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Ambitious, well-funded alc-alternative pure play based in UK called DioniLife is continuing to make inroads into US market, expanding its base from just Colo to 4 markets now while augmenting its acquired Mash Gang set of NA beers with flock of spirits-alternatives that it devised in-house. Co just brought aboard the 12-yr Anheuser-Busch vet Chris Kaiser to run N American biz. Recall, this is company launched by pair of spirits vets and backed by purportedly patient capital in the form of Invus Group, investment advisor to Artal equity player (BBI, Sep 10 2024). The founders are its CEO, former Stoli Group global CEO Damian McKinney, and its innovation chief Steve Wilson, once Diageo&#39;s head of global innovation. As they've made clear from start, they're not willing to brook imperfections, refusing to employ preservatives or artificial sweeteners, and insisting that their spirits alternatives can be sipped neat or on the rocks, not only in cocktails where flavor limitations might be disguised by other ingredients. So far Mash Gang has spilled out $1.2 mil worth of beer that suffered from excessive sedimentation or other glitches, Damian said.In update call today, McKinney said that after launching in US in 2024 with a single sku in Colo via small distributor, Mash Gang now has expanded range to 4 sku's and upgraded to Breakthru Beverage Group. Despite his longstanding ties to diversified house, he noted, it had been hard to crack until its principals started to see brand in influential local retailers. DioniLife has also recruited Johnson Bros in Wis, United beer house in Georgia and pair of partners in Texas: Brown in Austin and Favorite Brands elsewhere. Among retail partners, Whole Foods and Total Wine came aboard last year and now co is trying to make inroads into conventional grocers, McKinney said. As in England at Waitrose and Majestic chains, it's pursuing "lighthouse" strategy of entering influential retailers, then focusing on building velocity story there. He'd like to plumb 4-6 more states in coming months, with areas like NY and Nev high on list. Tho brand has entered few top US markets so far, it's pursued similar strategy in UK, starting in Brighton, adding Manchester and only entering London as 3d market, as it sought to refine concept in smaller, lower-pressure markets.The geographic expansion is coming as portfolio expands, in keeping with core credo of playing in multiple alc-alternative segments rather than focusing on either beer or spirits. On spirits side, DioniLife last Aug intro'd tequila-alternative brand called La Borosa and an aperitivo called Pavari17. La Borosa debuted in a blanco expression in 700-ml bottle that sought to emulate Don Julio along with pair of canned ready-to-serve entries, Margarita and Paloma. As for the aperitif, DioniLife team deemed Aperol to be too cloyingly sweet to warrant mimicking so they aimed at Campari for Pavari17, which is also at heart of ready-to-serve Spritz.In coming months, McKinney is hoping co will have finally mustered a bourbon-alternative that can bear comparison to Maker's Mark, a launch that's already been pushed back a year as team strived to dial in liquid better. It hasn't announced brand name yet. For now, the spirits entries are produced across the Atlantic but as that side of biz gets established here, DioniLife will seek domestic production partner.As for Mash Gang, recall that with flavor a priority, it's brewed to full strength initially so as not to compromise on robust taste epitomized by Lesser Evil chocolate cherry stout-like entry. In keeping with renegade spirit of brand, it's engaged in marketing efforts like declaring itself "the official NA beer of bleacher parents" last May, followed by New Beers Resolution campaign in Jan that addressed loneliness that afflicts so many consumers who might feel better about themselves if they just went out a little more. The beers are contract-brewed at Pilot in Milwaukee.On org front, new N Amer leader Kaiser had most recently served in on-premise role at A-B from his Austin base - a key skill for Mash Gang brand that's a rare NA beer to go out on draft as well as via packaged formats. Kaiser had earlier spent 5 yrs at Coca-Cola. US marketing has been led since last summer by former LVMH exec Anna Bauer. Back in England, lending more scientific support to innovation efforts is Flora McKinney, Damian's daughter, and a former nuclear engineer, with title now of global head of liquid, innovation & quality. Global marketing is run by Jo Taylor, who comes out of smoothie biz rather than alcohol business like so many other colleagues. CFO is based in Thailand and ops chief in Czech Republic, in reflection of co's global ambitions.

ALC-ALTERNATIVES: DioniLife in 4 US Markets Now with Mash Gang NA Beers Augmented by Tequila, Aperitif Alternatives; Ex-Bud Exec Kaiser Running US

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