Lovo

A coconut water and vodka brand has launched in Harvey Nichols and online retailer 31Dover.

Lovo - which is 75% coconut water and contains vodka, grape extract and natural flavourings - was created by university friends Harriet Moore and Jessica Titcumb, who saw a gap in the market for a lighter alternative to wine and sugary cocktails.

A 250ml serving of the 4.5% ABV drink contains 128 calories, which compares to around 228 in the same quantity of wine – though the same amount of beer contains fewer calories.

The drink is currently available in a 250ml glass bottle (rsp: £2.95), and commercial director Titcumb said new flavours and different pack sizes were in development. The founders are seeking to expand into other retailers, including supermarkets.

“Consumers have loved our product so far as they value the transparency of the brand,” said Titcumb. “We see our consumers as being very lifestyle-conscious which is why they also really value that we have no refined sugar in our mix.

“There is already a huge market in the UK that loves and appreciates coconut water, our consumers already enjoy the taste and we wanted to offer an alcoholic version. Lovo is about offering a great tasting alcoholic alternative to wine and sugary cocktails.”

Coconut water in grocery is worth £36.3m, and is growing at 73% [IRI 52 w/e 20 June 2015]. The category is dominated by Vita Coco, which has a more than 70% share.