Kahlúa has launched a new Coffee Cream liqueur in the UK, as the brand looks to broaden the occasions for cream liqueurs beyond the traditional nightcap.
The new product combines Kahlúa’s signature rum and coffee liqueur with real dairy cream and 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans. It is designed to be served neat or over ice, as well as in cocktails and espresso-style serves.
The launch comes amid what Kahlúa describes as a shift towards earlier, more relaxed drinking occasions. Research commissioned by the brand found that 71 per cent of UK adults are excited about classic spirits being reinvented, while 85 per cent are open to nights out spanning generations.
Ian Peart, commercial director at Pernod Ricard UK, said Kahlúa was seeing sustained momentum from consumers’ interest in coffee-inspired serves, including the Espresso Martini and Baby Stout.
“That’s why we’re excited to introduce this flavour extension that brings together the rich coffee and rum flavours people already know and love from Kahlúa with real dairy cream,” he added.
Kahlúa Coffee Cream is being supported by a new ‘Not A Nightcap’ campaign, which aims to position the product as a drink for occasions including after-work gatherings, weekends and dinner parties, rather than solely as an end-of-evening serve.
The campaign brings the idea to life in a tongue-in-cheek telenovela-inspired short film that features viral British Insta star Grimegran (AKA Margie) and grandson Beau the Beard, as well as Irish TikTok creator Grandad Frank. The comedic personalities popular with younger generations show that there’s nothing old and dusty about THIS cream liqueur.
The research also found that 82 per cent of 18–35-year-olds are open to or excited by classic spirits being reinvented for nights out, while the same proportion said serving Kahlúa Coffee Cream chilled as an espresso-style shot or cocktail changes their perception of the drink.
Kahlúa said the new launch is intended to open up new occasions for the brand while retaining its coffee credentials. The brand, which originated in Mexico in the 1930s, sells 1.9 million nine-litre cases across 140 markets worldwide.