PepsiCo Inc. may soon launch its own hard seltzer. The American based multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York, has filed a trademark application that indicates the company plans to sell alcoholic beverages under the Rockstar brand name. The application was made for beer, alcoholic fruit cocktail drinks, alcoholic malt beverages and hard seltzer, according to a June 14 filing.
PepsiCo main rival The Coca-Cola Company announced a similar step already in August last year when it said to debut with an alcoholic beverage in the hard seltzer market under its Topo Chico brand. (inside.beer, 12.8.2020) One month later Coca-Cola inked an agreement with Molson Coors Beverage Company to bring Topo Chico Hard Seltzer to key markets in the U.S. (inside.beer, 29.9.2020) The product finally hit shelves in key markets in the United States on March 29 with a four-flavor variety pack – tangy lemon lime, tropical mango, strawberry guava and exotic pineapple. (inside.beer, 18.3.2021)
In October during presentation of its third quarter earnings when asked about plans to enter the hard seltzer market, PepsiCo’s Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta said “We will make decisions in the coming quarters - whether this is an area where PepsiCo wants to play.”
