Girl Crush Brands, a certified 100 percent women-owned and operated company out of Southern California, announced the introduction of Sunlit Agave Wine Cocktails, premium ready-to-drink cocktails made with 100 percent Blue Agave, real lime juice and natural flavors.
New data shows that the wine cocktail space is one of the fastest growing areas in the industry, up 102 percent in dollar volume in March 2021 compared to the same time last year, according to ACNielsen, with the related flavored wine category up by 33 percent. Growth is being driven by an increase in consumer demand for new flavor profiles and enhanced drinking experiences.
Sunlit’s target consumers are modern day cocktail enthusiasts who are looking for new flavor profiles, enhanced drinking experiences and less boozy cocktail options. Lower ABV drinks are available to people who don’t want to give up on cocktails but who may want to take it a little easier.
“Sunlit cocktails are made with agave wine, which is great from a consumer perspective because they deliver a smooth and refreshing drinking experience at 12 percent ABV compared to traditional tequila-based cocktails which can come in around 35 percent ABV,” said Corrie Hutchens, founder of Sunlit. “Even though agave wine has a similar flavor profile as tequila, we like to refer to it as tequila’s less boozy cousin.”
As part of a new wave of female entrepreneurs in the wine and spirits industry, Sunlit’s founders created a company focused on producing ready-to-drink cocktails that appeal to a new cohort of cocktail-enthusiasts, many of whom also place a high priority on buying from brands rooted in social responsibility like Sunlit.
“We watched as the pandemic disproportionally impacted women, including friends and former colleagues, and we knew we had to play a role in terms of change, which is why one of our core pillars is profit with purpose,” said Hutchens. “Through Sunlit and Girl Crush Brands, our goal is to promote the advancement of women in the alcohol space with the ultimate goal of helping to increase the amount of VC funding that goes toward women-founded start-ups across all industries, which is currently only at 2.3 percent.”
Launched in 2021, Sunlit is hand-crafted in California using 100 percent de Agave Wine, real fruit juice and premium ingredients, with recipes creation led by Christina Russo, a female mixologist in Los Angeles. Sunlit’s product portfolio includes four 750-ml ready-to-serve and four 200-ml. ready-to-drink flavors – Traditional Margarita, Spicy Margarita, Sandia Margarita and Paloma.
For more information, visit drinksunlit.com.
