Is the food and beverage funding freeze finally thawing? FABID’s Q1 2025 Report reveals a surprising rebound in deal size and investor appetite—just not where you might expect.
Ninety-five percent of bev-alc brand launches fail, according to Gustavo Aguirre, VP of brand innovation at investment firm InvestBev. Aguirre spoke during BevNET’s Spirits Sunday event in Marina del Rey, California. Aguirre was joined by GHJ advisory partner Maria Pearman and 5:30 Somewhere founder Dale LeFlam.
Light lager brand Montucky Cold Snacks is “a big anchor” within Gallo’s total beverage alcohol strategy moving forward, as the wine and spirits giant enters the beer category, Gallo EVP and general manager Britt West told Brewbound.
Five years ago, hard kombucha was expected to become the next big “fourth category” product, building off the initial momentum of hard seltzer, but promising bolder flavors and potential gut health benefits.
The mystery surrounding who would take over the now former Ballast Point production facility in San Diego is officially over. When Ballast Point owners Kings and Convicts announced in April that they had ceased production at the Miramar facility, whispers pointed to dedicated non-alcoholic (NA) beer maker Athletic Brewing Company taking over the space. The speculation proved true.
Mocktail Club, maker of a line of non-alcoholic canned cocktails, announced Monday it has received an investment from spirits industry capital and brand building firm Pronghorn, aimed at helping the Arlington, Va.-based business expand across the country.
What makes a spirit company a good target for acquisition? That’s the question a panel of experts answered at the DISCUS annual conference in San Diego last month.
As another Dry January comes to a close, non-alc online retailer and importer The Zero Proof is taking a bigger step into the rising category with funding from Asahi Group Beverages & Innovation, the U.S.-based venture arm of Asahi Group Holdings.
Los Angeles-based Open Brewing has begun rolling its lager out in Southern California thanks in part to a business partnership with New Belgium Brewing. In addition to a minority investment, New Belgium contract brews Open’s beer, consults the brewery’s team and offers other “shared resources,” a New Belgium spokesperson told Brewbound.
The deal environment within the craft brewing industry is “a bit slow” with “a lot of volatility, a lot of uncertainty,” which isn’t very conducive to dealmaking, Arlington Capital Advisors managing director Ryan Lake shared during the 2023 Brewbound Live business conference earlier this month.
As the momentum behind zero-proof drinks shows no signs of abating, leading non-alc retailer Boisson is taking steps to secure its place within the expanding category, bringing on a new CEO and announcing today that has received funding in a $5 million bridge round from Convivialité Ventures, the VC arm of Pernod Ricard, and Connect Ventures.
Non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing Company has received a $50 million investment from Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) that will make the publicly-traded CPG giant a minority equity stakeholder in the business.
BeatBox, makers of a ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic fruit punch, just hit a $200 million valuation at the close of its $15 million raise aimed at expanding its national retail partnerships.
Barrel Labs, the newly formed parent company of DTC customizable beverage brand ELIQS, announced on Wednesday it has closed a $5.7 million seed round that will support its expansion into three business platforms intended to help it become a “customization platform for the entire beverage industry.”
Haus, a California-based maker of low-ABV aperitifs, is winding down its business and seeking a buyer after the lead investor in its Series A round dropped out during the closing process, leaving the company without the necessary cash on hand to continue operations.