Sundial Cocktails crafts high-quality, convenient cocktails that can be enjoyed at any time. Their Anytime Cocktails™ are carefully created with real rum and natural flavors — each drink striking a perfect balance between familiar rum cocktails and unique flavors, all set to a tropical vibe and experience.
RTD: Sean, nice to talk to you today. Kindly introduce Sundial Cocktails to our readers.
SC: We are a proud New England based, family-owned company with a simple mission: to bring unique and authentic rum-canned cocktails to the world, one can at a time. Whether you’re on the beach, at a tailgate, or just winding down after work, there is always a Sundial Cocktail for you!
Our mission from day one has been to deliver premium rum cocktails that people genuinely want to share - whether it’s with family, friends, or fellow rum enthusiasts. We put flavor first, developing drinks that speak for themselves.
To Be Successful In The RTD Cocktail Game, Focus On Quality & Authenticity
RTD: What distinctive characteristics and qualities make Sundial and its products truly stand out from the myriad of other offerings available in the competitive marketplace?
SC: Rum Froward Focus: Every cocktail we craft is rum. When customers are looking for refreshing rum cocktails, we want them to think Sundial Cocktails! Authentic Strength: Every Sundial Cocktail is crafted with real rum spirit from the U.S. Virgin Islands and boasts an 8% ABV. We believe this is the sweet spot - strong enough to deliver the true cocktail experience but not overbearing.
Signature Twist on Classic Flavors: Each cocktail starts with a familiar rum-based favorite, then we get to add our own unique Sundial twist. We carefully balance multiple flavors in every can, ensuring each drink is delicious, distinctive, and true to its roots.
Ultimately, our dedication to quality, our rum obsession, and our focus on authentic, flavorful cocktails are what set us apart. We’re not just another canned beverage-we’re a celebration of great rum, great taste, and a great brand.
RTD: What motivations or inspirations drove you to venture into the fiercely competitive arena of the ready-to-drink beverage industry?
SC: Our roots are in the hospitality industry, and our team’s passion for great drinks and genuine connections runs deep. Years of owning and working in restaurants gave us a front-row seat to the evolving beverage landscape. Although highly competitive, we saw a chance to bring quality rum drinks to the market, and we dove straight in. At the end of the day, our motivation comes from wanting to share our great drinks with customers and communities alike.
Ready-To-Drink Canned Cocktails Is A Challenging Industry
RTD: What hurdles or challenges did you encounter on your ambitious journey to establish a foothold in a dynamic RTD business landscape?
SC: We have faced countless challenges and obstacles along our Sundial Cocktails journey, and we still face them every day! The alcohol space has one of the largest barriers to entry, and one of the major challenges is the customer pipeline! We have 3 tiers of customers in a very crowded market!
First, we need to partner with distributors in every desired territory. This is a difficult challenge, as your decision could make or break a territory. The right distributor partners will grow your brand and work alongside you so long as you are putting effort and marketing support behind your brand.
We are truly grateful for the distributors who have taken a risk and allowed us to grow our brand! Atlas Distributing, Vacationland Distributors, F&F Distributors, Colonial Wholesale Beverage, Craft Collective Homegrown, RNDC, and BPS Distributors.
Second, there are the retail accounts. Retailers are the heart and soul of our business. Each account that brings Sundial Cocktails onto their competitively crowded shelves is taking a risk, betting that our brand will resonate with their customers. They provided valuable feedback about buying patterns and community needs, helping us to adapt and build brand loyalty.
Lastly, the consumer. Ultimately, the end consumer decides our fate. The RTD category is crowded, and customers are faced with more options than ever before. Our challenge is to cut through the noise -- by creating genuinely delicious cocktails, engaging via sampling and events, and telling our story authentically.
Navigating these three customer relationships is not an easy task and requires constant attention. It’s a daily effort, but it’s what keeps us motivated and moving forward!
Success Is A Moving Target In The Canned Cocktail Business — Celebrate Small Victories And Ask For Help
RTD: What accomplishments or milestones do you regard as the most noteworthy for the brand up to this point in time?
SC: Our biggest triumph is achieving steady, year-over-year growth while maintaining our values as a family-operated and funded business. We’ve expanded Sundial Cocktails into two countries, five states, and directly ship to over 44 states. We’re proud to be a recognized regional brand with a growing account base and look forward to what the future holds!
RTD: Did you have the privilege of being guided by any mentors within the ready-to-drink industry? If so, please elaborate on who they were and the nature of the relationship you shared with them.
SC: The RTD industry is evolving rapidly, and it’s tough to rely on traditional mentors and consultants. Customers' drinking habits have become a bit unpredictable, and many of the larger brands are beginning to pigeonhole the consumers into specific product types.
This makes the advice and guidance of some of the longer-term industry players not as reliable as they once were. In this industry, many self-proclaimed experienced consultants turned out to have outdated knowledge or were simply trying to take advantage of a highly regulated and confusing industry. I would caution any new brand to stay away and save your money!
For us, our peers are our number one asset. Small business owners sharing stories and working together is the key to success. Anything from vendor recommendations to account advice, to point of sales suggestions, to simply being a backboard for ideas is more valuable in my opinion than most paid consultants.
A perfect example of an outstanding mentor and an individual who supports small brands is Stephen Porier of Buena Gave. He has been an amazing support as we navigate this market and a great friend to the Sundial Cocktail brand.
RTD: What developments within the broader RTD industry ignite your passion and enthusiasm the most at this moment?
SC: What excites and scares me at the same time is how quickly the RTD market evolves. Every Spring, new trends and flavors hit the shelves. Will new products be focused on Spirit or Malt? Alcohol or THC? Vodka, Tequila, Tea…maybe Lemonade? It keeps us all on our toes!
RTD: What emerging trends or evolving patterns are you observing within the ever-changing world of ready-to-drink cocktails?
SC: Honestly, there’s a bit of RTD Fatigue. After COVID, the market exploded with options, and everyone from distributors to stores to consumers is overwhelmed, to say the least. The brands that will survive are the ones that bring something truly new or authentic to the table. Innovation and listening to your customers are the name of the game.
RTD: If you could travel back in time to the early days of your journey, what sage advice would you give your younger self regarding navigating the complexities of the RTD business?
SC: RUN AWAY! FAST! In all seriousness, the advice I would give myself is the same advice our team takes to every new market we open. Before your product ever lands in a region, you should be researching the top accounts and key events in each region. You should look at what marketing/point of sale material appears to stand out and what pricing range you fit into. The more information you can provide out of the gate, the better! If you don’t enter a market with a strategy, you are going to fail.
Ready-To-Drink Cocktails Are Here To Stay
RTD: What patterns or shifts are you noticing in the ready-to-drink cocktail market?
SC: Personally, I believe the RTD market is still in its early stages, with tremendous growth ahead. In the short five years, we’ve seen major shifts-- retailers are adapting how they market RTDs, supply chains are improving, and consumers are more open than ever to trying new brands.
As barriers to entry slowly decrease and R&D becomes more accessible, I expect the new wave of RTDs to focus on higher quality and authenticity. The market will likely see fewer “quick and cheap” brands and more emphasis on well-crafted, premium products that truly stand out. It’s an exciting time to be in the industry for sure!
RTD: What does the future look like for you and Sundial?
SC: Our brand is only getting started! We are looking forward to a new cocktail for the Spring that we have been developing for the past 3 years, and at long last, variety packs!
RTD: And is there anything else you'd like to share before we end this interview today?
SC: We are proud to be one of the very few brands that have a Fall seasonal RTD. Our goal is to give customers another option besides seasonal ciders and beers when they enter the Fall season.
RTD: Thank you for talking with us today, Sean. We always appreciate learning more about different RTD brands around the country and we know our readers do, too.
You can learn more about Sundial Cocktails by visiting their website at www.SundialCocktails.com
