Whitley Neill brings double-shot quality to new format
Whitley Neill has officially entered the ready-to-drink (RTD) category, launching its most popular flavour profiles in a portable 250ml can.
This move is a shift for Halewood Artisanal Spirits, moving the brand beyond the back bar and into the high-growth convenience sector to meet the demands of anywhere consumption.
The brand has debuted two initial expressions: Rhubarb & Ginger Gin with Ginger Ale and Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin with Lemonade.
Departing from the industry-standard 5% ABV, these cans are positioned as bar-quality serves with an 8.3% ABV, ensuring each unit delivers a full 50ml double-shot of Whitley Neill gin.
The launch targets the only major alcohol category currently in growth. According to IWSR and Attest data, 41% of UK consumers now shop in the RTD category.
By moving into this format, Whitley Neill is addressing the convenience gap — providing a premium solution for outdoor events, festivals, and travel where mixing a traditional gin and tonic is impractical. This allows the brand to widen its purchase channels and capture more frequent, informal drinking occasions.
Product & formulation
- Yuzu & White Strawberry: a bright, aromatic citrus-led serve with delicate sweetness and a refreshing finish.
- Rhubarb & Ginger: a tangy, spiced profile paired with crisp ginger ale, mirroring the brand’s bestselling full-strength gin.
The decision to lead with an 8.3% ABV distinguishes the product from mass-market thin RTDs, catering to consumers who want a genuine premium gin experience in a single-serve format.
Whitley Neill is aiming for two distinct groups: loyalists who already trust the brand’s flavour profile but want more portability, and new, younger shoppers who frequent the RTD aisles of major supermarkets. The product is designed to bridge the gap between retail (home consumption) and on-trade (bars/festivals).
James Stocker, sales & marketing director at Halewood Artisanal Spirits, said given Whitley Neill’s heritage in bringing exceptional flavours to the world, RTDs are a natural next step.
“They give both loyal fans and new customers an easy, high quality way to enjoy our gins, wherever they are. With summer around the corner, this is the perfect time to launch – there are so many occasions where it’s easier to grab a canned drink than mix your own,” Stocker explained.
The rollout is aggressive, with listings already secured in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Amazon, as well as the brand’s own “The Drop Store.” Cans are priced at an RRP of £3.25, with 12-can multipacks available to drive volume in the trade sector. On-trade listings are expected to follow imminently to capitalise on the summer season.
For Halewood Artisanal Spirits, this is not a one-off experiment but the start of a serious new portfolio pillar. The ambition is to dominate the premium end of the RTD market by leveraging the 85% brand awareness of Whitley Neill and continuing a pipeline of new flavour launches.
Whitley Neill’s entry into RTDs offers three key takeaways for manufacturers:
- Premiumisation is an RTD growth driver: simply being convenient is no longer enough; consumers are looking for double-shot potency and artisanal flavour credentials in a can.
- Flavour familiarity lowers risk: by launching with established “hero” flavours (Rhubarb & Ginger), the brand reduces the barrier to trial in a new format.
- Occasion-based innovation: manufacturers should look to seasonal windows (like summer) to launch formats that solve the mixing difficulty of high-end spirits in outdoor settings.
