Created by Marvel actor, Wyatt Russell (left), and film producer, Rich Peete (right), Lake Hour was crafted to stand apart from the sea of artificially sweetened and overdone flavors commonly found in the ready-to-drink market.
RTD: Wyatt and Rich, so nice to be able to talk with you both about Lake Hour and how it got its start. So, please, let our readers know how it all began.
WR|RP: Well, the inception of the brand came from where all great business ventures start…a hot tub. We were on a family vacation with a bunch of buds and our kids, and we started reminiscing about how we both grew up on lakes (Wyatt in Muskoka, Ontario Canada and Rich in Western New York) and how that shaped us. We wanted to create a drink that could transport someone back to those moments around lakes and the outdoors that lent itself to a more carefree time. Connecting with friends and family is what life is all about and we wanted to try and convey that in a drink! We realized that beers just don’t go down the way they used to. We loved the IDEA of cocktails in a can but just had not come across one that we liked very much. All seemed to be overly sweetened with fake sugars and a flavor profile that didn't appeal to us. So, Lake Hour was our solution—a canned cocktail that embodies the perfect lake day while ensuring you won’t be left craving water afterward. It’s subtle and REAL. No fake sugars or ingredients and something you can have more than 7 sips of and be done. We picked our favorite flavor profiles in Watermelon Cucumber, Honeysuckle Ginger, Peach Jasmine and Rosemary Yuzu. All just because of all the flavors we developed…we liked those best. It was that simple. And our wives, who are best friends, actually came up with all the flavor profiles! It truly has become a family business and has made it all the more worthwhile.
RTD: We absolutely love the connections and the story of Lake Hour's intimate beginnings. You told us a little bit about your product, but what are some other things that set Lake Hour's canned cocktails apart from other products on the market?
WR|RP: The number one thing that sets us apart is taste, honestly. We tasted so many different RTDs in our research and though we liked a few, we just couldn't find one that satisfied what we were aiming for. We wanted something subtle that wasn’t overpowering. Finding flavors that mixed well was a lot of fun but also a great challenge. We didn't want to be the 78th brand offering a version of black cherry. Nothing against black cherry, but there's a lot of it. Having Rosemary Yuzu and Honeysuckle Ginger is something that we are proud to say is unique to Lake Hour. Its something different yet even more delicious than anything else we had tried. When people taste it for the first time is our favorite part of the whole experience. We call it the "Oh actually effect." People will try it, and you can see on their faces that they're expecting another RTD that's sweet and overly flavored and are ready to put on a nice face when they go…"oh wow, actually, that's really good!" It’s our favorite part and really what sets us apart.
RTD: That flavor variety is most definitely out of the ordinary. Besides making better tasting and uniquely flavored ready-to-drink cocktails, what else motivated you to enter such a competitive industry?
WR|RP: Authentic storytelling. A lot of these brands are built in a lab. Bigger conglomerates have all entered the market with their version of an RTD. We applaud them, but we wanted this to be personal. It had to be for us to take the time out of our lives to pursue this. That's why we wanted the branding to reflect who we are (Wyatt's grandfather's float plane he flew before WWII is printed on the brand's cans along with the silhouette of a fisherman, who is Rich’s uncle Bill). Our lake houses are also buried on the back of the can like little Easter eggs. We wanted it to be authentic to ourselves and inextricably linked to our lives. By leveraging our backgrounds across film, television, commercials, and more, bringing something fun and innovative to the RTD space felt natural. We wanted to create a brand that revolved around our life growing up with our families around lakes. It’s more than just launching another RTD; it’s about sharing a piece of our personal history. We think our branding and our imagery are pretty cool, too. Plus, we've got our trusty mascot, Roy, to help us out (Roy Hawn-Russell is a Labrador Retriever and celebrity in his own right after appearing in a 2024 Budweiser Super Bowl commercial, and also happens to be the family pet of Wyatt's parents, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell).
RTD: The story of Lake Hour and the personal touches weaved in to your branding is so cool. But going beyond the story of your genesis, once you decided on the name and branding, what challenges did you face as you embarked on this journey in to the RTD business?
WR|RP: Naturally, the RTD business is very competitive. The liquor industry in general, for that matter. We have worked hard to stand out, create a unique brand image, and, of course, release flavors that are not only enjoyable but sound appealing to each canned beverage lover who reaches for a Lake Hour. Creating this product, and the creative journey that came with it, has been very special to us and has already been one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives. However, the challenges are many. From cash flow, to inventory stabilization, to distributor management, to when is the right time to make hires and pursue growth. It's all difficult. But the number one difficulty is probably time management. The time it has taken to build a brand from scratch with thin margins. You have to learn quickly, and we have taken the approach that learning is the key to success. You can only learn by failing, but you can also skip some of those steps by being good listeners. We have reached out and continue to reach out to every industry veteran we can find and heed their advice. We knew that we’d be drinking out of a firehose for a few months when we started and the learning curve has been steep. But every day we learn something new and find new incredible partners and advisors who have been so gracious with their time and advice.
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RTD: Listening is good, especially when entering a new venture where one wrong move could be very costly. It's reminiscent of the old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." So after "curing" some of those challenges, what would you consider Lake Hour’s greatest triumphs to date?
WR|RP: Our greatest triumph was in our launch. We made our first run of 3000 cases that we thought would get us to the end of summer and it got is 3 weeks. It was such a testament to how much people loved the drink and were quick to get on board with the brand! You just never know if something is gonna work until much further into the future, but the way it started out was such a moral boost for us that it has been those little wins that keep us going when, as any entrepreneur reading this knows, there are dark days. But finding those little victories helps to keep us going and make bigger strides than we ever thought possible.
RTD: Overcoming adversity is critical for success in any industry—be it film making or consumer products—and is always easier with a supporting cast. Did you have any mentors or advisors in the RTD industry when you first started out?
WR|RP: Our First advisor was Taylor Foxman of The Industry Collective. We reached out to Taylor in the beginning and she has been so unbelievably helpful in starting us on the right track. The people she was able to introduce us to and the information and relationships we have made through her are immeasurable. She's been a shining star for us. There are so many people who have advised us, but out of respect for their other jobs and lives, I’ll refrain from naming names in this article. But off the record, we have been so incredibly lucky to have been and continue to be guided by some incredible champions of the industry and veterans of the liquor world.
RTD: So now that we know the beginnings, challenges, and triumphs of Lake Hour, please tell us more about what excited you most while creating your very own ready-to-drink cocktail brand.
WR|RP: The best part about it was how creative we could get. Mixing art and business in the ready-to-drink sector really got our creative juices flowing, and we had a blast with it. Whether it was designing, defining the brand's voice, or experimenting with flavors, the possibilities were endless. And we are stoked to see what’s coming next. The industry is still growing at an incredible rate, and we don’t see that stopping anytime soon. We see that people are looking for alternatives to High Noon and Cutwater and we think there is a burgeoning industry that can see room for multiple RTDs to live in harmony together. It's such a relatively new space people are still finding their voices and its always exciting to be a part of something new. We aim to be a brand that stands the test of time. Thirty years from now when the 25-year-olds who are drinking it look back on photos of their parents hanging with their buds, they’ll reminisce about those moments with a Lake Hour in their hand.
RTD: Creativity is such an important factor in CPG, perhaps the most important, because today's consumers really seek out brands that speak to them and to which they can relate. Since Lake Hour aims to stand the test of time, as you put it, what trends do you see occurring with ready-to-drink cocktails as we move forward?
WR|RP: To be honest, we don’t think there is a crystal ball and don’t think anyone truly knows what's coming. And trying to predict those things can be a futile exercise. However, we do think that health and wellness, when it comes to drinking, have become a huge factor in the RTD space. Grabbing a canned beverage and putting it down is so easy, and more and more people are becoming aware of how much sugar they are drinking or what artificial ingredients are hidden inside. This is where it is so important to be forthcoming about what’s in the can—people will ask.
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RTD: Fair enough. And now that you've successfully launched and with things appearing to be going pretty well, what advice would you give yourselves about the RTD business, if any, if you could go back in time?
WR|RP: Patience is everything. Don't freak out about the little things TOO MUCH. Freak out just enough, but don't let it overwhelm you and take over your life in a negative way. We've been such great cheerleaders of each other we couldn't imagine doing it without one another. Having a great partner has been such a key for us and our success. Also, get great mentors. Get as many as humanly possible and just listen and ask questions and listen some more. We wish we would have understood distribution on a more granular level, however, it behooved us to be green as well. We learned firsthand what you have to do to get noticed and pushed us to our limits. It's the only way we've found what works and what doesn't. By getting pushed to our limits we’re better prepared for situations when they arise in the future. But all in all, I wouldn’t change anything. We welcomed not knowing anything. It's been the greatest learning experience of our lives.
RTD: That's some great insight and advice right there (aspiring drinks entrepreneurs, take note). So if you could do it all over again, you wouldn't do anything differently?
WR|RP: Nothing. Truly. Absolutely nothing. We haven’t raised money. We’ve done it all on our own without outside pressure influencing decisions. If we fail and fail miserably it will have been one of the best experiences of our lives. If we didn’t feel this way we’d have quit long before it started.
RTD: And now that you've got a taste of what it takes to hang in the industry, what do you feel the future holds for RTDs?
WR|RP: We think the demand is only going to grow. Flavor innovation is going to continue to be at the forefront, and some pretty sick flavors will come out, with the occasional high ABV. Additionally, we feel you're going to start to see innovations in packaging, whether that be glass bottles or more classy looks. There will be a fair share of brands who drop out because of bad business decisions or poor product quality. But there will be a lot of winners, too. Time is the only measure of success here. It's a war of attrition. It’s easy to be a flash in the pan, but hard to stay standing 20 years later.
RTD: Well here's to still standing in 20 years! And looking out in to time? What does the future look like for Lake Hour?
WR|RP: We started in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New York, which was incredibly exciting for us, and have ramped up sale across all of New York with Craft and Union as partners, who we are excited to work with! In Georgia, we will be featured at Reynolds Plantation golf courses and surrounding communities along with the Ritz Carlton on Lake Oconee which is also exciting for us as we look to make meaningful partnerships. We're also excited to introduce a new vodka iced tea lineup and continuing expansion to other regions across the country like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Florida as we begin to push the brand into new places where Lake Hour can become ubiquitous with drinking RTDs. Wherever you are Lake Hour brings the lake to you no matter what time it is. Because here at Lake Hour, the essence of time is only measured in sunsets!
RTD: Wyatt and Rich, we can't thank you enough for taking the time out of your busy schedules to share more about yourselves and Lake Hour with our readers. We're big fans of your work on and off the screen and wish nothing but success for Lake Hour and you both as time marches on.
