Passoã to launch ready-mixed Zombie cocktail

Brazilian-inspired liqueur Passoã is set to unleash in travel retail and domestic markets an exotic new ready-to-serve variant and also a stunning limited edition sleeve, both of which will make their debut on the Rémy Cointreau stand at TFWA World Exhibition next week. Passoã Zombie Fire (12.5% ABV 1 litre) is an ready-to-serve cocktail of Passoã, rum with pineapple juice in a bottle inspired by Brazilian art and Zombie pop culture.

Passoã, a liqueur made with passion fruit juice from Brazil, is the first liqueur brand to offer this well-known cocktail in a ready-to-serve product.

The first Zombie Cocktail was created in 1934 in Hollywood by Ernest Beaumont, founding father of the Tiki restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the Americas.

Bright orange in colour, the Passoã Zombie Fire liquid combines passion fruit, pineapple, citrus, red and white fruit to create an explosion of complex flavours dominated by the intensity of the rum and the sweetness of the fruit.

The colourful geometric designs of the bottle in red, yellow and green against a dramatic black background is a nod to colourful Brazilian art which will be echoed in merchandising units, display arches and tasting units as it is rolled out from January 2016 across global travel retail.

Passoã Zombie Fire is the fourth in the ready-to-serve series. It joins Passoã Tropical mixing Passoã with cranberry and orange, Passoã Tudo Bom with cachaça and orange, and Passoã Red Caipirinha with zesty lime.

Passoã liqueur was created in 1985 by the master distiller of Cointreau, who travelled to Brazil in search of a specific orange variety for a new recipe and stumbled instead on the maracuja or passion fruit with its complex sweet yet tangy flavours.

“Long associated with vibrant cocktails and energetic nightlife, the next logical step for Passoã was ready-to serve cocktails,” explains Jean-Baptiste Sialelli, international marketing director, Passoã. “New Passoã Zombie Fire is a dazzling permanent addition to our RTS collection with its exotic flavour, bright colour and stunning presentation and we are confident that it will be received enthusiastically by the trade and the consumer.”

The dynamic liqueur brand will also unveil at TFWA in Cannes, Passoã Carnaval, the first limited edition creation that results from a new design partnership with famous Brazilian street artist Ricardo AKN, which is due the appear on-shelf from February 2016.

The street artist, who says his work is inspired by mythology and surrealism, became notorious in 1997 for painting the walls and façades of São Paulo in psychedelic colours and geometric shapes, creating the impression of three-dimensions through his multi-layer technique.

The sleeve of the Passoã Carnaval limited edition evokes the ‘alegria’ of the Brazilian street carnival of Olinda, with colourful dots and geometric shapes to represent the confetti which abounds, while the Passoã liqueur inside is ideally suited to a variety of delicious cocktails using fruit and various mixers.

Jean-Baptiste Sialelli continues, “We are delighted to be working with Ricardo AKN over the next two years. Once considered vandalism, Brazilian graffiti of the calibre produced by Ricardo AKN is now deemed to be part of a global art movement. The vibrancy of the bottle design matched by the wonderful flavour of Passoã makes Passoã Carnaval a celebration of youth, of vitality and of creativity.”

Rémy Cointreau GTR marketing manager EMEA Herve Buzon adds: “Passoã Zombie Fire and the Passoã Carnaval limited edition by Ricardo AKN will allow us to sustain the momentum which Passoã has achieved so far in global travel retail, particularly in Europe Nordics. In airports, Passoã offers a huge opportunity to drive more footfall and conversion in the stores among a younger audience which usually demonstrates low penetration rates in travel retail.” 

12 October 2015 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor