DEERFIELD, IL – Curion, a leader in product and consumer insights, has unveiled a groundbreaking Ready-to-Drink (RTD) vodka-based seltzer study using its proprietary tool, Curion Score™. This research reveals which RTD vodka seltzer takes the crown in this rapidly growing category with 5 stars.
With over 300 brands and a projected market value of $21.1 billion by 2027 (CAGR 15%), hard seltzers have seen explosive innovation. Today, 50% of all alcohol innovation dollars are spent on RTDs and this innovation spend is money well spent. While White Claw and Truly dominate the market, Curion’s 30 years of expertise in alcohol testing and category insights are helping to identify other emerging 5-star performers in the RTD Vodka Seltzers segment.
Curion leads the conversation in the RTD Vodka Seltzer Wars
Curion’s Curion Score™, leveraging a proprietary database of 1.5 billion data points, unveils two 5-star products and reveals several products that didn’t stack up well against the category, despite having strong overall liking scores. The study shows that while emerging brands may lack the marketing power of industry giants, their product performance is shaking up the RTD vodka seltzer category. Brands analyzed include Absolut, High Noon, Nutrl, Cutwater, Sunny D, Smirnoff, and -196.
“Scores in this category have consistently improved, signaling better flavor profiles across the board,” says Michael Nestrud, PhD, VP of Research & Innovation at Curion. “The Curion Score™ goes beyond simple ‘liking’ by stripping away branding and focusing purely on the sensory experience.
Key Insights:
- Familiarity falls short: Loyalty alone doesn’t ensure 5-star product performance. Newer competitors outshone established names, highlighting the growing importance of innovation and relevance in consumer decisions.
- Curion Score™ differentiates the best: Curion Score™ assesses RTD Vodka Seltzers with a whole category view. Two products tied in overall liking, but Curion Score™ uncovered a 40% difference in overall rank with category performance indicators.
- New entrants to disrupt the market: -196, a new RTD vodka cocktail, earned a 5-star Curion Score™, outperforming classics and signaling a strong threat to established brands.
- RTD rises among all alcohol: Top performing RTD vodka seltzers were not only 5-star products in the RTD category but among alcoholic beverages overall, indicating that consumers love these seltzers even compared to other beer, wine, & spirits.
Keren Novack, President of Curion, stated, “Our RTD Vodka Seltzer study, powered by the Curion Score™, revealed clear 5-star winners and key attributes driving consumer preference.” She highlighted -196 by Suntory as a “must-watch” brand, using their proprietary Freeze Crush Infusion (FCI) technology to lock in bold flavor by freezing whole fruit at -196°C. Since its 2005 launch, it’s become Suntory’s best-selling RTD, just behind White Claw.
“The Curion Score™ insights are vital for brands, helping refine products, sharpen marketing strategies, and ultimately drive repeat purchases for brand success,” Novack added.
Interested parties who want to see the full results and behind-the-scenes of this study can request the results and explore how the Curion Score™ can be applied to their own products.
Curion specializes in delivering impactful insights to the world’s top CPG companies, helping them develop winning, repeatedly purchased products. Curion’s deep data-driven product insights, sensory expertise, and state-of-the-art consumer centers enable them to uncover responses to critical client objectives. With over five decades of experience in the product testing industry, Curion is dedicated to guiding clients with their proprietary XP Xperience Performance platform, connecting brands to consumers at every step.
An innovator in the industry, Curion recently developed a groundbreaking benchmarking product testing method, the Curion Score™, which has become a trusted and sought after tool within the industry. As one of the largest product and consumer insights companies in the U.S., Curion has built a reputation for excellence and trust among the world’s leading consumer brands. Curion’s commitment to innovation and expertise, coupled with a passion for delivering actionable insights, makes Curion a valuable partner for companies looking to develop and launch successful products.
