Ready-to-Serve Cocktails Hold Shelf Space Despite Canned Drinks’ Surge

Ready-to-serve cocktails are holding their place on store shelves even as canned ready-to-drink products continue to grow faster, according to retailers, marketers and recent sales data. The category remains small compared with other spirits segments, but new products, larger format bottles and canned extensions are helping keep consumer interest alive.

NielsenIQ said ready-to-serve cocktail volume rose 1.8% in measured off-premise channels in the 52 weeks ended Jan. 3, 2026. Over the same period, ready-to-drink cocktail sales climbed 24%. The gap shows how strongly consumers have embraced single-serve canned drinks, but it also suggests that larger-format cocktails still serve a different purpose, especially for home gatherings and occasions where shoppers want convenience without mixing drinks from scratch.

Retailers describe a mixed picture. At Belmont Beverage and Chalet Party Shoppes in Indiana, spirits buyer Josh Nahrwold said the performance of some established brands has been uneven, but the broader segment continues to expand. He said the category grew more than 60% at the company in 2025 and is on track to rise again this year. Brands posting double-digit gains there included On The Rocks and Bulleit-branded products, while BuzzBallz Biggies grew at a triple-digit rate. The chain carries as many as 180 spirits-based ready-to-serve stockkeeping units, with prices ranging from $5 for a 100-milliliter can to $40 for a 1.75-liter bottle.

At Argonaut Wine & Liquor in Denver, the trend has been softer. Justin Marcotte, the store’s liquor department manager, said sales of ready-to-serve drinks have been easing. He pointed to slower drinking habits, higher alcohol prices and broader cost-of-living pressures as likely reasons. He also said warmer-than-average weather earlier this year may have pushed some customers toward lighter beverages. Argonaut carries nearly 200 ready-to-serve products, priced from $12 for a 375-milliliter bottle to $40 for a 750-milliliter bottle.

The distinction between ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve remains important for producers trying to defend shelf space. Ready-to-drink products are usually sold in single servings and consumed directly from the package. Ready-to-serve cocktails are generally sold in larger containers and require at least some preparation, such as pouring over ice or adding a garnish. That difference shapes how consumers shop. Retailers say ready-to-serve buyers are often planning for groups, parties or casual entertaining at home.

Competition is especially visible in tequila-based cocktails. Nahrwold said long-established products such as Jose Cuervo Authentic Margaritas and 1800 Ultimate Margaritas are facing pressure from canned tequila cocktails from brands like Cutwater and VMC. Sales of those two bottled margarita lines declined last year at Belmont and Chalet stores, he said.

Even so, producers say both formats can grow side by side. Davin Nugent, president of global ready-to-drink at Suntory Global Spirits, said consumers continue to value convenience and portability across the broader “ready-to” category. On The Rocks, one of the earliest major ready-to-serve brands, expanded into cans last year while continuing to build its bottled business.

Launched in 2015, On The Rocks has become one of the category’s strongest performers. Impact Databank reported that its volume rose 22% in 2025 to 963,000 nine-liter cases. Nugent said leading bottled expressions include Cosmopolitan, Margarita and Old Fashioned, along with Lemon Drop Martini, which joined the lineup in 2025. This year the brand added Jim Beam Whiskey Sour in 375-milliliter and 750-milliliter bottles at 20%abv. A limited-release Passion Fruit Margarita made with Hornitos Blanco Tequila also joined the portfolio for summer.

Nugent said the canned line gives On The Rocks access to new occasions and new consumers without taking away from its bottled business. Current canned offerings include Watermelon Margarita, Piña Colada and Peach Cosmopolitan. Marketing support includes broadcast advertising, social media campaigns, displays and point-of-sale materials.

BuzzBallz Biggies is another fast-growing player. Impact Databank said the brand reached No. 2 among ready-to-serve prepackaged cocktails last year with volume of 1.25 million cases, up 50% from the prior year. Sold in 1.75-liter bottles shaped like enlarged versions of the brand’s single-serve containers, Biggies is expanding nationally with flavors including Berry Cherry Limeade, Chili Mango, ChocTease, Grapes Gone Wild, Lime ’Rita and Pink Lemonsqueezy. BuzzBallz president Jess Scheerhorn said Biggies was a major growth driver in 2025 and remains one of the company’s fastest-growing formats. The products carry 15%abv.

Jose Cuervo Authentic Margaritas remains the top-selling ready-to-serve line by volume despite recent declines. First introduced in the early 1990s, it helped define the category and now includes about 15 expressions, including lime, light and a Double Strength line at 20%abv. Impact Databank said sales fell 9.5% last year to 2.1 million cases. Lander Otegui, executive vice president of marketing and innovation at Proximo Spirits, said the company does not see its bottled margaritas and canned versions as competing directly with each other. He said shoppers buying a 1.75-liter bottle are usually preparing for hosting occasions at home, while canned buyers are often looking for portable alternatives to beer or hard seltzer.

Zing Zang also posted gains in 2025 with a smaller but growing lineup focused on Bloody Marys and margaritas. Chief executive Brent Albertson said the company sells two Bloody Mary variants in 1.75-liter bottles and 12-ounce cans, along with two margarita expressions available in single cans and four-packs. He said consumers typically pour them over ice and add garnishes such as celery, pickles or lime wheels. Zing Zang recently launched Caesar vodka cocktails in Canada in 355-milliliter cans and expects a U.S. rollout this year or next year. A Bloody Mary variety six-pack is planned for late summer.

New premium entries continue to arrive as larger spirits companies test demand for upscale convenience cocktails. Casamigos, part of Diageo’s portfolio, introduced premixed margaritas earlier this year in Classic Lime and Spicy varieties. The products come in 750-milliliter bottles priced around $22 and carry 20.5%abv. They join Diageo’s existing Cocktail Collection line.

Rémy Cointreau has also entered the segment with Cointreau Citrus Spritz, now available nationally at select retailers as well as bars and restaurants. Sold in 750-milliliter bottles for about $20, it comes in Orange & Blood Orange and Lemon & Lime flavors. Craig Sherman, vice president of marketing at Rémy Cointreau USA, said the launch is meant to extend the brand into daytime drinking occasions such as brunches, rooftops and outdoor gatherings.

Marketers say younger legal-age drinkers remain central to growth plans. Scheerhorn said BuzzBallz connects strongly with Gen Z adults and millennials. Nugent described the typical On The Rocks customer as millennial, part of a smaller household and higher income than average spirits buyers. He said many are open to cocktails but often default to wine or beer unless an easier option is available.

Retailers say merchandising matters because many shoppers still do not browse the category intentionally. Most Belmont and Chalet stores give ready-to-serve products dedicated shelf space next to ready-to-drink items, usually spanning four to 12 linear feet. In stores with enough cooler space, products such as Biggies, On The Rocks and Diageo’s Cocktail Collection are sold chilled. Nahrwold said front-counter placement has worked especially well for smaller formats like Tip Top Cocktails at $5 per 100 milliliters because they attract impulse purchases from customers who might not otherwise shop the segment.

Marcotte said Argonaut uses a similar strategy in Denver and has also seen promise from craft-oriented products such as Luxco’s Penelope line and Family Jones’ Automatic Jones cocktails.

Beyond retail stores, producers see opportunity in venues where speed of service matters more than customization behind the bar. Albertson said Zing Zang performs well at golf courses, on airplanes and at concert venues because operators can serve a Bloody Mary quickly by pouring it over ice and adding garnish. Nugent said On The Rocks can help hotels, resorts, country clubs, arenas and event venues reduce back-bar demands while maintaining consistency.

The category’s future may depend less on beating canned cocktails than on defining its own role more clearly. Ready-to-drink products dominate grab-and-go occasions, but ready-to-serve brands are betting that consumers still want larger-format cocktails that simplify entertaining at home or speed service in busy venues without giving up recognizable spirits brands or familiar cocktail recipes.