Coca-Cola, PepsiCo rivalry spills over hard-drink segment

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are intensifying their rivalry by producing hard versions of their soft drinks in partnerships with brewers.

An alcoholic version of Coca-Cola’s lemonade that’s part of the Simply juice drink lineup, to be produced in collaboration with Molson Coors, is set for launching this summer.

They would be available in regular, strawberry, watermelon, and blueberry lemonade flavors, in slim-can variety 12 packs and standalone 24oz cans.

Coca-Cola and Molson Coors previously collaborated on the Topo Chico Hard Seltzer last September.

Michelle St. Jacques, Molson Coors’ chief marketing officer, said the partnership would let them leverage a brand known for real juice and big flavor to disrupt the full-flavor alcohol segment "in a way that’s never been done before.

Meanwhile, PepsiCo wouldn’t be left behind and would come up with Baja Blast in partnership with Boston Beer to add to the initial lineup of hard versions of original, watermelon, and black cherry Mtn Dew.

Baja Blast originated at Taco Bell and has a cult following.

Boston Beer is pushing ahead with the new project after a bad run last fall with its Truly Hard Seltzer when overestimating demand led to millions of unsold cases that it eventually had to destroy.