Molson Coors Brewing and AriZona Beverages' affiliate Hornell Brewing have entered into a partnership agreement whereby Molson Coors will market and distribute a new Flavored Malt Beverage (FMB) brand, Arnold Palmer Spiked Half & Half, in the US via its US division, MillerCoors.
The brand will be introduced later this year in select markets followed by a full national launch in early 2018.
Kandy Anand, Molson Coors Chief Growth Officer, commented, “We are very excited to partner with Hornell Brewing on this new venture as it provides another strategic addition to our portfolio. It’s an FMB made with real juice and select teas, so it brings a great combination of flavor and refreshment.
"The Arnold Palmer branded beverages have a very strong following and we believe this new hard iced tea and lemonade will provide consumers with even greater choice, as well as further extend our leadership position in the FMB space. Ready-to-drink teas in the US—both non-alcoholic and alcoholic—have been growing double digits for several years and we look forward to capturing that momentum through the strength of our national distributor network beginning this Fall.”
The agreement opens opportunities for Molson Coors to potentially distribute the brand outside the US, as well as explore other product collaborations with Hornell Brewing and AriZona Beverages.
Don Vultaggio, Chairman and Owner of Hornell Brewing and AriZona Beverages, said of the partnership, “With their wide distribution network, partnering with Molson Coors was a natural choice for us to introduce this new spiked version of our popular, great tasting Arnold Palmer beverages to millions of consumers.”
Licensed under the authority of Arnold Palmer Enterprises and Innovative Flavors LLC, AriZona Beverages is responsible for the commercial development of the authentic “Arnold Palmer” beverage, a proprietary blend of iced tea and lemonade and named after the legendary American golfer who conceived of the refreshing drink when he first began mixing iced tea and lemonade in his own kitchen in the 1960s.
Arnold Palmer Spiked Half & Half is a flavored malt beverage (FMB) made with real juice and select teas from around the world with an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 5%.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
