Low-alcohol gin and tonic hits store shelves
Available in 700 Tesco stores nationwide, Omega’s pre-mixed gin and tonic cans contain less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) and are also available in a low-calorie variant.
The drink was developed over nine months at Omega’s laboratory in Suffolk, led by creative director Melanie Evans.
Omega produced the gin flavour profile by distilling nine classic gin botanicals before removing the alcohol from the mix and blending. It claimed the product was “indistinguishable” from a regular alcoholic, high-calorie/sugar gin and tonic.
Match the taste
Steve Pearce, chief executive of Omega Ingredients, said: “We knew the low strength gin and tonic needed to taste exactly like the finest gin and contain all of the natural botanicals found in Tesco’s alcoholic gin products.
“We relished the challenge of working with Tesco’s team of product developers to create a gin and tonic-style drink with low alcohol and sugar.”
Tesco’s product developer for spirits Alexandra Runciman said there had been a rise in the number of consumers looking for low- and no-alcohol alternatives to their favourite spirits.
‘First of its kind’
“This is the first low alcohol pre-mixed can of its kind developed by a supermarket and offers customers a delicious alternative to popular spirit mixers, such as the classic gin and tonic, without any compromise on taste or quality,” she added.
Omega’s low-alcohol gin and tonic will join Tesco’s existing range of alcohol-free or less than 0.5% ABV beers, wines and spirits. It followed the launch of the supermarket’s own-label selection of low-alcohol wines in June.
Meanwhile, pink gin, pea crisps and vegan ice cream were just some of the new products and trends on display at this year’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair, which took place at London’s Olympia from 2–4 September.
