Island District Launches Canned Cocktails

Canned, ready-to-drink cocktails continue to be popular, and a new Hampton-based company is seeking to claim its share of that market.

Island District Company, which rolled out a line of sparkling craft cocktails in early May, was founded by two friends, James Scully, an attorney, and Kayla O’Connor, a 2017 graduate of Boston College, division one collegiate and former professional lacrosse player and freelance digital designer.

“I never thought I would start an alcohol business,” O’Connor says. But one evening while O’Connor and Scully were sharing cocktails, they discussed the terrible hangovers people experience with malt liquors and began talking about concocting a better drink. “When COVID hit, the cocktail market was growing,” she says, noting many ready-made products were sugary. “I am a super health-conscious individual [and] started making cocktails with aloe water,” she says.

O’Connor says their cocktail line is focused not only on the night out, but the morning after, and they use the hashtag #bettertomorrows to promote their products. “We don’t want people to ever wake up and regret drinking our products,” says Scully.

The duo partners with Hampton beer-maker Smuttynose Brewing, which makes and distributes their line.

One of Island District’s first two cocktails includes vodka, coconut water, guava, and lime. The second is made with tequila, aloe water, and honey. Both have no added sugar and are made with all-natural ingredients, says O’Connor. The company launched by producing 9,000 cases of each drink.

“We are a lifestyle company that provides honest ingredients for the health-conscious consumer,” O’Connor says, adding, the carbonated cocktails, which come in 12-ounce cans, include electrolytes and 5% alcohol by volume. Priced at $12.99 per 4-pack, Island District is available at select retailers in 12 Northeastern states.  

To promote their drinks, Island District sent kits to 60 social media influencers that included samples and a handwritten note from O’Connor, who says her goal is to sell 100,000 cases in year one. “I would love to scale and grow this into a company with multiple skews and non-alcoholic beverages as well,” she says.

For more information, visit IslandDistrictCompany.com.