If you like Pina Coladas then we have some exciting news: Aussie pre-mix brand UDL has added two retro-inspired canned cocktails to its range. Pina Colada features vodka, pineapple, white rum and coconut flavours; while Blue Lagoon is a fizzy mix of vodka, blue lemonade and orange flavours.

The cocktails are classics from the time the UDL brand was born in 1965, with the Pina Colada still the second most Googled cocktail in the world.

According to Liquor.com: “It’s believed that the Blue Lagoon was created by Andy MacElhone, the son of famed bartender Harry MacElhone, at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1960s or early 1970s.”

As for the Pina Colada: “Finding the island roots of the coconut-cream-laden Colada is complicated, as there’s more than one story told. Some say it was months in the making before its 1952 debut by one Ramon Marrero Perez, the head barman for the Caribe Hilton in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. But the Barrachina, also in Old San Juan, disagrees, having mounted an etched plaque on the building façade that claims their man Ramon Portas Mingot mixed the first heady rum-based blend in 1963.”

Maddy Stockwell, Marketing Manager, Light Spirits, Diageo Australia said: “UDL Cocktails are here to help maximise fun, by nodding to iconic summer cocktails and adding a fizzy twist.

“Vodka premix and classic cocktails are two of the hottest trends in drinks at the moment, and UDL fans know that when it comes to premixed drinks, we do it well. That’s why we launched UDL Cocktails, combining both trends into one offering for consumers to enjoy their favourite cocktail flavours in the ease of a can with mates, just in time for the warmer months to kick off.”

UDL Cocktails are available now in 375mL cans on shelves in all leading liquor stores across Australia, priced at RRP $19.99 for 4-pack, 4% ABV, 1.2 STD drink per can.

UDL updated its look earlier this year, aiming to bring the best of the past with a bright, retro redesign across the range of flavours.

“The philosophy for the redesign was to take inspiration from the past – the retro shapes and vibrant colours that dominated decades gone by when UDL was in its heyday. It’s hard to not feel a little nostalgic when opening a UDL pack,” Stockwell said.

Canned cocktail market booms

It’s a prime time to be revitalising brands in the RTD market, with canned cocktails the hottest new global trend in drinks.

The global canned cocktail market is forecast to grow more than sixfold over the next 10 years, from US$25billion in 2020 to US$155billion in 2030.

Canned cocktails are a sub-segment of the premixed drinks category, which grew by 30.2% in 2019/20 in Australia and is expected to see continued exponential growth in 2021 and beyond.

“Convenient format, refreshing taste and breadth of flavour offerings are what is driving the vibrancy in RTD at the moment,” Stockwell explained. “Consumers are looking for lighter, refreshing tasting and easier drinking liquids and premix absolutely delivers on this. We have also seen a big shift in consumption behaviours in the past year, with people socialising at home more. Premix lends itself strongly to these fun, lively at-home occasions.”