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Chelsea Handler launches Vodka Lemonade

US comedian Chelsea Handler has released a range of vodka RTDs, describing the drinks as “an adult lemonade stand in a can”.

Stand-up comedian and TV presenter Chelsea Handler has joined the ranks of celebrity RTD owners with the launch of her new Vodka Lemonade brand.

Insisting the product “is not your basic lemonade”, Handler worked with Owl’s Brew, which specialises in hard seltzers and spirit-based cocktails, to create the drink, which comes in three different flavours: Classic, Pink, and Mint.

Key ingredients across all three drinks are fresh lemon juice and fresh-brewed organic lemon verbena. The Pink Vodka Lemonade also contains “a hint of rosehips and cranberry”, while the Mint version offers “crisp refreshment.”

According to Handler, her canned vodka RTDs give “a perfect balance of tart with a hint of sweetness,” and “just the right amount of nostalgia”.

Boozy upgrade

Speaking at the product launch about a homemade lemonade stand she used to run as a kid, Handler joked: “When I was a young entrepreneur, I realised I could make a lot more money if I spiked my lemonade. Next thing I knew, I was able to upgrade myself to first-class on a family vacation and left the rest of my family in coach.”

“Now, I’ve upgraded my recipe and put it in a can,” she continued. “That’s right, you can have what I’m having – a delicious, not-too-sweet and perfectly refreshing Vodka Lemonade… It’s impossible not to love.”

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Available from 10 February, the canned RTDs are 5% ABV, though Handler revealed she was pushing for a higher alcohol content.

“I tried to do 10%, but they told me not to push it,” said the Chelsea Lately presenter.

Her Vodka Lemonades (US$19.99 for a pack of six cans) are vegan, gluten-free, and contain no ore than 110 calories per serving.

Owl’s Brew, the producer responsible for bringing Handley’s RTDs to life, is known for its “clean hard teas” and canned cocktails; its modus operandi is redefining what “better-for-you” alcoholic beverages look like.

Handler recently made history by becoming the first female comedian to have a residency at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, embarking on a run of dates at the venue from 1 September 2024 through to April 2025.

Stiff competition

Handley has competition from Kylie Jenner’s successful vodka soda brand Sprinter, which launched in May 2024 and shipped 140,000 cases in its first month. Jenner recently signed an exclusive distribution deal with Southern Glazer’s to expand Sprinter’s presence across 31 markets.

Kylie and sister Kendall Jenner have also gone into business together, launching Calabasas Beverage Company, a “commercial front end” representing both Sprinter and Kendall’s own drinks brand 818 Tequila. The pair said the strategic move aims to provide both drinks brands with shared sales and marketing resources to streamline operations and enhance their market presence.

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