PepsiCo has collaborated with Boston Beer to develop an alcoholic product called Hard Mtn Dew to be launched in the US early next year, the companies announced this morning in a joint statement. The flavored malt beverage (FMB) will contain 5% alcohol by volume and be based on the “bold, citrus flavor” of Mtn Dew, PepsiCo Beverages North America CEO Kirk Tanner said in the statement. As shown in the image below, the product will launch in three flavors – Regular, Black Cherry, and Watermelon. The drink shown is a Zero Sugar product.

DIVISION OF DUTIES. Boston Beer, maker of Sam Adams craft beer and Truly hard seltzer, will develop and produce the alcoholic product. In addition, “PepsiCo has set up a new entity to sell, deliver, and merchandise the product,” the companies wrote in the statement without providing details. Boston Beer’s Truly is the No. 2 hard seltzer in the US market.

PERSPECTIVE. The introduction follows the US launch this year of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer in a collaboration between Coca-Cola and Molson Coors Beverage. Coca-Cola also applied this year to use the trademark Lemon-Dou in the US for alcoholic beverages including “lemon flavored beers.” The drink appears to be similar to an alcoholic product Coke markets in Japan and the UK. Meanwhile, PepsiCo applied this month to use the company’s Rockstar trademark for a hard seltzer product. A source told BD that the request was simply updating a previous 2017 filing to use the trademark for a malt-based alcoholic beverage. PepsiCo acquired Rockstar last year.