Beer Marketer's Insights
The BA's Matt Gacioch has a way with numbers, and last wk he set his sights on a new one: 0 (or 0.5, if you wanna get technical). Surveying the landscape of NAs to coincide with Dry January, Matt parsed the 2025 BA Consumer Survey and found that NA beer "has experienced double-digit growth in both sales ($) and volume each year for at least the past four." Over the same period, "volume sales of NA lifted 111% while dollar sales exploded 159%." While NA accounts for only ~2.5% of beer sales by vol (ex-FMBs and seltzers), according to Matt, this share has "more than doubled in half a decade (1.1% in 2021)."
Bero will get an unspecified "strategic investment" from BetterCo Holdings, a portfolio co of NYC-based private equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners, reported Inc mag and WSJ Private Equity (subscription only). BetterCo launched last Nov "to back high growth companies in the healthy food and beverage space." An existing investor, Imaginary Ventures "also doubled down on its investment," according to Inc. With new investments, WSJ pegged valuation at over $100 mil. This "influx" of capital will allow Bero to "go on the offensive" during "a very difficult time in the history of beer," CEO and co-founder John Herman told the mag. Recall, Bero co-founded by actor Tom Holland. With new monies, Bero will more than double its sales team. By end of this yr, Bero "expects to triple its door count and expand its 30 person team to 60 people."
San Juan Beverage Co new partnership with Great Frontier doesn't involve any change to either co's cap table/ownership structure, and they remain "two separate companies," San Juan CEO Ron Lloyd clarified with CBN. But San Juan will move its equipment from its facility into Ninkasi's sizable brewing campus in Eugene, OR, giving Great Frontier platform added production capabilities with slim cans, and Great Frontier will maintain San Juan's contract brewing relationships on top of San Juan's production, he shared. That's expected to transition as early as late Q1. So going forward, Great Frontier team will help build the San Juan portfolio thru customer service, sales and marketing, on top of production and shared resources for ingredients and warehousing. No word on exactly what will happen with the San Juan facility (originally Schooner Brewing) quite yet.
Up Strong at Home, Maui Eyes Top-5 Brand Fam in HI with "Top of the Category Pricing" and Growth
Soft industry trends last yr didn't dampen outlook for Craft 'Ohana, makers of Maui beer and seltzers. Co's shipments finished the yr up 4.5%, prexy/coo Scott Metzger shared with Craft Brew News, with depletions just slightly behind. Maui posted solid single-digit gains in its core craft beer biz in home state of Hawaii, plus ongoing double-digit gains for its seltzer line, both in HI and on the mainland, Scott told us.
Dogfish Head is "going where the wind goes" for its next year-round brew following its successful launch of Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale, the top indie craft brand launched last yr. It's adding Grateful Dead Citrus Daydream Lager, a 5.3%-ABV rice lager brewed with lime, lemongrass, and lemon peel and fonio grains. It's able to be brewed outta Milton, DE, as well as Boston's larger facilities in PA and OH, per TTB label approval. Both Grateful Dead brews are 5.3% ABV by design to be more approachable for a broader consumer base, Sam added. Asked about Grateful Dead member Bob Weir's recent passing having a potential impact on co's relationship with The Dead, Sam assured that the relationship is still intact, and reminded that the Grateful Dead following only grew after other founding members, Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh, passed away.
Tho Moment brand of adaptogen-infused canned and powdered bev line invites users to "drink your meditation," things can't have been that meditative over at co given frenetic burst of recent innovation. Moving to opposite end of functional spectrum, brand founded by Aisha Chottani has just entered energy category with pair of 11.5-oz sleek can entries dubbed Easy Energy Mood Boosting Energy Drinks that deliver 125 mg of caffeine from green tea along with magnesium, beta-alanine, L-theanine and lion's mane mushroom.
While there's been no shortage of speculation swirling about the future of Republic National Distributing Co (RNDC), the large but languishing wine & spirits distrib has secured "significant additional financing" from existing lenders to help shore up its operations, co announced Fri. "We are pleased to have the continued support from our lending partners as we deliver against our priorities and pursue opportunities that strengthen our business and our role in the industry," RNDC prexy/CEO Marc Sachs said in a statement. The announcement offered no details about class or magnitude of the new funds. The move follows a flurry of recent developments for the distrib, including the widespread loss of Proximo spirits and a pending deal for Reyes Beverage Group to acquire RNDC's operations in 6 states and Wash DC, all on the heels of a tumultuous past year-plus. It's suffered losses even on NA side as brands like Owen's Mixers fled for Southern Glazer in several states (BBI, Jul 31). Sachs is assuring customers that, with support from lenders, the house will weather the storm. "We are committed to ensuring our business remains a strong, profitable, and valuable partner to all we serve, including our suppliers and customers," he said. "We are grateful for the patience and cooperation of our suppliers, the trust our customers place in us every day, and the dedication of our associates who deliver in the marketplace."
That didn't last long: longtime Coca-Cola system exec Travis Sarich has abruptly exited struggling copacker Wildpack after only arriving in Jul. The Vancouver-based co this morning said Travis "is stepping down as CEO effective immediately," with founding partner and chief growth officer Thomas Walker to serve as interim CEO. Meanwhile, co has brought aboard Gene Carr to act as chief transformation officer starting next month as it strives to get to profitable operation. Co offered no details on where Carr's career has taken him, saying only, "he brings a wealth of experience in revitalizing companies in difficult markets." It's not clear whether Sarich has a destination in mind, but statement attributed to him said simply, "I appreciated my time spent with the Wildpack team and I wish the best to the Company in the future." By now Wildpack has stripped back what was intended to be multiregional network of filling plants to just Baltimore and Austin as it consolidates and aims to boost capacity utilization. Departed CEO Sarich had spent 6 years at Coca-Cola before moving to Heartland Coca-Cola bottler as that co won refranchising rights for big swath of territory in central region. He moved to Nor-Cal copacker in 2021, per his LinkedIn profile, meaning he was on team when affiliate of Heartland called Manna acquired it, only for acquirer to walk away from it this past fall. Its two plants in Sacramento and Anaheim, Calif, have since reopened under new owners.
Target chain is showing lotsa love to cutting-edge health & wellness brands in new campaign that shows Ryze Coffee and David nutrition bars among items that represent "wellness perfectly picked for you," per tagline. The ads, which have been airing on NFL football and other popular programming, show how Minneapolis-based retailer clearly believes offering welcoming environment for new brands can be meaningful differentiator vs its retail rivals. The campaign includes execution where stylishly dressed young shoppers are shown picking up a packet of Ryse Mushroom Coffee, 10-lb barbells and women-targeted First Day multivitamin, concluding with young associate restocking David Bar section. iSpot.tv site lists ad as breaking Jan 4 and also featuring brands like Prequel skin care items. MediaPost has identified creative agency as Anomaly and media buy as encompassing TV, digital, social, podcasts, radio and Times Square billboard. It says Owala water bottles also have featured. As we recently reported, Ryze has made its retail debut via massive Target rollout via striking endcaps that invite, "Start your new feel-good daily ritual" (BBI, Jan 6).
LA-based startup called Laurel's has been riding growing awareness of A2 milk to surprisingly fast retail expansion of its canned coffee and matcha items in its first year, including national rollout in Whole Foods. Wegmans and Central Market are among mainstream grocers to take a flyer on 8-oz line from entrepreneur just a coupla years out of college and now Kroger and Target are clambering aboard as 2026 gets going. A2 milk, of course, omits A1 protein that can make milk indigestible for consumers, many of whom mistakenly assume that they're lactose-intolerant. Brands like A2 Milk and Alexandre Farms have been working hard to educate consumers about A2 dairy, which is prominently heralded on Laurel's cans. It's among flock of newer entries seeking to capitalize on A2 wave, including A2 entry called Pioneer Pastures that's among first to use ultrafiltered milk (BBI, Sep 30) and Alec's Ice Cream. In fact, the 3 brands are collaborating on sweepstakes to start off new year offering a year's supply to winner. Pioneer, as we've noted, is from husband-&-wife founders of OWYN plant protein line and also has entered Target chain.