No more Aperol Spritz? Fever-Tree sets out to shake up the spritz market

By Jennifer Sieg

British drinks producer Fever-tree has teamed up with French rosé winemaker Maison Mirabeau in the group’s latest attempt to shake up the spritz market and dethrone Aperol Spritz.

The pale pink rosé spritz collaboration is expected to be revealed today as a combination of Fever-Tree’s raspberry and orange blossom soda and Maison Mirabeau’s Forever Summer rosé wine.

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The launch was “driven by the desire for longer, lighter, refreshing serves perfect for easy summer drinking,” Fever-tree chief executive Tim Warrillow told the Times.

The pale pink rosé spritz collaboration is targeted at younger buyers with its lower alcohol by volume (ABV) target. The ABV of the spritz is only 8 per cent, much lower compared to traditional rosé, which usually weighs in at 12 to 13 per cent.

Aperol Spritz, owned by Campari Group, has led the spritz market in recent years, but now Fever-Tree seems to be looking to chime in on the summer fun.

It is not Fever-Tree’s first attempt to revive its UK performance following post-pandemic woes. Last year, after the group cut its annual profit expectations, Warrillow blamed the “vagaries” of the British summer weather.

But as Brits welcomed this summer with warm weather and sunny days this weekend back in their favourite beer gardens, the Fever-Tree

“Last summer we experimented with a rosé spritz on the menus of various pub groups and they proved a runaway success,” Warrillow said.

“I think it’s going to have great legs, not just here but internationally,” he added.