Former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker to Introduce Howler Head & Cola to Red-Hot Australian Whiskey Market
LONDON, March 4th, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Catalyst Spirits today announced it is entering the growing global Ready-To-Drink (RTD) market through its popular Howler Head brand – the original super premium banana-flavoured bourbon whiskey and the official flavoured bourbon of UFC®. Howler Head & Cola is now available in Australia and will soon be available in other international markets. In conjunction with the launch, Catalyst also announced former UFC middleweight champion and Australian native Robert Whittaker will serve as the fast-growing brand's newest ambassador, helping to introduce Howler Head & Cola to his home country.
Howler Head & Cola is carefully crafted Straight Bourbon Whiskey made with the finest grains and mineral-rich water. After being aged for two years in charred American white oak barrels, the fine Bourbon is blended with natural banana flavour. Capitalizing on how the brand is enjoyed around the world, Howler Head is then perfectly mixed with rich cola, which is canned for convenient, refreshing enjoyment anywhere.
Howler Head & Cola is a delicious, effervescent drink with toasted caramel and coffee notes, complemented with aromatic, creamy, ripe natural banana flavour. The finish is rounded and smooth with a pleasing aroma of oak and banana.
Howler Head & Cola can be found at retailers across Australia in 4-packs of 330ml cans for a suggested price of AU$29. A 10-pack will follow later this year. Each can is 6% ABV. Howler Head & Cola is the official flavoured whiskey RTD of UFC Australia.
To amplify Howler Head & Cola's worldwide unveiling, Catalyst Spirits has signed an agreement with UFC superstar Robert Whittaker to serve as a global brand ambassador for Howler Head, representing the brand in marketing campaigns, consumer meet and greets, retail appearances, exclusive event activations and engaging social media content on his channels, as well as those of Howler Head and UFC, which reaches more than 259 million followers worldwide.
Known as "The Reaper," the 33-year-old Whittaker is an Australian native, born in Otahuhu. He currently trains in Smeaton Grange, NSW and is ranked #3 in UFC's middleweight division. Whittaker has more than 2.3 million followers on social media.
"Outside the Octagon, Robert brings the ideal level of humour and fan-to-fan interactivity that is the perfect reflection of the Howler Head personae; his broad appeal will prove a huge catapult for brand awareness," added Ed Bello, CMO of Catalyst Spirits. "Leveraging our partnership with UFC through their vast roster of world-class athletes provides us a marketing and promotional tool that is truly unmatched in its reach and engagement."
Howler Head has quickly become one of the fastest-growing whiskey brands in the world due to its unique flavour profile and increasing popularity within the UFC community - a global phenomenon with more than 700 million fans worldwide. Howler Head expanded to Australia in February 2023 and has quickly gained country-wide distribution in the burgeoning local bourbon market. RTD sales by value in Australia are up +5.5% so far in 2024.
"I couldn't be more excited to team up with Howler Head to help introduce this very cool brand to my native Australia and the rest of the world," said Whittaker. "I absolutely love the one-two punch of bourbon and banana and can't wait to share it with my friends and fans."
The original Howler Head retails in the U.S. for $29.99 for a 750ml and Australia for AU$65 for a 700ml. It is also available in Canada, the U.K., Brazil and Mexico. Howler Head is managed by Catalyst Spirits with Campari Group holding a minority interest.
More information on Howler Head can be found at www.howlerhead.com and on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and X.
ABOUT CATALYST SPIRITS
Catalyst Spirits is a global spirits company focused on leveraging the new economy and our experience to rapidly build and grow the premium brands globally that consumers truly desire. Our portfolio includes Howler Head, the original banana-flavoured bourbon and the official flavoured bourbon of UFC; Blackeye London Dry Gin, the unofficial spirit of rugby; The Oceanus Hibernicus, a unique blend of Irish and Scottish malt whiskey; and a number of other exciting brands in development. The Catalyst Spirits team leverages decades of industry knowledge to develop impactful brands and bring them to market with pace, building them with exceptional marketing, retail, e-commerce and distributor support. For more information about Catalyst Spirits, visit www.catalyst-spirits.com and for Howler Head visit www.howlerhead.com.
ABOUT CAMPARI GROUP
Campari Group is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, spreading across Global, Regional and Local priorities. Global Priorities, the Group's key focus, include Aperol, Campari, SKYY, Grand Marnier, Wild Turkey and Appleton Estate. The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. It has a global distribution reach, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. Campari Group's growth strategy aims to combine organic growth through strong brand building and external growth via selective acquisitions of brands and businesses. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Campari Group operates in 23 production sites worldwide and has its own distribution network in 25 countries. Campari Group employs approximately 4,500 people. The shares of the parent company Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM) have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: http://www.camparigroup.com/en. Please enjoy our brands responsibly.
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SOURCE Raptor Communications
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