Market Insight
A Category Shift Consumers Are Asking For
Premium RTD Growth
The ready-to-drink market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with consumers actively seeking sophisticated alternatives to traditional canned cocktails. Premium offerings are outpacing mass-market products by significant margins.
Cognac Differentiation
While vodka and neutral grain spirits dominate the RTD space, Cognac represents an untapped opportunity for genuine character and complexity. Discerning consumers are ready for spirit-forward experiences.
Non-Carbonated Advantage
The overwhelming majority of RTDs rely on carbonation to mask inferior ingredients. Non-carbonated beverages signal quality, deliver smoother taste experiences, and appeal to health-conscious consumers avoiding bloating and artificial mouthfeel.
The RTD Market Is Growing — But Most Products Taste the Same
Explosive Market Growth
The ready-to-drink cocktail category has surged beyond $2 billion annually in North America, with double-digit year-over-year growth. Premiumization is the driving force, as consumers trade up from beer and mass-market spirits to convenient, quality-focused options.
Distribution has expanded from liquor stores to grocery chains, convenience outlets, and on-premise venues. The category has proven resilient, capturing share from traditional beer and wine segments while attracting new consumers to alcohol altogether.
The Innovation Gap
Despite rapid growth, the category suffers from creative stagnation. The majority of products follow an identical formula: vodka or neutral grain spirit base, heavy carbonation, artificial sweeteners, and indistinct flavor profiles that blur together on shelf.
True differentiation remains rare. Consumers face walls of near-identical seltzers and carbonated cocktails, creating opportunity for brands that deliver authentic character, premium ingredients, and memorable taste experiences.
Category Analysis
Three Distinct RTD Categories
1
Established RTDs
Mass-market leaders like White Claw, High Noon, and Truly dominate through distribution scale and marketing spend. These brands built the category but compete primarily on price and availability rather than taste or ingredient quality.
- Vodka or malt base
- Heavy carbonation
- Sweet, accessible profiles
- Broad appeal positioning
2
Craft & Trend-Driven RTDs
Emerging brands leverage craft spirits, botanical ingredients, or health-focused claims. While offering better quality than mass options, most still rely on carbonation and lack true spirit character that resonates with discerning consumers.
- Better ingredients
- Niche positioning
- Still largely carbonated
- Limited distribution
3
Premium Character RTD
Tiger's Tea represents a new category entirely. Built on genuine Cognac, non-carbonated for pure taste, and designed for consumers who refuse to compromise. This is where the market is heading — and we're already there.
- Premium spirit base (Cognac)
- Non-carbonated refinement
- Complex, memorable flavor
- Positioned for longevity
North America's First Premium Character RTD
Tiger's Tea isn't competing in the existing RTD space — we're creating a new one. While others chase trends or cut costs, we've built something fundamentally different: a Cognac-forward, non-carbonated ready-to-drink experience that delivers on taste, sophistication, and repeat purchase intent.
This positioning isn't aspirational. It's factual. No other North American brand has launched a premium, non-carbonated Cognac RTD at this quality level and scale. We own this category because we invented it.
1
Category First
The original Cognac Green Tea RTD in North America
2
Premium Positioning
Non-carbonated, spirit-forward, ingredient-driven
3
Trade-Ready
Built for independent stores and chains seeking differentiation
How Tiger's Tea Stands Apart
Typical RTDs
- Vodka or neutral grain spirit base
- Heavy carbonation to mask flavor
- Artificial sweeteners and additives
- Generic, interchangeable taste
- Positioned for volume over quality
- Bloating and sugar crashes
Most RTDs prioritize cost savings and mass appeal over genuine quality and taste differentiation.
Tiger's Tea
- Premium Cognac — real character, real spirit
- Non-carbonated — smooth, refined, no bloat
- Natural ingredients — green tea, clean sweeteners
- Memorable flavor — bold, balanced, repeatable
- Built for connoisseurs — not compromised for scale
- Clean finish — no sugar crash, no regrets
Tiger's Tea delivers what consumers say they want: authenticity, quality, and a taste experience worth returning to.
Built for Repeat Purchase
The best marketing is a product people actually want to drink again. Tiger's Tea isn't a novelty or a trend play — it's a taste-first beverage designed to become a staple in consumers' rotation. Every element, from the Cognac base to the green tea balance, is engineered for sessionability and satisfaction.
"The Cognac comes through clean, the tea adds complexity without bitterness, and the finish is smooth enough that I'm already reaching for another. This isn't a one-and-done product."
"Finally, an RTD that doesn't make me feel like I'm compromising. It tastes like a real cocktail, not a shortcut."
Early consumer feedback validates what we've built: Tiger's Tea delivers on the promise of premium. Trial converts to repeat. Tastings generate immediate reorders. The product does the heavy lifting.
Our Approach
Built Deliberately — Not Rushed
Tiger's Tea has grown through intentional decisions, not hype cycles. We've prioritized retail partnerships, trade education, and product refinement over vanity metrics. This disciplined approach ensures sustainable growth, strong margins, and genuine market fit.
1
Foundation Phase
Product development, recipe perfection, regulatory compliance, and initial production partnerships established.
2
Retail Validation
Independent liquor stores, boutique chains, and strategic on-premise accounts secured. Early reorder rates exceed projections.
3
Market Expansion
Distributor relationships solidified, regional footprint growing, and consumer awareness building through targeted activations.
4
Category Leadership
Positioned for scaled distribution, strategic partnerships, and category ownership as premium RTD demand accelerates.
A Brand That Sells Itself — With Support
Tiger's Tea thrives at the intersection of product excellence and strategic activation. The beverage creates its own demand through taste and quality, while our team ensures retail partners have the tools, education, and support to capitalize on that momentum.
Trade Education
In-depth product training for retail staff, emphasizing taste profile, category positioning, and upselling opportunities. Knowledge drives confidence, and confident staff drive sales.
Tastings & Sampling
Experiential activations that convert curiosity into purchase. Consumers who taste Tiger's Tea overwhelmingly buy it — sampling programs deliver measurable ROI.
Cultural Alignment
Strategic presence at premium events and cultural moments where our audience already gathers. Authentic integration, not transactional sponsorship.
We're not asking retail partners to take a leap of faith. We're providing a proven product, a clear category story, and tangible support that drives velocity and margin.
Events & Culture
Marketing, Events & Cultural Relevance
Tiger's Tea has established brand presence through strategic partnerships and high-impact cultural moments. These activations build credibility, generate awareness, and connect directly with target consumers in environments where premium beverages are celebrated.
1
GlobalFest Calgary
Title sponsorship at one of Western Canada's largest cultural festivals, reaching diverse audiences and reinforcing our global positioning.
2
Calgary Pride
Community alignment and brand visibility at one of the city's most anticipated annual celebrations.
3
Lunar New Year Gala (multiple)
Premium event presence connecting Tiger's Tea with heritage, celebration, and aspirational consumption moments.
How We Win the Market
Tiger's Tea's go-to-market strategy is built on sequential phases that compound momentum. We're not chasing virality or hoping for overnight success. We're executing a disciplined playbook that converts early adopters into advocates, retail partners into champions, and market share into category leadership.
Phase 1: Trade & Early Advocates
Secure independent retailers, boutique chains, and influential on-premise accounts. Build relationships with buyers who value quality and differentiation. Generate reorders and testimonials that prove product-market fit.
Phase 2: Consumer Pull
Leverage tastings, events, and word-of-mouth to create organic demand. Consumers begin requesting Tiger's Tea by name, pulling product through retail channels. Social proof and cultural relevance accelerate awareness.
Phase 3: Broader Expansion
Scale distribution through regional and national partners. Enter new markets with proven playbook and established brand equity. Maintain premium positioning while capturing increased shelf space and velocity.
Leadership
A Leadership Team Built to Execute
Tiger's Tea is guided by founders who combine entrepreneurial vision with operational expertise. This isn't a celebrity vanity project or a corporate lab experiment — it's a founder-led brand with deep industry knowledge, strategic networks, and the execution discipline required to build lasting value.
Andy Truong — Founder
Andy identified the white space in premium RTDs and built Tiger's Tea from concept to market-ready product. His background in consumer brands, operations, and strategic partnerships has positioned the company for sustainable growth and category leadership.
andy@tigerstea.ca
(587) 894-8788
(587) 894-8788
Rob Danard — Director of Business Development
Rob brings extensive experience in beverage alcohol sales, distribution strategy, and retail partnerships. His trade relationships and market insights have accelerated Tiger's Tea's retail footprint and positioned the brand for scaled expansion.
rob@tigerstea.ca
(403) 614-4441
(403) 614-4441
Building the Brand the Right Way
Tiger's Tea is committed to integrity at every level — from sourcing to production to partnership. This isn't about cutting corners or maximizing short-term profits. It's about creating a brand that stands for something, delivers on its promises, and builds equity that lasts.
1
Quality Without Compromise
We source premium Cognac, use natural ingredients, and refuse to dilute the product for cost savings. Every bottle reflects the standards we set from day one.
2
Sustainable Practices
From packaging choices to production partnerships, we prioritize environmental responsibility. Building a brand for the long term means building responsibly.
3
Partner-First Philosophy
Our retail and distribution partners aren't just channels — they're collaborators. We succeed when they succeed, and we invest in relationships that create mutual value.
Long-Term Vision
Designed for Long-Term Value
Tiger's Tea is being built as an asset, not a flash-in-the-pan trend. Every strategic decision — from product formulation to distribution strategy to brand positioning — is designed to create defensible value that appreciates over time. We're not chasing quarterly spikes or vanity metrics. We're building a category-defining brand with staying power.
1
Proprietary Recipe & Production
Our Cognac Green Tea formulation is proprietary and difficult to replicate. Production partnerships ensure consistency, quality control, and scalability as demand grows.
2
Category Ownership
As the original Cognac Green Tea RTD, we own the narrative and benefit from first-mover advantage. Competitors entering this space validate our category creation rather than dilute it.
3
Proven Reorder Rates
Retail partners report strong repeat purchase behavior and consistent velocity. Products that generate repeat sales command premium shelf space and loyalty from buyers.
4
Scalable Infrastructure
Our operational foundation supports regional and national expansion without compromising quality. Growth doesn't require rebuilding — it requires execution of an established playbook.
A Product Poised for Acquisition
The beverage alcohol industry has demonstrated consistent appetite for premium RTD brands that demonstrate category innovation, consumer traction, and growth potential. Tiger's Tea checks every box that strategic acquirers prioritize: proprietary positioning, scalable operations, and defensible differentiation.
Recent acquisitions in adjacent categories validate the thesis. D'USSÉ Cognac became a Bacardi crown jewel. Nude Vodka Soda commanded premium multiples from Molson Coors. Olé Tequila Seltzer attracted major interest from AB InBev. White Claw's parent company Mark Anthony Brands became a multi-billion-dollar enterprise built on RTD leadership.
$1B+
Category Valuations
Premium RTD brands commanding nine and ten-figure exits
3-5x
Revenue Multiples
Strategic acquirers paying premium multiples for category leaders
85%
Strategic Interest
Major spirits conglomerates actively seeking RTD acquisitions
Tiger's Tea is positioned at the intersection of what acquirers want: innovation, authenticity, and a clear path to scaled profitability.