The first-ever batch of new light spirit drink Kåska – a sugar-free, distilled spruce and lemon spirit with 15 per cent ABV – has sold out so quickly that the local state liquor monopoly Alko has had to halt sales early to avoid overselling its stock.

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Lighter cocktails and drinks are a hot commodity right now. The transition to more health-conscious, less boozy, and sugar-free options has been evident in restaurants and bars as of late. “Low-alcohol and alcohol-free options have risen in popularity as a part of the on-going health and wellbeing megatrend, and are here to stay in current society. Consumers are looking for lighter, more natural products, flavour-centric experiences, and are willing to pay for them. There is definitely a need for new products that promote this kind of thinking,” summarised Timo Siitonen, internationally acclaimed bartender and Finnish cocktail trailblazer.

A good example of this emerging trend is a spirits industry newcomer from Finland, Kåska. The first batch of the new light spirit sold out so fast that the local state-run monopoly was forced to close the online sales pre-emptively, in order to avoid overselling the existing supply. “The interest has been massive,” said Eetu Topo, one of the founders behind Helsinki-headquartered Kåska. “Many have wished for a lighter alternative to traditional gins and other spirits – for an easy, flavourful way to enjoy lighter cocktails. So, we made one – and it has generated a lot of attention internationally as well, from Hong Kong to London,” he continued.

 

“Drinking has changed, it’s time for spirits to change too”

 

Kåska, meaning ‘because’ in Finnish, is a local innovation designed with a group of alcohol industry professionals in Finland. After one year and 70 prototypes, Mr Topo and co-founder Fred Karlsson were finally happy to release their unusual spirit.

 

“It all started with a simple thought: Because drinking has changed, it’s time for spirits to change too. Alcohol consumption is becoming more and more conscious across the world – a change very visible already in drink categories like wine and beer. Kåska is a part of this change: as a light mid-proof spirit spiced with lemon peels and Finnish spruce needles, with 15-per-cent alcohol and no sugar, it provides a more easy-going drink option,” Mr Topo explained.

 

A challenging time to launch

 

The COVID-19 crisis has wreaked havoc among small businesses everywhere, and for Topo and Karlsson, this meant losing most of their future funding and their original route to market. “In a matter of weeks, the situation went from brilliant to desperate. We originally released Kåska for restaurants and bars a few days before the first lockdown measures in Finland, and then a few weeks later, we lost most of our funding after our international partners-to-be backed out of all their new projects due to the pandemic. But for us, it was immediately clear that the only thing to do was to look forward and get to work,” Karlsson says.

 

Incredible response and extraordinary uptake

 

Karlsson and Topo decided to go all in. The first batch, initially meant for restaurants, was swiftly offered to Alko, the Finnish government-operated liquor monopoly, where it raised immediate interest.

“Our offer was accepted so fast that we didn’t really even have time to prepare for it. I think we had a few wild impromptu celebrations – in this situation all good news is extra valuable,” Mr Topo remarked. “One very important factor in the release success was that when we spoke about our situation publicly, our social media went bonkers. Support has been incredible, and it really made all the difference.”

 

https://kaskadrinks.com