Molson Coors Beverage Company is investing £5m behind its new hard seltzer brand, Three Fold, which marks the biggest brand investment the company has made into a new segment in the UK.

This will include a digital, social and outdoor media campaign, alongside a sponsorship deal where the brand will be the official ‘finisher drink’ at the annual Tough Mudder challenge.

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The news follows the supplier signing an exclusive distribution agreement with Bodega Bay last year, the first premium seltzer in the UK market.

The supplier said the rapid growth of the hard seltzer category in the US, where retail sales reached $2.7bn in the 12 months to June last year, means it has seen success with its brands, including Coors Seltzer, Vizzy Hard Seltzer and Proof Point Spirited Seltzer in that market.

Charlotte Revill, brand manager at Molson Coors, said all the signs point to hard seltzers being the next drinks category to firmly establish itself in the UK.

“We expect its rapid growth in the US to be mirrored here and a major investment in our own product is to ensure that we, and our customers, are at the forefront of this quickly emerging category,” she added.

She explained Three Fold has been created with “mainstream adult appeal” with recognisable flavour combinations, including Red Berries, Tropical and Citrus. Each 330ml can has an ABV of 4% and 93 calories. It is sold as single cans and a variety six-pack, and available from Bargain Booze and Bestway.

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Revill added: “The sales performance of hard seltzers speaks for itself and is far higher than normally expected of a new category entrant to the market.”

The launch of the campaign is the latest step from Molson Coors in ramping up its expansion beyond beer and cider.

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