You heard the news: Spindrift is discontinuing its hard‑seltzer line and fans are mad, and yes, some are upset.

But before you do any canceling, let’s take a beat. Spindrift made an intentional pivot, choosing clarity over chasing chaos. They created Spiked with heart: real fruit, honesty in the can, not just hype. Then they listened. Consumer habits are shifting hard toward zero or low‑ABV drinks, non‑alc cocktails, and wellness.

Investors follow consumer wobbliness, but leaders shift upstream they shape the wave, instead of wiping it out when it glosses over.

Spindrift admitted the hard‑seltzer game demands onerous supply chains, specialized labeling, evolving regulations, and minute retail margins, all while their core business—real‑fruit sparkling water—was booming. CEOs aren’t required to fight every battle. They’re supposed to pick the ones that matter. This is not retreat, it’s realignment.

Spindrift is doubling down on what made them original: real‑squeezed ingredients, transparent processes, clean ingredients, flavor-first ethos. And weeks after pulling Spiked, they’re rolling out new sparkling water flavors, branching into mocktails, reaching deeper into non‑alc categories. We should applaud this kind of pivot, not pile on it.

Bad strategy isn’t in failing, it’s in refusing to adapt when the data’s clear. This industry needs clarity, courage, and leadership—not hand-wringing. So go ahead, miss the spiked can if you must. But raise a glass to a brand that chose evolution over entrenchment.