Seagram to enter drinks mixer sector

Seagram is moving into the own-label UK drinks market, by launching a range of mixers to compete against Cadbury Schweppes and Britvic.

Seagram’s Mixers, a US brand which is being sold through Asda, includes tonic, bitter lemon and American ginger ale in the range, plus their diet equivalents. The drinks are being sold in two sizes, 500ml and 1 litre bottles, for 45p and 67p respectively.

The company is believed to be rolling out the own-label brand, which is popular in the US, into more than 10 other countries to fill the middle market for mixers.

A Seagram spokesman says a majority of the US company’s products sold in the UK do not carry a Seagram brand name. Seagram brands include Martell Cognac, Mumm and Captain Morgan.

In 1995, fruit juices, coolers and the Seagram Mixers contributed nearly a quarter of the company’s US total sales revenue of 983m.