A French producer is attempting to reinvent and modernise the Cassis category on a global scale with the launch of Tutti Cassis.
The 17% abv Tutti Cassis, which has bright purple sleeved packaging, is made with cane sugar but with a low sugar content at 90g per litre compared with 450g per litre for traditional variants.
Brand owner Lejay-Lagoute - the French company which invented the blackcurrant spirit category in 1841 - created the Lejay sub-brand for Tutti Cassis in order to eliminate some of its association with tradition and heritage.
Franck Autard, commercial director of Lejay-Lagoute, said: "We have reinvented Crème de Cassis for the modern world. Tutti Cassis has all the wonderful fruit flavours of Cassis, but with something more that makes it easy to drink with a wide range of mixers."
The drink, which will join other cocktail liqueurs in UK distributor Malcolm Cowen's portfolio, will be the subject of sampling activity in the on-trade followed by tastings in supermarkets to attract younger cocktail-loving consumers. Sampling will feature a range of combinations for Tutti, such as mixing it with lemonade, grapefruit juice or vodka.
"The aim is to gain recognition for the brand in the on-trade, but then we see it as a real off-trade brand in the future," said Tom Absolon, commercial director of Malcolm Cowen. The brand was launched into French bars a month ago and now has listings with French supermarkets Auchan and Carrefour.
It is also due to be launched in Canada and parts of Asia from next month.
Tutti, which retails at £8.50 to £9.99, was designed to complement Lejay-Lagoute's existing classic Cassis brand Sisca, which targets an older generation as an ingredient for Kir or Kir Royal cocktails.
The new brand also sits alongside the company's premium Noir de Bourgogne Crème de Cassis, which was launched into the UK last year.
Additions to the Lejay range are likely to follow later this year.
A UK offering - Jo Hilditch British Cassis - was on display at this week's Food & Drink Expo.
Sonya Hook