The idea came to Ryan Ayotte two years ago, as he and some buddies were on a boat just off of Cape Cod, trying to mix sparkling wine and orange juice. But choppy waters made the endeavor difficult, and Ayotte and his friends wound up making messes instead of mimosas.

Fast forward to the present, and one of the first mimosas in a can is finally hitting store shelves across Central New York, although it's had local connections for years.

Ayotte, originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts and now 27 years old, founded Ohza Mimosas, which according to New York Upstate, uses sparkling wine produced in the Finger Lakes and is mixed and packaged at F.X. Matt Brewing Company in Utica.

Although the canned mimosas have been around for about two years now, they've mostly been available only across New England. Now, the drinks are starting to appear on store shelves across New York, including at some Wegmans and Byrne Dairy locations, and they can also be delivered.

Ayotte told New York Upstate that Ohza will soon be coming to bars and restaurants, in both canned and draft versions, although they probably won't take off until after the coronavirus pandemic.

Ohza comes in a variety of flavors, so whether you want to stick with the orange juice taste you know and love with a classic mimosa or try something new with a mango, cranberry or classic Bellini flavor, there's something for everyone. Variety packs are also available.

When he created Ohza Mimosas, Ayotte wanted to mix the delightful punch of the mimosa flavor with the healthfulness you'll feel good drinking. Each 12-ounce serving contains 140 calories and 11 grams of sugar, and is made with real fruit juice.

"People like mimosas for a reason," Ayotte told New York Upstate. "The fruit. The sparkle. They're fun. And now you can take them with you anywhere you go."

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