Dive Brief:
- Rutter’s has released its latest private label beer, according to an emailed company announcement.
- The limited-time offering is a golden stout-style beer with a hint of cherry and a white chocolate finish, according to the announcement.
- While many companies have rolled out store brand water, teas and snack items, Rutter’s put its own spin on private label when it offered its first Rutter’s-branded beer in 2021.
Dive Insight:
Rutter’s worked with Lancaster Beer to create that first private label beer for the c-store chain. The Pennsylvania-based c-store chain debuted in that category with a chocolate milk stout.
“We’re famous for our chocolate milk with Rutter’s Dairy,” Chris Hartman, vice president of fuels, advertising and development for Rutter’s, said in an earlier interview. “And so we combined something that people love from Rutter’s, which is our chocolate milk, and something we know they love in beer.”
This latest Rutter’s alcoholic beverage was made in conjunction with Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania-based Rusty Rail Brewing, stationed about 80 miles north of Rutter’s York, Pennsylvania headquarters. The drink is based on Rusty Rail’s “Luminous” offering, which is a macadamia nut and white chocolate stout.
While private label offerings are fairly common in soft drinks, where they make up about 2.5% of the market, or water, where they outsell all named brands according to NielsenIQ data covering the 52 weeks ended Oct. 21, they’re barely a drop in the sea of branded beer options.
Still, Rutter’s is not the only c-store chain that’d tried its hand at self-branded beer. Sheetz has put its name on a couple collaborations with Evil Genius Brewing, for example, including the “Project Vanilla Shteam Machine” that was brewed with the retailer’s vanilla cappuccino.
Wawa, meanwhile, has collaborated with companies like 2SP Brewing Company, and also developed a hard tea with Cape May Brewing Company.
Rutter’s operates 85 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, with plans to expand into Delaware and Virginia in the next few years. In addition to the c-store arm, Rutter’s Companies also owns a dairy and beverages company along with a real estate firm.
