Retailers are expanding RTD assortments and rethinking shelf space as consumer demand grows across liquor- and malt-based offerings.
C-store retailers are noticing a surge in ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, with John Parduski, director of merchandising for Onvo, which operates more than 40 locations in Pennsylvania and New York, noting that the current state of the segment is reminiscent of the 2019 seltzer boom.

“We have expanded both styles of RTDs (liquor and malt) in all of our locations,” said Parduski. “The popularity and demand for these products required us to look at these items as a new category. In the past, they were a ‘nice to have’ in our locations, but they are now a ‘must have’ in every store. Managing the space allocated to these products brings new challenges we have not seen since 2019, when seltzers exploded in the market. RTDs have earned their way into the conversation when deciding what to place in your planograms.”

Following broader industry trends, Parduski noted that customers are often seeking out smaller pack sizes for these products, such as singles and 6-packs. Malt-based RTDs are also driving sales at Onvo.

“The other sub-department that is seeing strong growth is malt-based RTDs,” he said. “We created an entire planogram just for these items due to the growth we began seeing toward the end of 2025. When we introduced liquor-based RTDs, we weren’t sure if it was going to cannibalize our beer and wine sales. We quickly learned that wasn’t the case, and we continue to see growth in both segments.”To determine which RTD products deserve shelf or cold vault space, Parduski and Onvo work with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to review purchases being made by other retailers, spot trends and see what customers are purchasing from competitors.

“Once we determine a product line to bring in, they are introduced typically to the shelf, and we review sales data and determine if cold vault space is warranted,” Parduski continued. “Currently we are basing it off of sales by location because no two stores are alike. We are looking at each store on its own and listening to what our customers are telling us based on their purchases.”

This strategy of customizing your beverage selection based on your community’s preferences on a store-by-store basis, according to Foodservice IP’s Powell, is exactly what retailers will need to do more of in the future.

“Rather than simply adding new products, retailers should continuously evaluate productivity by SKU and by occasion,” said Powell. “Space should increasingly reflect local shopper demand and purchasing occasions.

He added that successful retailers will balance proven core brands with emerging segments but will avoid adding too much assortment as that can lead to shopper confusion.

Source https://cstoredecisions.com/ready-to-drink-beverages-become-a-must-have-for-c-stores/