Orange and green WKD to hit UK pubs

Orange and green variants will join the WKD line up, as owner SHS Drinks looks to attract new drinkers to the brand by adding two of the most popular alcopop flavours to the range.

WKD Orange and WKD Green are currently available exclusively in Yates’s outlets but will be rolled out nationally next month.

 “The orange sector accounts for £30 million-worth of RTD sales a year and is showing year on year growth rates of 47%,” said marketing director Debs Carter. “While apple RTD sales are worth £18 million a year and have grown by 71% in the past 12 months.”

The new flavours will become a permanent part of the line-up, with apple succeeding WKD Core, a cider, which was pulled from shelves 18 months ago.

 “We have consistently invested in creative and innovative marketing support for WKD and as a result consumers have a much greater affinity with WKD than other RTD brands,” said Carter.

“WKD is the RTD brand of choice amongst 18 to 25-year-olds and it ranks as the second ‘most preferred’ alcohol brand in this consumer group – sandwiched in-between Smirnoff Vodka and Foster’s lager.

Posters and PoS will promote the new flavours, asking “Green with envy?” and “WKD Orange, without bits,” and run alongside a campaign on social media sites such as Facebook to promote the new flavours.

 Last month the company unveiled traffic cone pitchers, as part of a summer campaign for the brand.