Travis Scott’s Cacti Hard Seltzer Has Been Discontinued Following the Astroworld Tragedy
Travis Scott‘s Cacti hard seltzer brand was the rapper‘s entry into the world of beverages. But following the tragedy at his 2021 Astroworld music festival, the brand is no more.
Travis Scott’s Astroworld 2021 left 10 people dead
Travis Scott launched Astroworld festival in 2018 in his hometown of Houston, Texas. The 2021 edition was the festival’s grand return after being canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Throughout the first day of the festival, crowds rushed barricades and crowded into tight spaces, all out of excitement to see their favorite performers. The situation soon became deadly after people were squished together with no way of breathing. In total, eight people died after being squeezed by the crowd or trampled under rowdy fans, while two others died in the hospital.
Travis Scott’s Cacti hard seltzer has been discontinued
Scott has been doing damage control since the incident, including a highly publicized interview with radio personality Charlamagne tha God. He also offered to pay for the funeral costs for all the deceased.
The latest casualty of the fallout is his hard seltzer brand, Cacti. “After careful evaluation, we have decided to stop all production and brand development of CACTI Agave Spiked Seltzer,” beverage company Anheuser-Busch announced on Friday, according to AdAge. “We believe brand fans will understand and respect this decision.”
Cacti’s social media channels have been taken down. When asked about whether the Astroworld tragedy was the deciding factor in discontinuing the brand, UpRoxx reported that a spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch declined to comment.
A rep for Scott told TMZ the rapper hasn’t been working on Cacti since the tragedy anyway. “Travis was clear in his interview that he is not focused on business right now and his priority is helping his community and fans heal,” he said. “Cacti asked AB InBev to inform their wholesalers there will not be product at this time.”
Travis Scott has lost business deals
When Scott’s Cacti brand launched in March 2021, Anheuser-Busch’s InBev reported that the brand broke records and made history by selling out at thousands of locations across the U.S. within 24 hours after its release; the online inventory was also cleared out in 12 hours. It “holds the highest rate of sale in its first week for any variety pack in Anheuser-Busch Seltzer history.”
AB isn’t the only brand that’s decided to cut business ties with Scott since Astroworld. Nike has also decided to hold off on the release of Scott’s Air Max sneakers, writing in a brief statement on their website, “Out of respect for everyone impacted by the tragic events at the Astroworld Festival, we are postponing the launch of the Air Max 1 x Cactus Jack.”
Scott has secured several business deals over the past year, including a celebrity meal at McDonald’s — the fast food chain’s first in three decades — and a virtual concert series in the Fortnite video game.
