Friends Beverage Group, LLC is innovating the wine industry with a new beverage category imported from the south of France - the Friends Fun Wine In A Can Collection. Friends "Fun Wines" are low-alcohol (6 percent ABV) Sangria and Moscato wines made from premium French grapes. Each 8.4-oz can (250 ml) has two 4.2 oz. servings, with 75 calories per serving.
Joe Bernstein, chairman of Friends, explains, "Friends is an everyday beverage for anyone who enjoys wine or beer and comes in a variety of flavors. Our wines are 'delish,' refreshing, affordable, convenient and portable, with a friendly taste. Our slim cans are attractive and 100 percent recyclable. Friends is bringing a fusion of European style and thinking to the U.S., encouraging consumers to think outside the bottle and pair wine in a can with amazing experiences - not just food."
Richard and Eileen Ekstract will introduce Friends at a private event to be held at their residence in Bridgehampton on Sunday, July 14-which, coincidentally, happens to be La Fete Nationale (French National Day), commemorating the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. This is the first introduction of Friends to New York, which will be distributed in the NY Metro Area starting in September by Phoenix/Beehive of Brooklyn, NY.
Richard Ekstract, Founder of HC & G, says, "We are happy to have the unique opportunity to introduce the next generation of innovative wine products to our friends. It's all about fun! Influential Hamptonites will be among the first New Yorkers to taste the new beverages at our home in Bridgehampton this Sunday. With over 100 media savvy guests, our friends will soon learn why Friends has generated so much excitement since its launch in Florida and Texas earlier this year, and why Eileen and I believe Friends will become a major trend."
Friends includes six SKU's with 6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV): Original White, Pink, Peach and Strawberry Moscato, and Original White and Red Sangria. The Moscatos and Sangrias are blended with citrus and berries both for great flavor and aroma. The company has developed additional Moscato flavors for launch in 2014 and also offers the Friends Just Wine Collection, which includes Cabernet Merlot and Chardonnay Sauvignon with 12 percent ABV.
