Super Lyte Is Here: Stateside Brands’ New Vodka RTD Explained

If you have been paying any attention to the ready-to-drink market over the last few years, you already know the name Stateside. They are the Philadelphia vodka company behind Surfside — the fastest-growing alcohol brand in the United States in 2024 — and they have done it all without outside equity, without a corporate parent, and without losing their identity as a Philadelphia brand. Now they are back with something new. Super Lyte launched in March 2026, and it deserves your attention.

Who Is Stateside Brands?

Before we get into the product, the company background matters. Stateside Brands was founded in Philadelphia by two sets of brothers — Matt and Bryan Quigley from Fort Washington and Clement and Zach Pappas originally from Vineland, NJ. They launched the vodka brand in 2015 out of a distillery in the Kensington neighborhood. The beginning was modest. Clement Pappas, CEO, discovered during the early pandemic that Pennsylvania allowed direct-to-consumer vodka sales. Once that went up on social media, the phone did not stop ringing. Those DTC sales funded what came next.

In 2021, Stateside launched its first RTD line, the Vodka Sodas. In 2022, they launched Surfside — vodka-based iced teas and lemonades at 4.5% ABV and 100 calories — and it became a phenomenon. By 2024, Surfside surged to the number two RTD brand in the country, just its third year on the market. Volume grew to over 10.5 million nine-liter cases in 2025, with the brand named “2025 Spirit Brand of the Year” by IMPACT Magazine. Surfside outsells Tito’s and Casamigos at Citizens Bank Park. It is mandated at Buffalo Wild Wings nationally alongside Michelob Ultra and Modelo Especial. Stateside did all of this as an independent company and has never taken outside equity.

Furthermore, they have kept their Philly roots tight throughout. They recently bought the naming rights to the South Philly stadium complex formerly known as Xfinity Live! That is not a company forgetting where it came from.

So What Is Super Lyte?

Super Lyte is Stateside’s newest RTD, and it takes a different angle than Surfside. Where Surfside is inspired by iced tea and lemonade, Super Lyte draws from sports drink culture — Gatorade territory. Stateside president and co-founder Matt Quigley explained that the idea came from watching a growing trend of consumers mixing sports drinks with vodka themselves. Rather than wait for someone else to bottle that, Stateside spent over two years developing a pre-mixed version that did it properly.

The result is a non-carbonated, vodka-based “Ade” in four flavors: Fruit Punch, Orange, Lemon Lime, and Blue Chill. Each 12-ounce can runs 4.5% ABV, 90 calories, and zero grams of sugar. There is no carbonation by design — the same non-fizzy approach that made Surfside work for beach days, golf courses, and outdoor settings. A touch of sea salt adds a subtle briny note that gives the drinks that familiar electrolyte character without any actual sugar content.

Super Lyte debuted publicly on Phillies Opening Day, March 26, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park. Stateside chose that venue for the launch deliberately. Surfside has been the stadium’s top-selling spirit for two consecutive seasons. Starting Super Lyte there means it hits the largest possible audience of people who already trust the brand.

What Does It Actually Taste Like?

Super Lyte is sweet. That is the honest answer, and Stateside is not hiding from it. These drinks target people who enjoy sports drink flavor profiles — fruit punch, orange, lemon lime — and the sweetness lands accordingly. The vodka does not fight it; instead, it complements the fruit flavors and softens them slightly while the sea salt keeps everything from going flat. The lack of carbonation makes the texture smooth and easy to drink in warm conditions.

One honest review noted that the sweetness reads more like childhood juice barrels than a grown-up sports drink, which is a fair observation. We personally were reminded of cool aid. The comparison to Surfside is worth noting: Super Lyte carries 10 fewer calories and two fewer grams of sugar per can than Surfside, which is a measurable step further in the better-for-you direction. Additionally, Stateside says they heard similar early reactions about Super Lyte to those they heard when Surfside first launched — enthusiastic distributor response and strong early trial. Given how that comparison turned out last time, it is worth paying attention to.

Who Is This For?

Stateside has been consistent about who their customer is. Their core buyer skews slightly more between the ages of 25 and 40. These are health-conscious, active consumers who want a drink that fits their lifestyle — low sugar, low calorie, easy to carry, and flavorful without being complicated. Super Lyte extends that audience toward people who specifically reach for sports drink flavors and have already been making DIY Vodka-Ades at home.

The non-carbonated format matters here. Surfside made that case first. When you are at a concert, on a golf course, at the beach, or at a tailgate, a can that does not explode when shaken and does not make you feel bloated after two is a genuine functional advantage. Super Lyte targets that same usage occasion, just with a different flavor universe.

Moreover, the sports drink angle gives the brand an entry point into high-traffic venues — stadiums, golf courses, outdoor festivals — where Gatorade culture and alcohol consumption already coexist. That is smart positioning. Stateside has already demonstrated the playbook with Surfside at Citizens Bank Park. They are running it again.

Why Now?

The RTD market has gone through several waves. Hard seltzer boomed and plateaued. Spirit-based RTDs then took over. Surfside led that second wave. Now a third distinct sub-segment is forming around flavored, non-carbonated, “ade”-style vodka drinks. Stateside identified the trend before it had a real commercial product behind it. They spent two years in development to make sure Super Lyte was ready to define the category rather than just participate in it.

The timing also fits the broader consumer trend toward lower-sugar drinking. Since the RTD category started booming, consumers have gradually demanded less sugar in each iteration. Hard seltzers cut sugar relative to flavored malt beverages. Surfside cut sugar relative to hard seltzers. Super Lyte cuts sugar further still while delivering its flavorful promise. That trajectory is not slowing down. Super Lyte positions Stateside exactly where the market is heading.

What Comes Next From Stateside?

Super Lyte is not the end of the pipeline. Stateside has already announced the Tiger lineup — Red Tiger in apple and Purple Tiger in grape, both at 10% ABV in 16-ounce cans. Those are the brand’s first products above 4.5%, targeting consumers who want something with more kick from a brand they already trust. The Tiger lineup hits Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Louisiana first, with broader distribution to follow.

In other words, Stateside is building a full portfolio. They started as a vodka company. Then they became an RTD company. Now they are building an entire beverage brand with distinct lines for distinct occasions and distinct consumers. Super Lyte is an important piece of that picture — the session-friendly, outdoor-occasion, better-for-you pillar of a lineup that will eventually cover more ground than Surfside alone.

We Now Carry Super Lyte

We carry Stateside Brands, and Super Lyte is now part of that lineup. If you have been buying Surfside from us, this is the natural next step. If you have not tried either, see what all the hype is about and be your own judge of the monster RTD brand.