Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/35876
they are missing out—that some low-calorie options leave you with. Each flavor has 20 calories or fewer per serving (Margarita and Sweet ‘n Sour have 10; Strawberry has 20) and contains real fruit juice, which is the sole source of the calories in each flavor. We add no sugar and only use a touch of sucralose to lightly sweeten them. However, it’s not just sucralose and premium fruit juice that make our Lite mixes taste so comparable to their full-calorie counterparts. After years of research our technical team developed a proprietary blend of ingredients that enhances mouthfeel and flavor delivery. We managed to reduce the calorie content by 89–93% (varies by flavor) and feel very confident consumers will be delighted with the flavor of each product. TP: Did you have consumer feedback or studies showing this was a niche that needed filling? TM: The Master of Mixes Lite line was actually preceded by a Lite line in our on-premise brand, Finest Call. Several years ago, we were at an on-premise trade conference and there was quite a buzz about low-calorie menu options. Cocktails, traditionally being a high-calorie item, obviously became a point of concern for restaurant chains who were posting menu item calorie contents. In response to this need we developed Finest Call Lites in three flavors: Margarita, Sweet ‘n Sour and Bar Syrup. We focused heavily on getting the flavor just right, which led us to finding the right balance of real premium fruit juices with a small amount of Splenda [the brand name for sucralose] for a low-calorie cocktail that has great flavor, too. TP: Was spring/summer release planned because that is the peak season for these products? TM: Cocktail mix sales definitely peak between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and we take that into account with our retail product launches. The product needs to be in the stores before Memorial Day to take full advantage of the entire summer selling season. We took the top three flavor categories (excluding Bloody Mary) and focused on those items for our initial launch. LITE BERRY COOLER ■ ■ 1½ oz. berry flavored vodka 1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice ■ 2 oz. Master of Mixes Strawberry Lite ■ Top with Diet Sprite and garnish with lemon half inside glass and fresh berry on top. overall sugar content to agave nectar to Truvia. In the end, after extensive taste-testing, we settled on sucralose because it provided superior sweetening power with none of the artificial sweetening side effects such as adverse aftertaste. We also took into account how widely accepted it is as a sugar alternative to consumers. TP: Are these products also marketed to on-premise, and if so have you had bartender feedback about a lack of low- calorie mixers? TM: Master of Mixes Lites are not marketing to on-prem- ise, but Finest Call Lites are. TP: Do you have plans for additional flavor launches for fall/winter? ABM: Not at this time, but we are watching the market and listening to consumer requests. TP: What made you decide to substitute sucralose for sugar in these products? TM: In developing our Lite mixes, we tested every low- calorie sweetening option we could find—from reduced TP: Are you seeing a trend of more in-home entertaining and positioning these mixes as a way to simplify that? TM: We have certainly noticed this trend, and Master of Mixes is centered around making in-home entertaining easier. Master of Mixes cocktail mixes are all formulated to be easy to use, typically requiring only the addition of your spirit of choice to create a great-tasting cocktail at home. TP: Are there any upcoming product rollouts or initiatives that you would like to highlight? TM: We do have in-store point of sale for our Lite products that includes a shelf talker, bottle necker and case card. www.masterofmixes.com july 201 1 / the tasting panel / 105