National Wine and Cheese Day may not be a federal holiday, but that won’t stop oenophiles from sipping their favorite wine on Saturday. And it’s not stopping MOVO, the new canned wine spritzer from Molson Coors Beverage Company, from putting its own twist on the holiday.
“This summer is different than any other summer we’ve seen,” says Lisa Rudman, director of North American innovations for Molson Coors. “We have a whole new lifestyle — spending more time at home, finding new ways to exercise outdoors. We wanted to reimagine what the wine bar of summer 2020 looks like.”
From MOVO’s cheeky point of view, that means creating the ultimate wine lover’s bicycle: a cruiser with an attached cooler that conveniently fits a four-pack of MOVO and a built-in, fold-out charcuterie board. Beginning Saturday, July 25, the extremely limited-edition MOVO Wine Cruiser can be purchased online for just $8.99 – approximately the price of a MOVO four-pack. There are four cruisers available for purchase. The offer is open to U.S. residents 21 years of age or older (void in Alabama, California, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia).
The promotion comes during a summer when sales of canned wine are up big (79% versus last year, according to Nielsen,) and bike sales are equally through the roof, posting the highest sales figures since the oil crisis of the 1970s, experts say, creating a dearth of inventory.
“MOVO reimagines what wine can be, and with this bike, we’re reimagining what a biking experience can be,” Rudman says. “MOVO is the kind of wine you always wanted – you can have it anytime, anywhere – and now the MOVO Wine Cruiser is the bike you always wanted. With the MOVO Wine Cruiser, you can bring the fun – and the wine – to your next picnic or hangout.”
A modern take on wine, with 100 calories and 5.5% alcohol by volume per 8.4-ounce can, MOVO comes in three flavors — Peach White Blend, Raspberry Rosé and Blood Orange Sangria. Made from wine, sparkling water, fruit juice and natural flavors, MOVO has no sugar added, is gluten-free, and comes in four-packs of slim cans.
The brand, Molson Coors’ first foray into wine, launched nationwide in April at a time when canned wine sales were trending upward due in part to pantry loading. Those trends have continued, with MOVO’s sales velocity continuing to rise throughout the summer, surpassing a key competitor in the most-recent 13-week period, data show.
“Summer is spritzer season, and we’re seeing a lot of excitement around MOVO,” Rudman says. “It’s hitting the right mark for our key demographic of women, 25-34.”
The introduction of the MOVO Wine Cruiser augments a national digital advertising campaign launched earlier this month aimed at women, which includes video components that envision every day as Wine Wednesday and promote the portability of MOVO’s canned product.
The brand’s goal is to offer women who enjoy wine a more accessible, playful option with no judgment, Rudman says. “MOVO is the modern way for women to enjoy wine, and we love taking a moment to celebrate something fun.”