26 Jun 2012 Mainstay launches new ready to drink cocktail “Mainstay … on the Beach”

 Brand owner, Distell, pioneered the RTD cocktail category in SA in October 2010 by launching the Mainstay Classic Cocktail range which includes three of the most popular cocktail variants; Strawberry Daiquiri, Pina Colada and Mojito and which are available in a three-litre pack.

The company says the cocktail range did exceptionally well in its first year in the market achieving higher than expected volume growth. Because of the rapid increase in both volume and consumer demand, Mainstay introduced a one-litre pack in September 2011, packaged in the stylish Tetra Prisma pack. The pack has the added benefit of being resealable and can also be frozen to allow for the product to turn to a slushy consistency.

Says a Distell press release: “The runaway success of the Mainstay Classic Cocktails has led competitor brands to launch similar ‘me-too’ pre-mix offerings, in spite of this Mainstay continues to enjoy majority share of the RTD cocktail market and remains the only legitimate cocktail premix as it contains more than two ingredients.”

Mainstay Premium Original, the base ingredient to all Mainstay cocktails, has been scooping international awards recently, winning Best Vodka at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), as well as Silver in the Vodka Category at the New York Spirits Competition.

“We are encouraged by how well the cocktails are doing with consumers – even though cocktails have been around forever, now consumers can enjoy ready-mixed cocktails at home, at dinner parties and functions without spending the whole night behind a blender,” says Kurt Hermanus, Mainstay SA brand manager at Distell.

The new range can be purchased from leading liquor retailers nationwide and are available in a ine-litre box for R40 and a three-litre box for R105.