Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Starting May 2, Canadians will be able to purchase Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, the buzziest hard seltzer brand in the U.S.
The brand, which has won over U.S. consumers since its national expansion earlier this year, will launch across Canada in four flavors: Strawberry Guava, Tangy Lemon Lime, Exotic Pineapple and Tropical Mango. Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will be sold in 12-packs of 355-mililiter cans with all four flavors and 473-mililiter singles of Tropical Mango and Strawberry Guava.
The variety pack and Tropical Mango and Strawberry Guava singles will be available in West and Atlantic provinces, while consumers in Ontario will be able to purchase singles of Strawberry Guava at LCBO locations. The brand hopes to expand to Quebec in the near future, says James Hall, senior commercialization manager for beyond beer and flavor at Molson Coors Beverage Company in Canada.
“We believe we can elevate the hard seltzer experience in Canada with a premium brand like Topo Chico Hard Seltzer. There are few that can match the flavor and incredibly clear and crisp finish,” he says. “It’s a magnetic lifestyle brand that we think Canadians are going to love.”
At 4.7% alcohol by volume and 100 calories, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will be made with a premium vodka base in Canada.
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer is inspired by the popular mineral water and has been a hit with American drinkers, rising to a 4 share of the U.S. market, per IRI data. Ari Morogan, marketing manager for Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, says Molson Coors expects the brand to resonate with Canadians, as well.
“It’s a product that stands on its own. It’s a brand that celebrates all kinds of unique, legendary people that are self-confident and unpretentious,” she says. “We’re going to continue to celebrate that within the spaces of music, art and food.”
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer has inked key music sponsorships and distribution at important on-premise accounts. It aims to become part of urban mosaics, with hand-painted murals, wild postings and graffiti stencils, in addition to traditional billboard advertising.
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer is Molson Coors’ third hard seltzer brand in Canada, joining Vizzy and Coors Seltzer, which both launched last year.
Both Vizzy and Coors Seltzer are top 10 brands, according to internal data sources; together, they’ve combined to corral a 9 share of the country’s growing hard seltzer market.
That’s a figure poised to rise with the addition of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Morogan says.
“Our brands show up differently than the rest of the hard seltzers in the market,” she says. “They break through that sea of sameness. Vizzy is a dual-flavor innovator, bringing that dose of positivity, while Coors Seltzer is all about bringing that refreshing break, while helping to restore Canada’s waterways. Topo Chico Hard Seltzer adds its own flare, appealing to tastemakers and being a champion of self-expression.”
While Canadians are less familiar with the Topo Chico brand than Americans, Hall says, there’s a simple strategy to overcome that.
“Once they try it, they’re going to be all in,” he says. “It’ll be difficult to go back to another hard seltzer.”
Molson Coors produces, distributes and markets Topo Chico Hard Seltzer as part of a brand authorization agreement with The Coca-Cola Company, which acquired the Topo Chico brand in 2017.