The brand has just released a film underlining the quality of its product to further build on the repositioning of fine tequilas as drinks to be sipped and savoured, not slammed in shots.
The turnaround in tequila’s fortunes over recent years has been remarkable and looks set to strengthen still further. Whereas tequila was often mixto brands which were the domain of young people discovering the joys of bars – and cheap drinks - for the first time, mixto iterations were consumed mainly as slammers where the taste and quality mattered little. This is no longer the case with premium tequilas like Rooster Rojo.
Education is still needed, and the edgy, urban ‘SIP DON’T SLAM’ campaign aims to shake up attitudes and begin to change drinking habits.
The brand comprises four 38% ABV expressions: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Smoked Pineapple, the latter being a world first which delivers a truly innovative flavour profile. Made with Añejo and Red Spanish Pineapples, it is well-received by consumers and bar-tenders. All the variants in the range are made from only 100% Blue Weber agave.
These tequilas are produced at the base of the Volćan de Tequila, a UNESCO protected area in Mexico, where the specialists at Amber Production Tequila (previously Fabrica de Tequilas Finos) blend them with water filtered through Mexican silver, the first tequila to use this technique. This results in an authentic, beautifully crafted range of spirits with complex and delicious flavours.
It´s versatile taste is complemented with different packaging formats for every need, now available in over 50 markets globally.
“The category is growing, and this injects a dynamism which means that more and more consumers are trying premium and super-premium tequilas and realising, as our new brand movie shows, that finely crafted tequilas like Rooster Rojo are for sipping not slamming,” says Mantas Zlatkus, Global Brand Director of Rooster Rojo Tequila.
“Consumers have suddenly opened up to the pleasures of tequila, when it is made well and with 100% agave. The vibrant gin sector has helped make people open to new tastes in what they previous thought was a stagnant market. The gin category has stagnated 15 years’ ago. Now it is vibrant and has shifted its positioning. It’s the same with tequila and the exciting thing is that we’re at the early stage for this sector so there’s everything to go for. People are fascinated by and knowledgeable about good quality spirits and that’s not happened in the tequila category until now.”
The opportunity is reflected in the category’s growth. “The global tequila category grew on average by 5% between 2016 and 2020 each year,” says Mantas Zlatkus. “The premium tequila segment – where Rooster Rojo is placed – has grown by 12% on average each year since 2016. The Rooster Rojo brand grew four-fold in volume and value between 2020 and 2021, so is in a strong position for continuing and rapid growth in 2022 and beyond.”
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