Kraft Heinz is getting into booze

Move over Miller Lite – Crystal Light is here. Kraft Heinz, the brand famous for its mustard and ketchup, this week said it’s rolling out its first alcohol product: a new hard seltzer infused with Crystal Light, its powder mix traditionally added to water for flavor.

• The new drink will be available in the Northeast US this month, with plans to expand distribution nationwide next year.

*Turns over can to read ingredient label*: Crystal Light Vodka Refreshers have a 3.8% abv, zero sugar, zero carbs, and 77 calories/can. Marketed as the “lowest-calorie ready-to-drink cocktail on the market,” once launched, they’ll be the first powdered beverage brand to take a leap into the hard seltzer aisle.

The reasons behind the move are crystal clear

A sizable amount of consumers who drink the powder mix already use it as a cocktail mixer (~20%), according to the company. And that’s by design – Crystal Light last year launched a multipack with flavor mixers for consumers to craft their own cocktails.

📸 Big picture: Kraft Heinz is in the midst of five consecutive quarters of declining sales as some of its core food brands, including Lunchables and its famous blue-packaged mac and cheese, struggle. With the RTD launch, the company is trying to take a bite out of a $903 million (and growing) US market – and following in the footsteps of other CPG giants who have also launched RTD cocktails, including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.