The News
Sommer Ray, a DJ and social media personality, announced Tempted, a ready-to-drink Dirty Shirley, which will launch on May 11, 2026. The product is a canned version of the cocktail featuring cherry and pomegranate flavors with hints of lime and light carbonation. It aims to provide a balanced, lower sugar alternative to traditional canned cocktails.
Tempted’s launch of a low‑sugar, lightly carbonated Dirty Shirley on GoPuff on May 11 underscores that ready‑to‑drink cocktails are still expanding at more than 15 % annually—a benchmark that keeps distributors on their toes.
The new entry lands in a crowded low‑sugar Dirty Shirley niche that already includes Black Infusions’ 6.9 % ABV version—available in 19 states—and Country Luau’s 5.5 % ABV half‑sugar alternative. Both of those brands are sold through major retail outlets, giving Tempted a ready‑made audience.
Its launch via GoPuff and a limited number of retail locations signals a targeted approach focused on select markets instead of a nationwide rollout. The brand’s positioning reflects a market distributors already know well: Ray and Bierig tout a more authentic, bar-style Dirty Shirley, but the same category has proven itself for other players. Competition is clear—Black Infusions reaches 19 states, while Country Luau offers a 5.5 % ABV option with established pricing.
Wholesalers face two key considerations. First, shelf space needs to be allocated carefully—introducing another RTD in a crowded Dirty Shirley lineup can dilute existing brands. Second, GoPuff’s distribution offers a useful benchmark given Black Infusions’ established depletion patterns; monitoring early sales will help decide whether to broaden the footprint or keep a limited presence.
Bars and happy‑hour planners have different decisions. Low sugar and lighter carbonation can be positioned as health‑conscious while preserving the classic flavor, making Tempted appealing to off‑premise venues that want a lower‑calorie, ready‑to‑serve Dirty Shirley. Yet its proof matches Black Infusions’ 6.9 % ABV, so managers must evaluate how it fits in their menus and whether its price aligns with their margins.
Operators should remember that a 15 % annual growth in the RTD market does not guarantee shelf space or depletions for a new brand. By launching on GoPuff first, then expanding into chosen retail outlets, Tempted signals a demand‑building approach rather than an immediate channel flood. Distributors already stocking Black Infusions should watch sales closely and be ready to adjust their allocation if Tempted gains traction.
Tempted’s launch adds another contender to an expanding but competitive low‑sugar Dirty Shirley sub‑segment. Trade professionals must monitor its initial uptake, particularly given that other low‑sugar RTDs have already taken root nationwide. Total Wine lists Black Infusions’ ABV, while CSP Daily News notes Country Luau’s 5.5 % ABV option delivers half the sugar and calories of a standard Dirty Shirley—underscoring that Tempted is not the first low‑sugar entrant in the RTD space.
Original Press Release
Tempted, a new ready-to-drink Dirty Shirley co-founded by DJ and social media personality Sommer Ray, will launch on May 11, 2026. The brand enters the RTD category with a canned Dirty Shirley designed to taste right: perfectly balanced, lower sugar, and free from the overly sweet, over-carbonated feel that defines many canned cocktails in the space.
The ready-to-drink cocktail category has grown at over 15% annually in recent years, fueled by consumer demand for convenient, well-crafted alternatives to bar-made drinks. Within that growth, the Dirty Shirley has emerged as one of the most ordered cocktails among 21-to-40 social drinkers, yet has remained largely absent from the RTD space in a form worth drinking. Tempted was built to fill that gap.
Tempted is a Dirty Shirley featuring cherry and pomegranate flavors, hints of lime, and light carbonation. The founding team developed the formula after years of ordering Dirty Shirleys at bars and finding no canned version that delivered on the experience. The result is a lightly sparkling, balanced cocktail that tastes like the real thing and is built for any social occasion.
Where most RTD cocktails in this flavor space rely on aggressive carbonation and high sugar to approximate taste, Tempted takes a more precise approach. The carbonation is intentionally light, and the sweetness is calibrated to complement rather than overwhelm the cherry and pomegranate notes. The product was developed by a group of friends who repeatedly found themselves ordering the cocktail at bars, only to realize there was no ready-to-drink version that lived up to it.
Ray’s presence across nightlife and digital culture positions Tempted at the center of the social occasions it’s built for, from pre-games to beach days to nights out. Ray identified the gap in the RTD market firsthand and partnered with the founding team to bring Tempted to market.
“Everyone loves a classic Shirley Temple—it’s nostalgic, it’s familiar. But when it came to ready-to-drink, everything felt the same… seltzers, teas, nothing that really stood out. We saw a huge gap for something more fun and true to the original, and that’s exactly what Tempted is,” said Sommer Ray.
Tempted is now available on GoPuff in select markets, with additional retail rollout underway, including placements in ShopRite and independent liquor stores. Expanded distribution is planned in the coming months.
“We were always ordering Dirty Shirleys and could never find a canned version that actually tasted like the real thing,” said Tempted co-founder Yoni Bierig.
Tempted will be available on GoPuff and at select retail locations starting Monday, May 11, 2026. The founders are available for interviews, and high-resolution imagery is available upon request.
Sources consulted (web research):
- 860000000271
- 815402
- New Version Dirty Shirley Offers Half Sugar Calories
- Dirty Shirley Rtd Hits California
- P73205
Source: BevNET