Erin Elizabeth
The tasty cocktail, the pina colada, was first created in the 1950s in Puerto Rico. A bartender blended coconut cream, pineapple, and rum, and a crowd favorite was born.
In the years following, at-home bartenders have sought to recreate the magic of the first pina colada, and companies that specialize in beverage mixers have stepped up to help.
A pina colada has a distinct tropical taste and is reminiscent of hot days spent by the ocean.
Even popular music has referenced pina colada–like Garth Brooks’ “Two Pina Coladas” and Rupert Holmes’s “Escape (The Pina Colada Song).” The popularity of this cocktail has seeped into mainstream culture.
We have reviewed the pina colada mixes that are available for purchase and have developed this comprehensive list of the seven best pina colada mixes on the market.
Best Pina Colada Mixes
Take our word for it, combining these mixers with rum and blending will be the best choice you make all summer! Grab the right rum for a pina colada and these mixers for a good time!
Zing Zang Piña Colada Mix
Zing Zang Piña Colada Cocktail Mix combines pineapple juice and natural coconut flavor to create the signature taste of a pina colada.
It is refreshing and tropical. You can make a cocktail by adding your favorite white or spiced rum to the blend.
You can serve the mix over ice or blended. The recommended combination is three ounces of Zing Zang Piña Colada Mix and one ounce of rum, then garnish the finished product with a cherry.
Zing Zang has been producing cocktail mixes since 1997 and gained popularity through word of mouth via bartenders in local pubs.
The company began by creating a bloody mary mix, but by 2018 had expanded into other cocktail mixes, sold in thirty-two-ounce bottles and eight-ounce cans.
Margaritaville Pina Colada
Jimmy Buffett is the master of the margarita, so it makes sense that this beach bum turned singing sensation would branch out into the world of creating other tropical cocktail mixers.
The Margaritaville company has even made a beverage blending machine that shaves ice and incorporates it into a blended cocktail for at-home bartenders.
The Margaritaville Pina Colada mix is best used with light rum and a splash of pineapple juice; most people serve the blended concoction with a cherry and an orange slice.
Notably, the company even sells Margaritaville Pina Colada Drink Mix singles that you can mix for individual cocktails.
Naked Pina Colada
The Naked brand might be a non-traditional choice for a cocktail mixer.
Still, the blend of pineapple, apple, banana, creamy coconut milk, and orange juice creates a complex and delicious pina colada.
The Naked Pina Colada fruit smoothie has no sugar added and seven grams of fiber!
To make a cocktail with Naked Pina Colada, add a few ounces of rum and blend the fruit smoothie and alcohol with ice until incorporated.
It is best enjoyed blended. The Naked Company has been selling fresh juices and blended smoothies since 1983, when the company first began in Santa Monica, California.
Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Piña Colada
Jordan’s Skinny Piña Colada Mix is known for its low caloric amount and reduced added sugar.
The mix has thirty calories and five grams of sugar for one serving. It is both gluten-free and kosher.
Jordan’s Skinny Piña Colada Mix is perfect when paired with rum or vodka, frozen or on the rocks. It is also an ideal addition to a mocktail menu.
About a decade ago, the company saw a need for low-calorie options in the cocktail market and launched its Skinny Margarita.
Since then, Jordan’s Skinny Mixes and other syrups have rapidly gained popularity. You can purchase these mixes online or at various package stores across the United States and Canada.
Mr & Mrs. T Piña Colada Mix
Mr & Mrs. T Piña Colada Mix is one of the dozens of beverage mixers that the company produces.
The pina colada mix is within the Tropical Mixes line alongside bellini and Mai Tai.
The pina colada mix is delicious when mixed with rum and garnished with a cherry or slice of pineapple.
Herb and June Taylor are the namesakes of the company. The pair began selling their Bloody Mary mix in 1960, and the brand became well known in the Los Angeles, California region.
Mr & Mrs. T became a country-wide phenomenon when American Airlines began exclusively using their cocktail mixes during flights.
Island Oasis Piña Colada Fruit Puree
The Island Oasis Piña Colada Mix is often used by bartenders and is best used in the company’s signature blending machine.
The pina colada mix is made with cane sugar, pineapple, and coconut. What’s great is that the mix does not contain artificial flavors or preservatives! It is gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher certified.
Island Oasis has been selling drink mixes since the mid-1980s, and the pink and teal logo is reminiscent of that period.
In addition to the pina colada mix, Island Oasis also offers strawberry, mango, and margarita mixes, so bartenders can mix and match to create unique frozen beverage concoctions.
Daily’s Piña Colada Mix
Daily’s Cocktails offers both drink mixers and ready-to-drink beverages.
The pina colada mix is ready to blend or shake with a portion of rum. Enjoy your beverage by the pool, the beach, or in your backyard.
The ready-to-drink version of Daily’s Pina Colada is stored in a freezer-safe bag so that when you are ready for a frozen beverage, open the pouch and enjoy.
Other ready-to-drink frozen cocktails include a blue Hawaiian, margarita, and strawberry daiquiri.
You can make a Miami Vice by filling a glass with half strawberry daiquiri and half pina colada!
Best Pina Colada Mixes
- Zing Zang Piña Colada Mix
- Margaritaville Pina Colada
- Naked Pina Colada
- Jordan’s Skinny Mixes Piña Colada
- Mr & Mrs. T Piña Colada Mix
- Island Oasis Piña Colada Fruit Puree
- Daily’s Piña Colada Mix
Final Thoughts
For a delicious and refreshing summer beverage that will make you believe you have just stepped into a tropical paradise, try making a pina colada!
The seven mixes, described above, will help you perfect the cocktail, so you can get back to chilling by the pool or pretending to be beachside.
Tell us in the comments below about your perfect recipe for a pina colada. If you are interested in learning more about creative cocktails, check out 11 Popular Canned Cocktails to Try.
