Captain Morgan and Pepsi team up for rum-based RTD

Pepsi has followed its soft drinks rival Coca-Cola into booze, teaming up with Captain Morgan to launch a Pepsi Max ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage.

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold mixed with Pepsi Max has hit shelves at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda as well as across convenience and wholesale from today (25 September).

It will be sold in a 330ml can, a 250ml slimline can and 6 x 250ml can multipack formats, with the 330ml can carrying an rsp of £2.59.

The 5% abv premix would combine “the deliciously smooth flavours of Captain Morgan Original spiced gold rum-based spirit with the bold flavour of Pepsi Max”, proclaimed Captain Morgan.

The NPD would “inject excitement into the RTD category”, predicted Nuno Telles, managing director at Diageo GB.

“Both brands bring their own distinctive flavour profile to the mix, creating the ultimate combination that’s been expertly blended to deliver a great taste experience”, he added.

Diageo and PepsiCo were “two drinks powerhouses who share a passion for innovation”, said Natalia Filippociants, general manager for beverages at PepsiCo GB.

“Together, we’re mixing up the ready-to-drink category by creating a premium, iconic blend of flavours fans know and love,” she added.

The launch is the first time PepsiCo has lent its flagship brand to a product containing alcohol. It comes as the RTD category in the Great Britain continues to confound an otherwise depressed booze market, recording 25% growth between 2020-2023 according to NIQ. 

It also follows The Coca-Cola Company announcing a rum-based RTD of its own. The supplier last week revealed it was to team up with Bacardi on Bacardi Mixed with Coca-Cola, which will launch in select European markets and Mexico in 2025.

The Bacardi tie-up is the second time Coca-Cola has created an alcoholic RTD with its flagship brand, having debuted a Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola RTD in 2022.

It also launched an Absolut Vodka & Sprite RTD with Pernod Ricard earlier this year.