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Honey Deuce US Open sales reach $12.8m
Bacardi-owned Grey Goose vodka revealed more than 556,000 serves of its signature Honey Deuce cocktail were sold at the US Open tennis tournament this year.
Comprising Grey Goose vodka, freshly squeezed lemonade and raspberry liqueur with a garnish of three honeydew melon balls, the Honey Deuce cocktail first debuted at the US Open 18 years ago. Now, the serve has “truly evolved into an iconic symbol of the tournament,” and become “the most successful cocktail in all sports”, said Aleco Azqueta, Grey Goose North America vice-president of marketing.
Speaking to The Spirits Business, Azqueta said when Honey Deuce was introduced almost 20 years ago, the goal was to create a “premium cocktail that embodied the essence of Grey Goose vodka, that would also complement the stadium fare and stand out with a unique connection to the tournament”.
The serve was crafted by Nick Mautone, former Gramercy Tavern managing partner and Grey Goose brand ambassador, who was inspired by a honeydew melon that resembled tennis balls at a farmers’ market, which led to the decision to feature fresh honeydew as the cocktail’s signature garnish.
Despite being a staple of the US Open’s cocktail offering for almost two decades, the serve’s popularity has increased more so in recent years. In 2023, it saw an 11% boost in sales, which Azqueta attributes to its photogenic qualities, increased attendance at the US Open post-pandemic, and a heightened social media engagement from years prior: “The Grey Goose Honey Deuce is such a ‘snappable’ cocktail given its bright hue and tennis-inspired honeydew melon garnishes.
“When people go to special events, like the US Open, they want to post a photo or a video on TikTok and share the experience with their friends. We saw this with [Taylor Swift’s] Eras Tours and fans’ custom friendship bracelets. It was really great to see Taylor Swift enjoying a Grey Goose Honey Deuce this year at the US Open Men’s Finals and felt like a full-circle moment,” Azqueta added.
This year, Azqueta confirmed that the serve saw a 23.5% increase in sales, with a record-setting 556,000 Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails poured throughout the two-week tournament compared with 450,000 in 2023.
Serving success
In addition to the cocktail’s social media popularity, Grey Goose has applied several marketing techniques to drive the Honey Deuce’s success.
“At Grey Goose, a large part of our marketing strategy is bringing our high-quality vodka to experiences and events where our consumers’ passions intersect with moments of celebration and joy, as exemplified by the US Open.
“One of the strategic ways we’ve been able to ensure the hype around the drink remains is by only offering the cocktail during the tournament. Fans wait all year for the few weeks that they can get their hands on a Honey Deuce at the US Open, and it is this anticipation and fleetingness that is one of the reasons that it has become such a must-have drink.”
Azqueta confirmed that Grey Goose does not have plans to expand the drink to other tournaments or events in the future, as the cocktail has proven to be a “cultural staple of the tournament” and “inherently unique to the US Open”.
While the serve is a signature offered exclusively within the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York, the brand also created the Honey Deuce Express, a delivery service for fans beyond the tournament walls, which enabled them to order pre-made Grey Goose Honey Deuces straight to their doorsteps via Cocktail Courier.
In addition, Azqueta said the brand “proudly expanded the programme outside of New York City for the first-time ever to Chicago to get even more Grey Goose Honey Deuces in the hands of fans. Those not watching at home were also able to find Grey Goose Honey Deuces or riffs on the signature cocktail at more than 140 spots throughout New York City, from award-winning cocktail bars to new hotspots.”
Furthermore, this year marked the first time Grey Goose worked with a tennis player during the tournament. “We’re always looking for new ways to continue to innovate, [so] this year we partnered with American tennis star Frances Tiafoe to celebrate world-class tennis in style.
“Just as Grey Goose elevates joyful moments into stylish celebrations, Tiafoe is a fan-favourite for bringing cheerful style and an inspirational spirit to the sport on and off the court,” Azqueta explained.
The cocktail retailed at this year’s tournament for US$23 per serving, which received some backlash from consumers on social media due to the current cost-of-living crisis. However, Azqueta noted that while Grey Goose does not set the price of the serve, it does ensure that “fans are getting the most premium drink when they order one”.
“The US Open is known for having the best of the best from the world-class venue, athletes to sophisticated style – and the signature cocktail calls for the best as well,” he said. “With the Honey Deuce, we deliver the elevated cocktail experience that Grey Goose is known for, with our leading premium vodka, natural and fresh ingredients, like lemonade and honeydew melon balls, and the commemorative cup that has become a collector’s item.”
To date, more than 2.8m Honey Deuces have been consumed at the US Open.
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