Ghia, the nonalcoholic aperitif brand that’s become a mainstay at swanky bars and upscale brand events, just launched its newest flavor that’s bound to be a crowd pleaser: Blood Orange.
The flavor, described as a blend of “Ghia’s signature bitter aperitif with juicy blood orange,” will join the company’s line of canned, cocktail-adjacent beverages called “Le Spritz,” which come in existing flavors like Lime & Salt and Sumac & Chili. Blood Orange Le Spritz launches today on Ghia’s website at a price point of $24 for a four-pack of eight ounce cans.
As canned cocktails take over grocery store shelves, Ghia’s latest launch is designed to add a sweeter, more recognizable flavor profile into its portfolio of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages—inviting a broader, more mainstream audience to sample the brand.
The N/A category is still popping off
When Ghia first launched in 2020, its only product was its original aperitif, which is designed to be added to a mixer like a traditional spirit. Since then, the nonalcoholic beverage market has taken off: According to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis data, the category saw overall volumes rise by 29% in 2023, and the total no-alcohol market in the U.S. is expected to be worth almost $5 billion by 2028.
Simultaneously, canned cocktails have become Gen Z’s drink of choice, with RTD beverage sales up by 27% in 2023—making them the fastest-growing spirits category by revenue that year. Ghia has met both of these industry trends head-on, introducing new product lines including Le Fizz, the brand’s take on a nonalcoholic wine, and Le Spritz, its answer to the growing demand for RTDs.
Since launching in 2021, Le Spritz has sold around four million cans, with the category now accounting for 60% of Ghia’s total sales, according to internal data shared with Fast Company.
Ghia founder and CEO Melanie Masarin says that the Le Spritz line is expanding the brand’s reach by offering a “lower barrier to entry” nonalcoholic drinking experience that doesn’t require mixing (unlike Ghia’s original aperitif). It’s also helped bring the brand to new retailers, including Whole Foods, Target, and Trader Joe’s.
Ghia blood orange: a mainstream move?
Compared to its existing Le Spritz flavors, which come with more unexpected top notes like ginger and yuzu, Blood Orange is an offering that might be more familiar to a mainstream audience, considering it’s become a popular choice for other companies like Spindrift, White Claw, San Pellegrino, and more.
While Blood Orange is initially launching as a digital exclusive, the company says it will eventually roll out to the brand’s retail partners, including Amazon, over the next few months, a move that will put it directly on shelves in front of curious customers.
Masarin, who is French and Italian, says the flavor took over a year to perfect—and describes it as “a return to Ghia’s Italian roots.” It’s Ghia’s first addition to the Le Spritz line since 2023.
“Blood Orange came from wanting something a little more intuitive and approachable, but still layered with the depth of our Aperitif,” she says. “The citrus rounded out some of the natural bitterness, added a touch of sweetness, and created a flavor that pairs beautifully with aperitivo snacks. It’s approachable without being simple since it still has the dryness and herbal backbone of Ghia.”
Unlike the bulk of RTD cocktails on the market, Blood Orange Le Spritz contains no added sugar, no artificial ingredients, and, of course, no alcohol. The flavor was designed to offer a sweeter option in Ghia’s overall catalog, but it’s balanced with marjoram, a Mediterranean herb that adds a piney, herbal quality to the drink.
Masarin describes Blood Orange as Ghia’s “most crushable” spritz yet—a great entry point for someone new to the brand, and a fresh experience for fans. “It’s not your mother’s orange soda,” she says.
