Matthew Clark and top fashion name launch new FAB
In a first for the industry, wholesaler and cider maker Matthew Clark has teamed up with one of the top names in fashion in a bid to break into the fast-growing FAB (flavoured alcoholic beverage) market.
Following a licensing deal with French Connection, the new brand will be called FCUK Spirit, making an instant link with a million T-shirts a year on Britain's streets.
Available from November in two flavours - cranberry & grapefruit (pictured) and lemon - the brand has already been given the nod from every pub company Matthew Clark has approached, according to communication manager Simon Russell.
"One on-trade retailer is already saying it will be in the top three - and that doesn't necessarily mean third," he said.
The FAB market has just hit £1bn a year in sales, bigger than vodka, and is growing at more than 50 per cent a year. It is currently dominated in the on-trade by the Bacardi Breezer range and Smirnoff Ice.
"It is a market we obviously wanted to get into - but we don't have a spirits brand," explained Mr Russell. "We knew we had to do something imaginative and FCUK has a certain edge and attitude that fits. Unlike other FABs it appeals to both men and women, and French Connection advertise the brand rather than a particular product, so we will benefit from everything it does.
"Our research shows that it doesn't matter to the consumer that it isn't a spirits brand like Smirnoff or Bacardi, and it gives us a significant point of difference.
"This is the first time anyone has done anything like this and you could say we are reasonably excited about it.
"FABs are getting close to being a mature market. There are lots of me-toos and many brands will drop out. But we don't doubt that FCUK Spirit will be a player."
The brand's label has been designed by the style gurus at French Connection and the launch will be chiefly backed by point-of-sale and promotional activity in the bar.
"In a sense, with the FCUK name on a million T-shirts, the advertising has been done for us. Our jobs is to make sure people know it's there in the pub," said Mr Russell.
