Beverage Startups
Loki & Co – An Innovative Beverage Brand For Adults
The Loki & Co. brand reached the market almost a year ago. An innovative 4% ABV low calorie beverage available in three distinctive flavors. Loki & Co. is currently enjoying considerable success for such a new brand. Born in Dublin, Loki & Co is determined to conquer the global market. Today, I have the pleasure of talking with Stephen Dillon, the Managing Director & Founder of Loki & Co.
1. Every brand has an interesting story behind it. What’s Loki & Co?
With Loki & Co. we are looking to disrupt the traditional RTD market with a new and exciting product that is in keeping with current consumer trends for lower calorie, lower sugar and more authentic products. Our core message is that ‘low is key’ hence the name Loki. Loki is also the Norse God of mischief and we plan on having lots of fun with the brand also.
I have been involved in the drinks industry for over 15 years; Loki & Co. was created after I returned from London where I was working as European Sales Director for the craft and specialty division of Ab-InBev. Deciding what to do next and looking at global consumer trends and opportunities within the drinks industry I focused in on the RTD category as it lacked any real innovation for many years and most of the products available contained high amounts of sugar and lots of artificial ingredients – this made it perfect for disruption with a better more relevant product!
2. Right now, there are 3 different flavors of Loki & Co. Are you planning to release new flavors any time soon? Which one is your favorite?
Orange & Mango is my current favorite but everyone I ask likes a different flavor, which is a good sign! We have just released Strawberry & Lime and it is getting a great reaction. Our goal with Loki & Co. is to act local but to be global. Taking learning’s from our time in craft beer we plan to produce country specific and limited edition variants so in Finland for example we might have a Cloudberry edition.
3. What challenges did you face during the development of this beverage line?
This biggest challenge was to create a great tasting alcoholic beverage that was low in calories, carbohydrates & sugars. We spent a lot of time researching different flavor combinations that would sit well with the alcohol base. We let the natural fruit flavors speak for themselves and add natural mineral water to create a light and refreshing drink that is not bloating or overly sweet.
4. The beverage industry is quite competitive. What makes Loki & Co differ in the beverage market?
Loki & Co. is aimed at a more health conscious consumer, more and more people are aware of their calorie intake and are aware that alcohol is a significant contributor to calorie intake. We are unique in that we clearly state our calories on the front of our bottle and provide full nutritional information on all our packaging. Loki & Co. would typically contain over 50% less sugar than other well-known RTD’s.
5. I love the funky packaging and modern flavors. Was it difficult to create an attractive product?
Thank You! I am lucky to work with a great designer but I have also had a strong interest in art and design for many years. I love the creative process and it is a great feeling when you have that ‘We Got It’ moment!. In keeping with our plans to collaborate we hope to work with local designers and artists in different markets to create new and exciting labels for each new variant.
6. How would you recommend consuming your drinks to gain the best drinking experience?
Nice and chilled in a big balloon glass with some Ice and some fruit to garnish. Loki & Co. is all about enjoying alcohol in a responsible way and at the same time helping the consumer to manage their calorie intake from alcohol.
7. Where do you see Loki & Co five years from now?
We have a big dream to be a global brand that the health conscious consumer associates with as being a ‘better alternative’ across a number of categories in the drinks industry. We are currently developing some new products in spirit categories and we hope to launch these within the next 6 months…. watch this space!.. #LokiLife
For more information visit Loki & Co website.
