#9 – MFI: Premium Drinks and Mixing Culture, Design and Wellness

May 7, 2025

Premium drinks brands are blending art, wellness, and lifestyle to stay relevant. From artist-designed bottles to minimalist gin labels and health-focused drinks, the focus is shifting from product to experience and identity:

1. Artist-Curated Luxury Packaging

Remy Martin’s collaboration with artist Anish Kapoor reflects a growing trend of bringing fine art into the world of premium spirits. The limited-edition bottle plays with light and form, reinforcing the collectible value of packaging in the luxury beverage segment.

References:  Remy Martin’s website

2. Minimalist Craft Gin Makeovers

Waterloo Gin’s relaunch showcases the strategic pivot towards minimalist design and elevated brand positioning. A shift from traditional motifs too sleek, clean branding reflects wider changes in consumer expectations within the premium spirits market.

References:  Waterloo Gin’s Website

3. Celebrity-Led Cultural Campaigns

Brands like 818 Tequila (Kendall Jenner) and Johnnie Walker (with Balmain’s creative director) are partnering with cultural events and fashion icons to strengthen brand identity. These collaborations signal a continued push to embed spirits into lifestyle narratives.

References: 818 Tequila website

4. Wellness-Driven Functional Beverages

Nespresso Active and Karviva’s energy juices demonstrate how wellness remains a driving force. Brands are combining familiar formats like coffee and juice with health-forward benefits like vitamins, electrolytes, and adaptogens to capture conscious consumers.

References: Nespresso website

5. Studio and Supplement Synergies

Partnerships like Recover 180 x Once Upon a Sweat tap into the studio-to-retail pipeline, placing health beverages directly in fitness and wellness spaces. This model echoes strategies used in beauty salons and is gaining traction in premium functional beverage marketing.

References: Recover 180 website

6. Experiential Beauty & Beverage Crossovers

Innisfree’s Matcha Mart pop-up merges skincare and culturally relevant drinks like matcha to create immersive brand experiences. This crossover reinforces consumer lifestyle alignment with product stories beyond traditional retail.

References: Innisfree, the well Toronto website

Final Sip 

Premium drinks now mix design, wellness, and culture to match modern lifestyles.