The Häagen-Dazs Spirits Collection rolled out to the U.S. marketplace in early 2019. Some of the offerings had been available in Canada since 2017. The U.S. spirit-infused frozen desserts line includes five ice cream flavors, a cookie square novelty and one non-dairy option. The dairy pints are: bourbon praline pecan, bourbon vanilla bean truffle, Irish cream brownie, rum tres leches and stout chocolate pretzel crunch. There’s also non-dairy amaretto black cherry almond toffee. The Irish cream cookie squares feature a chocolate cookie topped with Irish cream-infused ice cream dipped in coated in rich dark chocolate.

If you like piña coladas and getting coffee in the morning, then 7-Eleven stores have got you covered with their new premium baked goods inspired by cocktail favorites. The piña colada cupcake is white cupcake with banana and pineapple, filled with piña colada-flavored filling and piña colada icing topped with coconut and gold sugar. The bourbon maple praline donut is yeast-leavened and covered with a maple and bourbon-flavored icing, topped with praline pecans and drizzled with white icing and gold sugar. The cinnamon fire bomb is a cake donut with a fiery cinnamon glaze, topped with red and gold sugar crystals.

Building on the charcuterie board trend that can be found everywhere from fine dining to brew pubs, marketers have developed upscale snack packs with boldly flavored meats and cheeses. Using “over 21” flavors premiumizes the product, often even inviting it to be cross-merchandised with alcoholic beverages.

British dairy brand Müller now offers gin and tonic-inspired yogurt. The product comes in original and pink gin elderflower varieties.

“…with constant shifting consumer behavior, we need to find smart ways to grow the brand and drive category growth,” said Michael Inpong, chief marketing officer. “Müller is here to add taste to everyday life, and we know that Müllerlight shoppers enjoy eating our yogurts throughout the day. Gin is the U.K.’s favorite spirit, and now people can enjoy the taste in a yogurt that is also fat free, high in protein and contains 0% added sugar.”

Booze Dogs, Greenville, N.C., often referred to as “man’s best meat,” markets a line of brats, hot dogs and burgers infused with real booze: bourbon, gin or rum. The bourbon-infused meats deliver the tastes of charred oak casks. The gin-infused products have an earthy base of juniper and notes of lemon zest while the rum-infused offerings capture the sweetness of sugarcane as well as molasses, hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

The frozen food aisle has been revitalized thanks to efforts by marketers who have upgraded the quality and nutritional value of heat-and-eat entrees. This includes featuring beer, wine and spirit flavors on meat, poultry and seafood. This can be accomplished in a marinade, glaze or sauce.

Coleman Natural Foods, Golden, Colo., has teamed up with Budweiser Beer, a brand of Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, to market a fully cooked line of beer-infused pork products. The range includes St. Louis-style spare ribs and pulled pork, both in classic Budweiser barbecue sauce, as well as Budweiser American Ale-infused brats and jalapeno cheddar brats.

Adding “over-21” beverages to prepared foods is a common practice by culinary professionals as well as the home cook. Think cabernet-braised short ribs and beer brats. The alcohol in these beverages not only adds flavor, but also assists with tenderizing protein. Sometimes, however, all that’s desired is the flavor. Prepared cooking sauces simplify the process.

Once considered an outlet for meat scraps, heat-and-eat premium meatballs and sausages are trending. Processors are exploring the use of leaner meats, healthful inclusions and boozy flavors to premiumize these convenience proteins.

New Aux Délices des Bois red wine shallot butter mimics the maître ‘d butter so essential to French cuisine. Its sweet, winey notes accent red meat, stewed veggies, fish and sauces. The European-style (minimum 82% butterfat) butter come in 3-oz oval plastic cups with nine per case. They ship and store frozen.

BuzzBallz, Carrollton, Texas, wants to appeal to the more food- and beverage-aware consumer with its new BuzzTallz, a line of 13% alcohol-by-volume ready-to-drink wine cocktails that come in 375-milliliter plastic cans. Varieties are: Chocolate Tease, Horchata, Lime ‘Rita, Lotta Colada, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Stiff Lemonade. The convenient shatter-resistant packaging ensures that the BuzzTallz can be enjoyed at a social location anywhere: the backyard, a pool, camping, picnics, tailgating or on the beach.