Kahlúa and Cardi B team up to whip, sip and sleigh!

We sat down with Saragh Killeen, Brand Director at Malibu and Kahlúa and Maria Prados Alvarez, Director Strategy, Portfolio and Innovation at The Absolut Group to discuss Kahlúa’s latest celebrity collaboration and why it will be hard for Kahlúa to say “adios” to 2024.

What was the inspiration behind Kahlúa Chocolate Sips?

As the number one premium coffee liqueur brand worldwide, we are always looking to innovate and adapt to evolving consumer preferences. We learned early on that consumers were looking for deliciously easy, versatile solutions that offer a ‘boost of playfulness’ and help them break out of their normal routine. Kahlúa Chocolate Sips offers existing brand fans and new consumers a convenient, ready-to-enjoy indulgent treat that blends the well-known Kahlúa with the perfect combination of smooth chocolate and white chocolate flavours. 

Can you explain the focus on the cream liqueur market?

This move is to further strengthen our positioning as the ‘Playful Treat’. We are finding that consumers are increasingly seeking indulgence opportunities in their everyday lives. In times of uncertainty, like the one we’re living in now, people turn to indulgent treats as a source of comfort and reward. These treats provide temporary relief from daily pressures – and we are providing consumers with a deliciously easy way to stir up an indulgent drink, without the need for a complicated recipe. It’s perfect for the festive season or a simple at-home treat.

Cardi B’s vibrant and authentic personality aligns with our mission to bring fun – and a little drama – to everything we do.

Saragh Killeen

Did you consider other flavours?

Consumers continued to gravitate towards more simple, classic chocolate flavours, with chocolate being a must-have flavour. Consumers see it as a natural complement to Kahlúa and as a way to treat themselves to a dessert-like beverage.

How did the collaboration with Cardi B come about?

Cardi B’s vibrant and authentic personality aligns with our mission to bring fun – and a little drama – to everything we do. Together, we are focused on making moments big and small a little extra special, especially as we head into the holiday months which are always full of indulgent treats.

Kahlúa is on a global push. Can you give some background on the brand’s positioning? 

Over the last year, we’ve reinforced our positioning as the ‘playful treat’. We’ve been dedicated to bringing consumers the opportunity to uplift the mundane through our delicious and versatile cocktails. For us, it’s all about adding a bit of fun and flavour to everyday moments. We are reinforcing our position as the number one coffee liqueur in the world, over-indexing the coffee liqueur category contributing to 67 per cent of the growth in net value. 

Consumers are increasingly seeking indulgence opportunities in their everyday lives. In times of uncertainty, people turn to indulgent treats as a source of comfort and reward.

Maria Prados Alvarez

It will be hard for Kahlúa to say, “adios” to 2024, can you highlight some of the successes over the past year and mention any publicly available numbers to showcase growth?

Absolutely! This year has been a turning point for us. One of the major milestones has been the launch of a unified packaging across markets. This new packaging really brings out the brand’s vibrant and bold identity, while also highlighting our Mexican heritage and the quality of our coffee, which is made from 100 per cent Arabica beans sourced from Veracruz, Mexico.

In addition to refreshing our brand image and packaging, we’ve launched the global campaign “Stir Up,” featuring Salma Hayek. This campaign truly brings our brand personality to life. We’re over the top and proud! And this campaign showcases this in a fun and dramatic way with its telenovela style. As a result, we have delivered some outstanding results in our key markets growing by 6 per cent growth in North America and 16 per cent across the UK, Ireland and Nordics combined.

You have collaborated with Salma Hayek Pinault and now Cardi B. Can we expect to see more celebrity collaborations in 2025?

Kahlúa is always looking at ways to connect and collaborate with innovative brands that have similar missions of bringing fun and a little bit of drama to the fold. Collaborations can help reinforce our brand equity and expand outside of spirits by differentiating our products from retailers and our consumers. Stay tuned for more…

And finally, where will Sips be available and for how long?

Kahlúa Chocolate Sips started to hit shelves at retailers nationwide this October in the US and Canada. To learn more about Kahlúa, or where to buy near you, head to Kahlua.com.