Food and Drink Industry 27 July – 2 Aug: Ft Shandy Shack
- Shandy Shack has refreshed its packaging and aligned its entire product range to 2.5% ABV.
The shandy is undergoing something of a modern reinvention as SHS Drinks-owned Shandy Shack and global drinks business PepsiCo look to capitalise on increasing consumer interest in lighter, fruit-led beer products.
Shandy Shack has introduced a refreshed visual identity, redesigned packaging and a more consistent product range as it prepares for its next phase of growth. At the same time, PepsiCo has revealed the 7UP Pink Shandy 0.0%, a brightly coloured alcohol-free take on the traditional beer and lemonade combination.
The developments demonstrate how the boundaries between beer, soft drinks, ready-to-drink products and alcohol-free beverages are becoming increasingly blurred. They also show how established drinks groups and emerging brands are attempting to turn seasonal interest in refreshing beverages into longer-term consumer demand.
Shandy Shack Clarifies Its Position
Founded in 2018 by three friends, Shandy Shack has developed a loyal following for its lower-alcohol shandies, which combine craft beer with natural fruit flavours.
The company was acquired by SHS Drinks in 2024 and has since undergone a strategic review designed to ensure that the brand is positioned for future growth. The review has resulted in a refreshed identity, a more consistent packaging structure and the alignment of every product in the range to 2.5% alcohol by volume.
The updated cans now lead clearly with the flavour of each product and prominently identify the drink as a shandy. This is intended to make the brand’s proposition easier to understand when consumers encounter it on crowded supermarket shelves.
Although fruit beer and fruit-flavoured alcoholic drinks have become more established, the category still covers a wide variety of products, strengths and styles. Clearer labelling could therefore help Shandy Shack communicate exactly what consumers can expect from the range.
The brand is seeking to improve visibility without losing the craft credentials, fruit-led flavour and distinctive personality that helped it build its original following.
A Category That Has Changed Since 2018
One of Shandy Shack’s founders explained that the shandy category has evolved significantly since the business launched in 2018.
By placing the word “shandy” clearly and proudly on the front of each can, the company believes it can better communicate what the brand represents and the occasions for which its products are intended.
The refreshed identity is designed to make the range more accessible to new consumers while maintaining the quality, flavour and craft beer influences valued by existing customers.
This balancing act will be important. Packaging that becomes too polished or generic risks distancing loyal drinkers, while branding that is overly subtle could make it difficult to attract shoppers who are unfamiliar with the product.
Shandy Shack’s approach appears to be based on simplification rather than complete reinvention. The company is making its category, flavours and alcohol content clearer while retaining the characteristics that distinguish it from conventional lager, cider and ready-to-drink products.
Retail Momentum Builds Across Sainsbury’s and M&S
The rebrand arrives during a period of growing retail momentum for Shandy Shack.
The company has expanded its presence in Sainsbury’s, strengthened its direct-to-consumer channels and developed a co-branded collaboration with M&S.
The M&S partnership has been particularly successful. According to the businesses, one can of the co-branded shandy has been sold every minute since its launch.
This performance indicates that there is considerable consumer appetite for lighter, fruit-led alcoholic drinks when they are supported by recognisable branding, strong retail placement and an accessible flavour proposition.
The partnership also demonstrates how collaboration with a major retailer can help a smaller brand reach customers who may not actively search for craft beer or specialist shandy products.
For SHS Drinks, the challenge will now be to use this momentum to develop Shandy Shack beyond a seasonal or occasional purchase. Achieving repeat sales will require consistent availability, recognisable packaging and a product experience that encourages consumers to return after their initial trial.
Packaging Becomes a Competitive Tool
An external perspective from the growth director of channel performance at Ipsos suggested that the refresh has arrived at an appropriate time, given the continued momentum within fruit beer and lighter beer categories.
Ipsos has observed that clear on-shelf communication, standout packaging and simplified range architecture are becoming increasingly important as brands compete against fast-growing businesses such as Jubel.
Many purchasing decisions are made quickly in stores, particularly within chilled drinks aisles where consumers are presented with large numbers of beers, ciders, cocktails and alcohol-free alternatives.
In that environment, shoppers need to be able to identify the flavour, drink type and alcohol strength almost immediately. Shandy Shack’s decision to make its fruit flavours and shandy credentials more prominent is therefore as much a commercial decision as a design choice.
This has become especially relevant during periods of hot weather and major sporting events, when demand for lighter and more refreshing drinks can increase considerably.
With the FIFA World Cup providing a potential catalyst for social gatherings and at-home viewing occasions, drinks brands are likely to compete heavily for space in supermarkets, convenience stores, pubs and hospitality venues.
PepsiCo Gives the Shandy a Pink Makeover
Competition within the category is also broadening beyond traditional beer producers.
PepsiCo has introduced the 7UP Pink Shandy 0.0%, an alcohol-free drink combining 7UP Zero Sugar Pink Lemonade, 0.0% lager and sugar-free strawberry syrup.
The product gives the classic shandy a highly visual and contemporary update, using bright colours, familiar branding and an accessible recipe that can be recreated in hospitality settings.
The senior vice-president and general manager at PepsiCo International Beverage described the launch as a “glow-up” for the traditional shandy.
The company said the recipe takes the familiar qualities of an original shandy and adds a brighter, crisp twist through the use of 7UP Pink Lemonade Zero Sugar. It has been designed to be easy to prepare, refreshing and suitable for summer social occasions.
PepsiCo has also indicated that the initial launch forms part of a wider ambition to place the 7UP Pink Shandy on bar menus around the world.
This could give the drink significance beyond a temporary promotional campaign. By presenting the recipe as a serve rather than only a pre-packaged product, PepsiCo can encourage pubs, bars and consumers to combine its soft drink with alcohol-free lager.
The approach also allows PepsiCo to participate in the growing shandy and alcohol-free beer market without moving entirely away from its established soft drink portfolio.
The Pink Nel Brings the Campaign to Life
To support the launch, The Perky Nel pub in Clapham will be transformed into “The Pink Nel” from 31 July to 24 August.
The venue will receive a complete pink makeover, with themed games and complimentary 7UP Pink Shandies available through the DUSK app.
The promotional activation will also visit Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Brighton during August, extending the campaign into several major United Kingdom cities with established hospitality and nightlife markets.
Experiential activity of this kind gives consumers the opportunity to try an unfamiliar drink in a social setting. It also creates highly shareable visual content, particularly when a venue has been temporarily transformed around a distinctive colour or theme.
The campaign will be supported by comedian and television presenter Mo Gilligan. Filmed in a sunny beer garden, the advertising features Gilligan introducing groups of friends to the 7UP Pink Shandy.
The campaign aims to celebrate the role drinks can play in bringing people together, while positioning the new serve as a relaxed and memorable option for summer occasions.
Alcohol-Free Shandy Expands the Audience
The arrival of a 0.0% shandy from PepsiCo also reflects wider changes in how consumers approach alcohol.
Alcohol-free beer is no longer limited to people who avoid alcohol completely. It is increasingly used by consumers who moderate their intake, alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, or want an option that suits daytime and social occasions.
Combining 0.0% lager with a familiar soft drink could make alcohol-free beer more approachable to consumers who do not enjoy its taste when served on its own.
The Pink Shandy also has the potential to attract customers from outside the traditional beer market, particularly those who are drawn towards fruit flavours, colourful presentation and drinks that can be easily recreated at home.
However, its long-term success will depend on whether it progresses beyond novelty value. Bright visuals and celebrity-led promotion may encourage trial, but flavour, availability and ease of preparation will determine whether consumers purchase the drink repeatedly.
Retailers Will Look Beyond Seasonal Demand
As more companies enter the fruit beer and shandy market, retailers will be watching closely to identify which products can convert seasonal curiosity into sustained sales and long-term loyalty.
Hot weather, sporting tournaments and summer hospitality campaigns can create strong short-term demand, but they do not automatically establish a permanent category.
Brands must ensure that their products remain relevant after the initial campaign has ended. This may involve expanding drinking occasions, improving year-round distribution and developing flavours that are not exclusively associated with summer.
Execution at the shelf will be just as important as advertising. A memorable campaign can introduce a product, but consumers must still be able to locate it, understand it and distinguish it from competing options.
Shandy Shack’s simplified packaging and PepsiCo’s unmistakable pink presentation represent two different approaches to the same commercial challenge. Both are designed to reduce confusion and create immediate recognition.
The Impact on Food and Drink Manufacturing
The renewed interest in shandy and fruit beer could create meaningful opportunities for food and drink manufacturers, packaging suppliers and production partners.
For beverage producers, growth within the category may increase demand for flexible manufacturing lines capable of handling beer, fruit ingredients, natural flavourings, sugar-free syrups and alcohol-free formulations.
Manufacturers may also need to manage different carbonation levels, ingredient interactions and shelf-life requirements as products increasingly combine elements from brewing and soft drink production.
The alignment of Shandy Shack’s range to a single 2.5% ABV could simplify certain aspects of production planning, quality control and regulatory labelling. A more consistent range architecture may also support efficient procurement and make it easier to scale production as retail demand increases.
At the same time, products such as the 7UP Pink Shandy demonstrate the potential for collaboration between breweries, soft drink companies and hospitality operators.
This could encourage further experimentation with mixed-category drinks that sit between beer, soft drinks and ready-to-drink cocktails.
Packaging manufacturers may also benefit as brands seek more distinctive cans, brighter graphics and clearer front-of-pack information. However, producers will need to balance visual impact with cost, recyclability and the practical requirements of high-volume filling and distribution.
Ultimately, the category’s manufacturing potential will depend on whether brands can establish reliable year-round demand rather than relying entirely on warm weather and sporting events.
A Traditional Drink Finds a New Audience
The shandy may be a familiar concept, but its current reinvention is being driven by distinctly modern consumer priorities.
Lower alcohol levels, fruit-led flavours, alcohol-free options and highly visible packaging are helping brands reposition the drink for customers who may never have considered ordering a traditional shandy.
Shandy Shack is using clearer packaging, consistent alcohol levels and growing retail partnerships to build on the credibility it has established since 2018. PepsiCo, meanwhile, is using the global reach of 7UP, experiential marketing and celebrity support to introduce a colourful 0.0% alternative.
Both strategies recognise that consumers are looking for drinks that feel refreshing, sociable and easy to understand. They also acknowledge that gaining attention is only the beginning.
Conclusion
The latest activity from SHS Drinks, Shandy Shack and PepsiCo shows that shandy is moving beyond its traditional image and becoming part of a broader market for lighter, fruit-flavoured and alcohol-free drinks.
Shandy Shack’s refreshed identity, simplified packaging and consistent 2.5% ABV range provide the brand with a clearer platform for growth, supported by expanding availability in Sainsbury’s, direct sales and a successful collaboration with M&S.
PepsiCo’s 7UP Pink Shandy 0.0% takes a different route, using bold presentation, alcohol-free lager, experiential promotions and Mo Gilligan-fronted advertising to introduce the format to a wider audience.
The immediate opportunity is clear, particularly during hot weather and major sporting events. The longer-term test will be whether these products can move from seasonal talking points to regular purchases.
For retailers and manufacturers, success will depend on more than creative marketing.
Clear packaging, dependable production, strong distribution and a convincing reason to purchase again will determine whether the modern shandy becomes a lasting part of the drinks market or simply another flavour of the summer.
News Credits:
Shandy Shack unveils brand refresh as fruit beer demand heats up
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