Low calorie RTD brand This Is Skinny gets off-trade debut

Canned premix cocktail brand This Is Skinny is to make its debut in the UK-off trade.

The brand, which makes a range of low-calorie canned cocktails including Long Island with Earl Grey, Mojito with Rhubarb and Passion Martini with Strawberry, has landed on Amazon, as well as in wholesalers such as HT Drinks and Champers (rsp: £2.50/250ml).

Each cocktail contains fewer than 65 calories per can as well as no added sugar. They are also gluten-free and vegan friendly.

This is Skinny is the brainchild of personal trainer and nutritionist Anna Shabalina and drinks industry executive Janeczka Le Port-Tanaka.

The brand’s USP was based on research that revealed a gap in the market for lower-calorie cocktails that did not compromise on flavour, according to its founders.

Le Port-Tanaka said: “Anna began to hear comments from her clients about how they’d be making gains at the gym but then if they went out and had a couple of drinks, any progress made would be ruined. They wanted to have a good time and have a drink but felt they couldn’t as their options were limited.

“We both thought, ‘why can’t we make premium but genuinely low-calorie cocktails – have the best of both worlds?’ And that is why our main strapline is: ‘Life can still be a party’.”

Shabalina added: “We are incredibly excited to launch this product into UK retail. We feel it has key USPs versus our competitors, from it being the lowest calorie offering in the market, its nutritional transparency – all our nutritional value is on the can, we’ve got nothing to hide – to its appeal to adventurous consumers who want high-quality flavours, but with a refreshing twist.”

Earlier this month, the Portman Group upheld a complaint against Skinny Brands’ Skinny Lager after a proactive audit. 

The audit questioned whether Skinny Lager’s name and fitness illustrations on the secondary packaging suggested it supported a healthy lifestyle and weight loss.

The Portman Group’s independent complaints panel concluded that the name Skinny Lager alone did not breach the code as it was being used to refer to the drink’s reduced energy content and did not make an implied health claim.

However, when considering overall impression of the product, the panel considered that the name, combined with the sporting imagery, went beyond factually communicating a reduced energy claim.