Drop Needle Drinks, a new entrant in the ready-to-drink cocktail market, is now offering three sparkling wine and fruit juice-based products at numerous local restaurants and liquor stores.
The concept for Drop Needle Drinks emerged during the pandemic when Oak Park resident Nallely Suarez Gass and three colleagues from a national beer company noticed shifting trends in alcohol consumption. They observed a decline in beer and even some seltzer sales, which prompted them to explore creating wine-based cocktails.
“People are shifting to wanting to have a cocktail in their hand and we saw beer sales going down. We saw even some of the seltzers going down, which is why we saw an opportunity to make something that was wine-based,” Gass explained.
Currently, ready-to-drink cocktails constitute 12% of the U.S. alcoholic beverage market, with expectations for continued growth. While this market segment has traditionally appealed to women, Gass noted that men are increasingly turning to pre-made cocktails as well.
Drop Needle Drinks offers three flavors, each made with real fruit juice. The Modern Mimosa blends orange, tangerine, and clementine juices. The Berry Rosé Sparkler features blackberry and raspberry juices. The California 75, inspired by the French 75, incorporates lemon juice with hints of juniper and elderflower. All products use sparkling wine from a family vineyard in Paso Robles, California, contain less than 9 grams of carbs, and are gluten-free.
The company’s initial goal was to establish distribution in the Chicago area.
“Right now, we are door-to-door selling, knocking on every bar door, every restaurant door, every liquor store, every convenience store. Trying to build the brand so that then we can pursue the bigger stores,” Gass said.
Local distributor Burke Beverage was the first to bring Drop Needle Drinks to market, with Robert’s Westside as its first retail account. The drinks are now available at nearly 100 locations, including Sugar Beet, where a four-pack sells for $16.99, as well as Carnival Grocery, La Tequileria, Taco Mucho, and The Beer Shop.
“I felt really loved because the local places have been really, really supportive,” Gass said. “Our goal is to cover the Chicagoland area, then we’ll branch out to other markets.”
Gass, who grew up in Chicago, moved to Texas to work for PepsiCo before returning to settle in Oak Park.
“I just love how it feels. We rented for a little bit while we found our dream home. And it’s been 13 years now,” she shared.
The name Drop Needle reflects the essence of capturing the perfect moment in a gathering.
“It’s about that moment when the party reaches a different level. When you’re having a good time and then something happens. You’re with the right people. You have the right drink. And all of a sudden, you hear a song, or someone takes out a guitar and it’s like you feel this shift in what you’re experiencing,” Gass explained.
For Gass, that’s a Drop Needle moment.
