WKD has added a new range of higher-abv cocktails to tap into a demand for at-home drinking.
Bottles in Cheeky V and Venom have launched exclusively in Tesco (rsp: £2.60/275ml), with a trio of 330ml cans including a Blue Lagoon variant also available via Bestway (rsp: £3.10).
Cheeky V will also launch in 330ml cans across One Stop and Co-op this summer.
The 6.5% abv drinks were “designed to tap into growing demand for higher-abv, cocktail-style serves” while delivering “strong value for money”, WKD said.
Gen Z consumers in particular were “increasingly opting for fewer, better-tasting drinks, while still seeking energy, excitement and new flavour experiences”, the supplier noted.
This provided a “significant opportunity for brands that can recreate the energy of a night out in the off-trade”, it added.
Scott Bell, marketing director at WKD owner SHS Drinks, said: “WKD cocktails are all about bringing big night out energy into at-home drinking occasions. Made famous in the on-trade and created by bartenders, classic serves like Cheeky V, Venom and Blue Lagoon are instantly recognisable and signal a good time.”
The NPD comes with SHS having committed a £10m investment to drive “visibility, relevance and recruitment” on WKD this year, following several years of sales declines.
Earlier this month, the brand revived its ‘Got a WKD Side’ slogan in a bid to recruit more Gen Z consumers.
The investment was translating into growth, SHS said, citing NIQ data showing WKD volumes were up 24% year on year, on sales that had climbed 3.1% [NIQ 4 w/e 21 March 2026].
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