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Since 2017, Bill Shufelt (CEO, Athletic Brewing Co.) went from hedge fund trader to the CEO of the leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer. Unlike my typical tech-focused chats this one centers around a product I personally love. In the conversation, Bill tells stories of the unscalable but crucial strategies he used to build a brand, push past rejection, and redefine the non-alcoholic beer industry. → The unscalable activities that made Athletic a household name Athletic Brewing’s brand was built on unscalable activities, like handing out samples at races. Now, Bill often runs into high LTV customers at races he hasn’t attended in years when they say things like, “I met you in 2018 and my fridge has been full of your beer ever since.” While each sampling felt minor in the moment, Athletic has now activated thousands of events, and the long-term impacts accumulate. → How rejection helped Athletic build a competitive advantage Facing initial rejections from every contract brewer in the US, Bill took a bold step in building their own brewery. In hindsight, it allowed them unparalleled control over every aspect of production, from ingredient quality to rigorous testing of each batch. By handling everything in-house, Athletic also gains the flexibility to innovate and respond to market demands quickly—benefits that would have been unattainable had they relied on external partners. → Bill’s genius sales tactic Bill personally signed 300 deals with retail stores using clever tactics. Before pitching a buyer at a store, Bill would recruit a random grocery store shopper to pretend that they were super interested in the beer while Bill was pitching the deal. This approach helped break initial skepticism and build early buzz around their offerings, which helped Athletic secured shelf space and propel forward. For more stories and lessons from Bill, check out the full episode at: https://lnkd.in/gJjHJz_w

The craft non-alcoholic sector continues to show signs of maturity, both in terms of investments being made, but also in money being spent to stand up new brands, or sponsorships in one of the major North American sports leagues. While Athletic Brewing Co. has typically been the first pure-play in these areas, other craft brands are stepping up as well. It got us thinking about the state of investment in the non-alcoholic sector, focusing on three very recent October announcements in NA beer - the launch of BERO Brewing by Hollywood A-lister, Tom Holland; Best Day Brewing's 2024 investment haul news; and Hedlum Brewing's official sponsorship with the NHL's New Jersey Devils. With the typically-busy Dry January period still a couple of months away, we can likely expect there's more where this came from. Link to full article in the comments. #nonalcoholicdrinks #nonalcoholicbeer #berobrewing #bestdaybrewing #hedlumbrewing

Australia’s leading beverages company Asahi Beverages has entered a landmark new partnership with the Australian Turf Club. Under a multi-year deal, the partnership will see punters cheer on a winner at some of Australia’s best racedays, such as The TAB Everest and TAB Golden Slipper, while enjoying alcohol beverages including Asahi Super Dry, Balter, 4Pines, Vodka Cruiser and popular mid-strength offerings such as Great Northern Super Crisp. In a separate but related deal, race-goers will also be able to enjoy beverages from Asahi’s non-alcohol range including Schweppes, Pepsi Max, Cool Ridge water and much more. “We’re excited about the new partnership with Asahi Beverages and their strong brand portfolio. We’re renowned for delivering world class racing experiences and events, and this new partnership will foster innovation to drive our customer experience across all our venues. We look forward to a successful start to 2025 and beyond.” - Australian Turf Club CEO Matt Galanos Read more: https://lnkd.in/gQcST2Bu

My thoughts on the topic of investment in Non-Alcoholic brands. I don't think NA investment has hit a tipping point, but it will be much harder as the established brands just gain more traction in the NA sector and these brands will probably need 2 or 3 more funding rounds which as long as they show continued growth and route to profitability will still get funding. BERO launching is the outlier as very few brands, unless also tier 1 celebrity backed, will have the resources and connections to launch the way Bero did. Your typical bootstrapped brand will have a slower growth rate with launching 1st DTC then B2B where getting distribution in other states is difficult. These brands I see having a hard time with getting investment unless the team involved has a proven track record. As an example is Best Day who are all seasoned beer professionals with a lot of connections in the industry so as long as the liquid is good and pricing chain is set up correctly should also get funding. Most newer NA brands like Bero or Best Day could also find investment easier, but 90% of new NA brands don't come from this pedigree and these brands will have a harder time unless they can bootstrap to profitability and then get interest from investors as they are in the black already and need the money to scale their model which is already profitable.

Breweries are a strong partnership sector in Premier League and Bundesliga. Interestingly, none of the global beer brands, Heineken, Carlsberg, Molson, Budweiser, (0.0%) are represented in the Bundesliga. Despite beer, especially Pilsner, being such an integral part of German culture, with many legendary breweries, the international giants have yet to make their mark in German football. But Astra, a FC St. Pauli partner, is owned by Carlsberg, so Carlsberg is actually involved in Bundesliga. Conversely, German breweries have not established a presence in the Premier League or Formula 1. 🍻 There are 14 breweries in Premier League and 14 Breweries in Bundesliga. (updated picture below with Astra included).

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⚽"Lovely Game for a Guinness"⚽ Guinness has made waves by launching its largest global campaign ever, becoming the official beer and non-alcoholic beer partner of the Premier League! 👀 After securing a four-year deal, the iconic brand is stepping into the world’s biggest football stage, reaching 920 million homes across 189 countries. As Guinness embarks on this journey with its "Lovely Game for a Guinness" campaign, it will be interesting to see how media influence can shape consumer choices—potentially driving a shift from traditional beer options to Guinness. 🌍 With strategic activations planned across 70+ countries, this partnership has the potential to redefine beer’s association with football globally. At Major Players, we collaborate with top agencies working with leading alcohol and beverage brands. If you're looking for new opportunities in Client Services or Strategy feel free to drop me a message on here or email - hayley.dalton@majorplayers.co.uk Cheers! 🍻 #Marketing #MediaInfluence #Guinness #PremierLeague #ClientServices #Strategy #Branding #Design

Michelob Ultra Tops Bud Light as America’s Favorite Draft Beer Bud Light has officially lost its top draft beer crown to Michelob Ultra, marking a major shift in beer drinkers’ preferences. Michelob Ultra, known for its low-carb appeal, is now the number one draft beer in the U.S., driven by its growing popularity and strategic partnerships like its deal with the UFC. The decline in Bud Light’s popularity follows a tough year that included boycotts and backlash over marketing choices. Meanwhile, Michelob Ultra’s rise isn’t just on tap—it’s also the fastest-growing beer in the country. Is Michelob Ultra your go-to, or are you sticking with the classics?

Breweries/Beer is an interesting partnership sector, especially in football. But it is also a strong sector in Formula 1. So let us compare the breweries/beer companies in Formula 1 and Premier League 2024. 🍻 0,0 %

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