only a three-year run, due to poor sales. In 2020, a partnership between Molson Coors and La Colombe to sell spiked cold brew was discontinued within six months of its launch, per The Post.

“You’d think putting two rock stars together, cold brew and alcohol, would make a great combo,” Randy Anderson, an independent consultant to the cold-brew industry, told the outlet. “But it reminds me of the 2004 Olympic ‘Dream Team.’ You’ve got LeBron, you’ve got Dwyane Wade — and they absolutely sucked.”

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