Many readers will know about Pals: the pretty-in-pastel canned bevvies, commonly found in the clutches of uni students on hot summer days or being hawked on Instagram with aesthetically pleasing pics.
According to Nielsen data, Pals is the most popular independent RTD (ready-to-drink) brand in Aotearoa, a milestone that can be partly attributed to its colourful can and modern aesthetic. Designed for carefully curated feeds and #ForYouPages, the brand also has a reputation for its range of unique flavours - think yuzu-infused vodka soda - and locally sourced ingredients, from central Otago peach to Hawke's Bay apple.
But in a dramatic departure from its typical pastel palette, Pals' latest addition to the line-up is beige. Yes, a beige-coloured RTD.
It comes on the back of an April Fools' gag earlier this year, where Pals teased the launch of a 'beige' addition due to 'running out of colours'.
So, what is the new flavour? Vodka, pink guava, lime and soda. Not exactly what springs to mind when you think of 'beige', but that's the point.
"The April Fools' post had such a great reaction from our followers, so we thought, 'why don't we just run with it?' Putting pink guava and lime into a beige can is a bit unexpected, but it's definitely original and pushes the boundaries," said co-founder and director Mat Croad.
Fellow co-founder and director Nick Marshall added: "We put a huge amount of effort into perfecting the flavour and the process takes months of fine-tuning... we're stoked to have landed on this combination."
According to Pals, the new drop teams the tropical taste of guava and zesty lime with soda water and triple-distilled vodka, which is said to be deliciously refreshing as the weather warms up.
Like Pals' other flavours, 'The Beige One' has no artificial colours, sweeteners, or preservatives and comes in at 31 calories per 100ml, making it a lower-calorie option.
'The Beige One' will be available nationwide, including at select summer festivals like Rhythm and Vines and events held at venues across Tāmaki Makaurau, such as Go Media Stadium, Western Springs Stadium and Auckland Town Hall.
With good weather on the horizon, there's plenty of other RTDs out there, many of which are also touted as low-calorie and low sugar. Here's some other options:
Odd Company: One of Pals' major competitors, Odd Company offers a range of low-sugar vodka RTDs that come in very aesthetically pleasing packaging. Flavours include peach and passionfruit, mango and lime, pineapple and watermelon, and raspberry and pomegranate.
Scapegrace: Local distiller Scapegrace offers a range of RTDs to complement its award-winning selection of spirits. If gin is more your taste, there are two gin and soda offerings to choose from: red grapefruit and hibiscus or yuzu lemon. If you're after vodka and soda, there's pomegranate and Doris plum, Hawke's Bay lime, or red apple and pear.
LF Wine Seltzers: If spirits aren't your bag, RTD wine seltzers could be a good bet. Made with Leftfield New Zealand wine, sparkling water and natural flavours and botanicals, each 250ml can contain less than 1g of sugar, 68 calories and is entirely New Zealand owned, grown and made. Another proprietor of the pastel theme, they come in three flavours: yuzu, mint and cucumber with Sauvignon Blanc, pear and ginger with Pinot Gris, and strawberry and hibiscus with Rosé.
