Coca-Cola announced on Tuesday that the company will collaborate with rum manufacturer Bacardi to launch a ready-to-drink (RTD) pre-mixed cocktail beverage product with Coca-Cola flavor. BACARDÍ mixed Coca-Cola RTD products will be launched in multiple markets worldwide, with plans to initially debut in select European markets and Mexico in 2025. This also means that Coca-Cola will soon launch a rum product with Coca-Cola flavor, which will enter the market in the form of pre-mixed ready-to-drink cocktails. This move is also an important part of Coca-Cola's strategy to expand its alcoholic beverages business and reflects Coca-Cola's ongoing exploration and development in the alcoholic beverages market.

BACARDÍ and Coca-Cola's RTD packaged mixed product will have two of the world's most well-known global brands. The family-owned Bacardi was established in Cuba in 1862 and later relocated to Bermuda, while the beverage industry veteran Coca-Cola company made its first appearance in Atlanta, USA in 1886.

Looking back further, the Cuba Libre cocktail was invented in 1900 in a US bar in Havana using Bacardi rum, Coca-Cola, and lime. The combination of rum and popular soft drinks is still one of the ready-to-drink cocktails in top bars worldwide.

James Quincey, CEO of Coca-Cola, said in a statement, "As a comprehensive beverage company, we continue to develop our product portfolio, including in the growing ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages market." He added, "This new partnership with Bacardi supports our strategic expansion, and we look forward to launching the mixed ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage created by Bacardi and Coca-Cola brands next year."

While Coca-Cola is traditionally known for non-alcoholic beverages globally, it has been expanding its beverage strategy into the alcoholic beverage market in recent years, especially in the ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages (RTD) field with Coca-Cola flavors. The company's strategy for Coca-Cola-flavored alcoholic beverages focuses on ready-to-drink hard sodas, high-proof alternatives, and pre-mixed ready-to-drink cocktail flavors.

Coca-Cola has previously launched multiple ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage products with Coca-Cola brands, such as Lemon-Dou in Japan, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer in multiple markets, and pre-mixed Jack Daniel's & Coca-Cola cocktails in collaboration with Jack Daniel's. These all demonstrate Coca-Cola's determination to enter the alcoholic beverage market.

The first key stage in the important promotion process of Coca-Cola's alcoholic beverage was the successful launch of Lemon-Dou ready-to-drink alcoholic beverage products in the Japanese market in 2018, marking the company's first entry into the alcoholic beverage industry since the 1970s. The Atlanta-based company has also introduced Topo Chico Hard Seltzer in more than 20 markets and announced a collaboration with Jack Daniel's to launch a new brand of pre-mixed "Jack Daniel's Coca-Cola" cocktails, which were first introduced in the Mexican market. Coca-Cola has also developed Simply Spiked Lemonade and Fresca Mixed specifically for the alcoholic beverage customers in the USA market.

Bacardi is a privately held company headquartered in Bermuda, and it owns the world's largest rum distillery in Puerto Rico.