One of Australia’s leading Naturally Sugar Free drinks brand, Nexba, today announced significant expansion into the off-premise liquor space. Nexba will now be available across Local Liquor, Liquor & Co, Local Liquor & Foodworks, Liquor Boss and Supabarn stores nationwide.

The homegrown Australian brand will see its range of sugar and artificial free Kombucha beverages available at 200 Independent Liquor Retailers, as consumers increasingly look to make better-for-you choices when it comes to alcohol and mixer consumption.

The partnership kicks off with a strategic promotion across the Mother’s Day retail period (6-19th May) whereby every customer who purchases a 700ml Whitley Neill Gin will go home with a bonus Nexba Elderflower & Lemon Kombucha 4Pack. This delicious pairing makes creating wholesome cocktails simple and easy without having to worry about added sugar.

The promotion not only cements Nexba’s commitment to success within the ILR group but also its ongoing partnership with British Gin brand Whitley Neill – a natural extension of the duos “Naturally paired with” campaign.

“We’re super excited to see our Wholesome Serves liquor strategy come to life through this partnership with ILR. We know that Australian’s are drinking less and when they do reach for a cheeky tipple, they’re more considered about the alcohol they consume, and crucially what they consume it with,” said Nexba Co-founder and Co-CEO Drew Bilbe.

Recent reports show the disruptor brand might be on to something with ALM, Australia’s largest retail liquor distributor, catering to over 12,000 stores, reporting a 16% surge in zero sugar sales across all categories in their most recent annual conference.

On a global scale the Bacardi 2020 Cocktail Trends Report shows a whopping 62% of consumers are seeking natural beverage options and 51% show interest in mixers that are fermented, including the likes of Kombucha and Kefir. Additionally, nearly half (46%) of millennials state that nutrient density is a priority for them when making food and drink decisions and 40% actively ensure the product has no artificial additives.

The ILR and Nexba deal comes off the back of the soft drinks brand initial entrance into the liquor space late last year through its ‘100% Delicious Drinks’ partnership with alcohol giant Diageo. The campaign encouraged shoppers to mix their favourite spirits with naturally sugar free Kombucha & Tonic water to prove health doesn’t have to compromise taste.

“Health and wellbeing considerations are not going anywhere – it’s much more than a trend, arguably it’s now a way of life for most of us. Being an innovation-focused brand, Nexba is well placed to capitalise on this new way of thinking in the liquor market.”

“We’ve seen the huge transformation of the soft drink category over the past decade and we’re excited to see where the future takes us in the alcohol space. What’s undeniable is that consumers are increasingly looking to discover unique experiences and will continue to demand more from everything they consume when it comes to both health and flavour,” continued Mr Bilbe.

Nexba has seen 100% year on year growth for the past 4 years and recently went global, launching into the UK market in late 2018 through major retailers, Sainsburys and WHSmith. Nexba products are currently stocked in Coles, Woolworths, 7-Eleven, Amazon and more.

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