Hosts with a self-service drinks station
Individual 150ml cans let guests open a mixer for their own drink rather than use a shared bottle. Check the recipe and expected number of serves before deciding how many cans to buy.
Who are the cans for?
Hosts offering standard and lighter tonic
Keep the choices clearly labelled so guests can identify the recipe they want. Compare nutrition and ingredients on the exact cans: a lighter version is not necessarily the same formulation as a standard tonic.
Hosts planning particular pairings
A botanical tonic or ginger ale is easier to choose when you know which drinks it will accompany. Fentimans, for example, suggests London Dry gin with its citrus- and herb-led Premium Indian Tonic.
What should you check before buying?
Work out the drinks and likely number of serves first, then compare can size, pack count and the exact recipe.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size | Check the volume per can against the drinks you plan to make. A 150ml can is an individual portion; Britvic describes its 330ml tonic can as providing two serves. | I want guests to open their own mixers. If I choose 330ml cans, I can plan how the second serve will be used. |
| Pack quantity | Compare both can count and total volume. A 24 × 150ml pack contains 3.6L, while a 6 × 330ml pack contains 1.98L; those formats cover different numbers of individually opened drinks. | How many tonic serves am I expecting? A larger can does not necessarily mean a pack contains more mixer. |
| Tonic recipe | Check whether the pack is standard, lighter or zero-sugar, then read its per-100ml nutrition panel and ingredients. Compare exact variants rather than treating those labels as interchangeable. | Some guests may want a lighter tonic, but I would keep a standard option if tonic is a main mixer. |
| Flavour | Read the flavour description and consider the intended drink. Fentimans describes citrus and herbal ingredients in its Premium Indian Tonic and suggests pairing it with London Dry gin. | A distinctive mixer makes sense for a drink I have planned, rather than as an assumed replacement for every guest’s usual tonic. |
| Ingredient information | Keep the exact can or packaging available so guests can check ingredients and allergen information. Recipes can differ between flavours and variants. | If a guest has told me about an allergy or dietary requirement, I want the product label to be available before they choose a drink. |
What can go wrong when choosing a pack?
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Treating all multipacks as the same size
Can count and can volume both affect how many individual drinks a pack can supply. A 24 × 150ml pack contains 3.6L; a 6 × 330ml pack contains 1.98L.
Check total volume and the number of cans, then match the can size to how drinks will be served.
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Buying only a distinctive flavour
A botanical tonic chosen for a particular pairing may not suit the other drinks guests intend to make.
If tonic is a main mixer, consider a standard version first and add a botanical or flavoured pack for a planned serve.
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Assuming lighter tonic has the standard recipe
Lighter, slimline and standard variants can have different ingredients and nutrition information. The name alone does not describe the full recipe.
Label the options clearly and check calories, sugars, sweeteners and other ingredients on the exact pack.
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Throwing away the ingredient information
Guests may need to check the particular flavour or variant before choosing a drink.
Keep a labelled can or its packaging accessible throughout the buffet, especially when guests have mentioned allergies or dietary requirements.
Which mixer brands are relevant?
These brand references help distinguish formats and flavours; check the particular pack rather than assuming every product in a range is alike.
Fever-Tree
Fever-Tree has standard and Refreshingly Light Indian tonic in 150ml cans. Amazon UK listings show 24-can packs, while a Joybuy Refreshingly Light listing is for 15 cans.
- The Joybuy Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic listing gives 15 kcal and 3.8g sugars per 100ml for that product.
- Check the can count before buying: the 15-can and 24-can packs are different quantities.
Schweppes
Schweppes tonic appears in 150ml mini-can multipacks, including a 24-can Amazon UK listing and a separate 12-can Joybuy Indian Tonic listing.
- The small-can format allows individually opened tonic serves.
- The 24-can and 12-can listings are different packs; check the exact variant, ingredients and quantity.
Fentimans
Fentimans describes its Premium Indian Tonic as a citrus- and herb-led mixer and suggests serving it with London Dry gin.
- Its stated ingredients include Sicilian lemon oil and lemongrass, giving hosts a specific flavour profile to consider for a planned drink.
- Check the format before buying if the buffet requires multipack cans rather than another type of container.
Britvic Mixers
Britvic Limited described 330ml Indian Tonic Water cans in classic and zero-sugar variants in its September 2023 retail announcement.
- Britvic describes each 330ml can as providing two serves, a useful distinction when planning how opened cans will be used.
- Check the current pack and variant when shopping; the announcement describes a launch, not stock for this buffet.
The London Essence Company
Britvic Limited announced 250ml slim cans for London Essence Crafted Soda flavours in February 2024. They are a different canned-drink route from a standard tonic multipack.
- The stated 250ml format offers a can size to consider for guests who want that particular drink.
- Check whether the flavour and pack format suit the drinks planned for the buffet.
Joybuy mixer-can options
These are 150ml canned multipacks for individually opened buffet drinks: standard and lighter tonics, a Mediterranean tonic, and ginger ale. Choose among them by the drinks planned, recipe and number of cans needed.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Premium Indian Tonic Water, 15 × 150ml
An individually canned lighter tonic option for guests who want that recipe. The Joybuy listing gives 15 kcal and 3.8g sugars per 100ml. Check whether 15 cans cover the planned serves, and keep the exact ingredient label available.
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Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water, 12 × 150ml
A 12-can slimline tonic pack for individually opened mixer portions. Check the exact can for sweeteners, other ingredients and nutrition information when choosing it for guests.
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Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water, 8 × 150ml
A standard Indian tonic in individual cans, rather than a lighter variant. The eight-can quantity may suit a smaller number of planned tonic serves; check the can label for ingredients before serving.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Mediterranean Tonic Water, 8 × 150ml
An eight-can lighter tonic pack with a Mediterranean flavour profile. Consider it for a planned drink rather than assuming every guest wants a flavoured tonic; check the exact ingredients and nutrition panel.
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Canada Dry Ginger Ale Mini, 12 × 150ml
A 12-can ginger ale pack for individually opened drinks. Its flavour makes it a separate choice from tonic: include it when ginger ale suits drinks you plan to serve, and check the can label for ingredients.
Common questions
Why start with 150ml cans for a self-service buffet?
They let guests open an individual mixer rather than use a shared bottle. A can will not be the right amount for every drink, so check your planned serves as well as the pack count.
Should all the tonic be a lighter version?
Choose lighter tonic for guests who want that particular option, but consider keeping standard tonic too if it is a main buffet mixer. Recipes differ: the Joybuy Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic listing gives 15 kcal per 100ml, while its separate Schweppes Indian Tonic listing gives 21 kcal per 100ml. Check the labels of the packs you actually buy.
Can botanical tonic replace standard tonic?
Treat it as a choice for a planned flavour pairing, not an automatic replacement for every tonic drink. Fentimans describes citrus and herbal ingredients in its Premium Indian Tonic and suggests serving it with London Dry gin.
What ingredient information should be available at the buffet?
Keep the original label accessible so guests can check the ingredients and allergens of the exact drink offered. For food businesses in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, Food Standards Agency guidance says allergen information must be provided for both prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink.
When do 330ml tonic cans make sense?
Consider them when you expect to use more than one serve from an opened can. Britvic described its 330ml Indian Tonic Water cans as providing two serves in its September 2023 launch announcement; check the current pack and plan how both serves will be used at a self-service buffet.