Tim Palmer Holsten is planning to unveil a new drink next month which it claims will bridge the gap between bottled lagers and premium packaged spirits. The German brewer is trying to combine the best of both sectors but is keeping the brand name and exact nature of the product a secret until it is ready for launch. Marketing director Andrew Edge said: "We identified a gap in the market based on extensive consumer research that revealed a trend towards lighter, sweeter tastes and away from volume drinks. Consumers can sometimes experience a bitterness build up after drinking a few premium packaged lagers. Some switch to sweeter drinks, such as premium packaged spirits, to counteract the effect, but these can be too sweet and cloying and may not have the appropriate image. "Consumers are looking for a drink that takes the edge off this bitterness, making it more refreshing and easier to drink, yet still retaining the credibility of a lager." He said Holsten's new product had the qualities of lager but with an added twist of flavour. The drink has alread passed consumer tests with flying colours, said Edge, as 67% of those who sampled it said they would buy the brand and saw it fitting into a number of different drinking occasions. Edge said: "Our research proves the market is ripe for an evolution of the lager category that will add new opportunities for growth." At stake is a share of two of the fastest growing sectors in the market. Last year premium packaged lager sales in the take home market were worth £560m and growing at 10% (ACNielsen). Premium packaged spirits are half the size at £282m, but the growth is more rapid, at 35%. {{DRINKS }}

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