Exclusive: time for tea liqueurs as brands roll out

The fledgling tea liqueur category is set to receive a boost with the national on-trade rollout of new brands.

The category has been booming in the US, where it emerged two years ago, arriving on UK shores three months ago with the launch of the Diageo-owned Jeremiah Weed into JD Wetherspoon. It will be exclusive to the pub chain until January when it will also be rolled out across the UK.

Distributor Hi-Spirits added a tea liqueur brand to its portfolio earlier this year. Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka is already available in some London venues and the company confirmed it was "looking at opportunities" to grow the brand.

"We've gained a number of independent listings for Firefly and it's proven to be popular with customers in those bars," said chairman Jeremy Hill.

"We're looking at opportunities for the brand to gain listings with multiple pub operators during 2011. Sweet tea is a relatively unfamiliar flavour for UK consumers, so marketing support needs to be carefully planned."

At the same time Babco Europe has announced it will roll out its Beaux Ice Tea Liqueur across the UK following a successful trial in the West Country.

The brand is lower in ABV than the other two (27.5%) and is pitched as a better value proposition.

"This offers superb margins for the on-trade," said a spokeswoman.

"With the likes of Diageo set to invest in the category and accelerate the inevitable migration of such a huge US trend to the UK we feel our timing is perfect."

It is being promoted as a Tea&T (served with tonic) as an alternative to G&T.