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AlphaWater Released Today

Erin Grafton
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AlphaWater Released Today

New Realm Brewing is releasing its much anticipated premium hard seltzer today. Affectionately titled AlphaWater, the spiked and sparkling beverage is a labor of love that the brewery spent over a year perfecting.

The hard seltzer joins the brand’s core lineup and will be available across New Realm’s distribution footprint starting today in a carefully orchestrated launch.

AlphaWater is introduced in a variety 12 pack featuring four flavors: Acai & Blueberry, Lime & Cucumber, Black Cherry, and Citrus Punch. Each 12 ounce slim can contains 90 calories, 1 grams of carbs, and 4.5% ABV. 

With few calories and carbs, fans will enjoy the crisp flavor and clean finish that launches AlphaWater to the top of new entries in hard seltzer.  

A Year in the Making

“Hard Seltzers are a concept we have been experimenting with for over a year as we experimented with multiple flavors to find the most balanced and refreshing combinations. AlphaWater is naturally gluten free, uses all-natural ingredients, is sugar-free and locally-made in Virginia Beach and Atlanta,” said Bob Powers, co-founder and chief sales & marketing officer of New Realm Brewing.

A year of trials, including tasting sessions by staff and consumers, led to the final product.

Flight of beer and hard seltzer

“We were very intentional in choosing what flavor combinations we knew would create a balanced, delicious variety”, added Mitch Steele, co-founder and brewmaster of New Realm Brewing.

“It’s releasing just in time for warmer weather, and will be perfect for every occasion.”

Atlanta Brewhouse Pours the Love

New Realm’s Atlanta brewery taproom and restaurant 20,000 square foot megaplex is strategically positioned on the BeltLine project, a former railway corridor converted to multi-use trail.  Sweeping views of the midtown skyline are combined with continuous traffic of walkers, joggers, skaters, and dog-watching. 

The taproom in the former woodshop building currently pours the Acai & Blueberry and Lime & Cucumber varieties. Each is a flavor bomb of crisp carbonation with a light and refreshing finish.

On a recent visit, patrons were observed enjoying seltzer with a starter of Blistered Shishito Peppers, a delicious creation from Executive Chef Megan Brent that includes sesame seeds and ginger aioli. The dish is overall mild, but the occasional heat from those yummy shishito seeds was tempered by the effervescent clean hard seltzer.

Extra staff is employed to ensure good social distancing behavior of guests, allowing the mega micro brewery and restaurant to maintain the energy and vibe of the busiest taprooms pre-covid. 

Live music, laughter, great views, plenty of indoor and outdoor areas, are combined with a lineup of expertly crafted beers and seltzers.

“I come here because it feels sort of safe, more than most places,” said Jack McGuire, senior at Emory University, while outdoors and sipping on an Acai & Blueberry hard seltzer. “I run into a lot of my Emory friends here.”

AlphaWater Makers Continue to Grow

Brewmaster Mitch Steele pays as much careful detail to Alpha Water hard seltzer as his lineup of award winning craft beers. Everything is brewed and canned in house, in order to ensure the right formula for a successful launch.  The Certified Cicerone Beer Server staff at the Atlanta brewery and restaurant seem to enjoy working there, beaming with pride as they talk about the newest lineup of hard seltzer.

New Realm Brewing Company was founded in 2016 by co-founders Carey Falcone, Bob Powers and Mitch Steele. In addition to the Atlanta location, New Realm can also be found in Virginia Beach. Rumors of expansion include places like Charleston, SC, although the company seems committed to focusing on southeast and mid-atlantic regions of the US.

AlphaWater is launching at a time when warmer temperatures in Georgia and Virginia will test the staying power of hard seltzer’s meteoric rise.  Recent surveys have indicated that millennials now prefer hard seltzer over craft beer.

We’re excited to see what else the new realm of hard seltzer has in store for this craft brewery.

Reporting contributions from multiple staff writers.

Breaking News: Boston Beer Halts Tura Kombucha

Erin Grafton
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Breaking News: Boston Beer Halts Tura Kombucha

Fans of hard kombucha will soon have fewer options in stores; the Boston Beer Company announced that it is discontinuing production of its alcoholic Tura Kombucha. 

Hard Seltzer News has learned that the company has paused all efforts to continue, as it doesn’t consider Tura a core brand.  In an email from a representative at Boston Beer, “We launched Tura Hard Kombucha last year in a variety of markets across Washington, Oregon, California and New York to test and learn about the emerging hard kombucha category. While we’ve paused on producing Tura Kombucha at this time to focus on our core Boston Beer brands, we’re continuing to watch the category to potentially reintroduce Tura to drinkers in the future.” 

The Boston Beer Company has been vague about the reason for the decision. In a statement on Tura’s website, the company stated “while we’re so incredibly proud of the delicious flavors we were able to create and share with you, sometimes all the pieces don’t fall perfectly into place.” 

However, it dangled the possibility of a return in front of fans, adding “we’re sad to see Tura go, but we’re excited about the possibility of where we could show up next.” And in spite of the announcement, Tura is still available for sale via Drizly – at least in some markets. 

Tura Kombucha was short-lived, as it was only launched in 2019. Its former website boasted “Tura steps out of the way so nature can work its magic” and now, less than a year later, it is indeed stepping out of the way of other more popular better-for-you alcoholic options. 

Consumer desire for more hard yet healthier options has driven much of hard seltzer’s popularity. Hard seltzers tend to be lighter in sugar, carbs, and calories, and naturally gluten-free. Now available in a range of ABVs, it makes for pretty easy drinking. 

We’re starting to see an increase in innovative options as more craft brewers enter the spiked and sparkling space, including a new hard coconut water. Yet for some reason, as Boston Beer’s announcement said, Tura Kombucha just didn’t resonate with customers. Available in flavors like Blueberry Ginger and Hibiscus Wildberry, the organic hard kombucha contained four percent ABV. 

The short lifespan of Tura Kombucha is an unusual miss for Boston Beer, who have created some massively successful beer alternatives. In addition to their flagship brewery, Samuel Adams, Boston Beer also owns Truly Spiked & Sparkling, an early innovator in the hard seltzer game. Truly now enjoys around 26 percent of the market share, second only to Mark Anthony Brand’s White Claw in sales. 

Boston Beer also owns Angry Orchard Hard Cider and Twisted Tea, a malt-based line of hard iced teas. It’s co-founder and chairman, Jim Koch, entered Forbes list of the 400 richest people for the first time this year, coming in at an impressive 327th place.

At the time of Tura’s release earlier this year, Koch noted the challenges the company faced in development. “It took a year and a half,” Koch said. “And our standard was four things — it had to be organic. It had to have live probiotics. It had to taste really good. And it also had to not blow up.”

Unfortunately Tura Kombucha apparently did not blow up in terms of popularity or sales, but the loss doesn’t seem to have phased Mr. Koch or Boston Beer. It’s currently testing a higher ABV Truly in select NY markets; an increased alcohol option could be just what they need to finally pass White Claw. 

Next Century Spirits Acquires Minority Stake of VIDE, A Look Into The Story Behind VIDE

Press Release
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Next Century Spirits Acquires Minority Stake of VIDE, A Look Into The Story Behind VIDE
In 2018, a vision emerged in a Long Island kitchen that would soon revolutionize a virtually non-existent category: spirit-based RTDs. Ryan Laverty and Sal Campisi, the dynamic duo behind VIDE, embarked on an entrepreneurial journey that saw their spirit-based canned cocktails evolve from a local sensation to a nationwide name. In 2018, spirit-based RTDs were in their infancy stages. Much of the categorical allure resided in “spiked seltzers’, or malt-based sugar beers that served as a flavored and lighter alternative to traditional beers. Campisi and Laverty set out to create something new- a ready-to-drink category that used real spirits and wasn’t laden with carbs and sugar. And their angle? Transparency. Even to this day, nutritional panels and ingredients aren’t required to be advertised on spirit-based products. Campisi and Laverty opted to change the status quo, and put both the nutritional panel and ingredients on the can where it belongs. Something no players were doing at the time. The journey kicked off in the summer of 2018, as Laverty and Campisi passionately crafted the early iterations of what would become the hallmark of their inventive project. Marketing VIDE cans on the streets of Manhattan from their backpacks, they witnessed the immediate appeal of their transparent, sugar-free, sessionable concoctions. The positive reception from friends and the public marked the beginning of something extraordinary. A subtler version of many malt-based seltzers, and made with real vodka? People were intrigued. It took some time, but people started demanding real spirits and transparency from their canned beverages. As the founders navigated the complex landscape of the beverage market, VIDE’s commitment to excellence became evident. The brand rapidly expanded, making a splash in New York City and capturing the attention of consumers with its active and fun brand personality coupled with uniquely subtle flavored liquid. From those early days in the kitchen, VIDE soon found its place on the shelves of major retailers like Costco and Whole Foods and over 3,000 independent retailers nationwide. The brand even impressively landed a partnership with the New York Islanders — gaining access to distribution in the brand new UBS Arena in Long Island, New York. What sets VIDE apart is not just the quality of its beverages but the ethos that accompanies each can. The brand symbolizes good times and responsible indulgence, offering cocktails that boast a mere 99 calories, zero sugar, and zero carbs. VIDE’s signature slim and sleek cans have become a beacon for those seeking a delightful and guilt-free drinking experience. It began dominating the Manhattan market and caught the eye of Olivia Culpo. The model, actress and entrepreneur joined VIDE as a financial investor in 2021 and continues to champion VIDE as an advisor. “I met Sal and Ryan a few years ago and I respected their vision for the brand and their tenacity”, said Culpo, “This strategic partnership with Next Century Spirits will help unlock new growth opportunities in the category.” The entrepreneurial journey of Laverty and Campisi is a testament to their vision, determination, and the ability to translate an idea into a thriving business. The challenges of scaling a beverage company were met with strategic decisions and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The pinnacle of VIDE’s journey came with news this week of a strategic partnership that would propel the brand to new heights. In a groundbreaking move, Next Century Spirits, a powerhouse spirits portfolio company out of Raleigh, North Carolina, took a minority stake in VIDE, infusing resources to fuel further growth. “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with VIDE ready-to-drink cocktails,” said Anthony Moniello (Co-Chief Executive Officer at Next Century Spirits). “I’ve been so impressed with VIDE’s growth thus far and I love its tequila-based cocktails. We see the tequila-RTD sector as an underdeveloped category where we have a strong opportunity to scale growth, so this partnership gives us an opportunity to work together to become leaders in the space.” This partnership marked a transformative moment, turning VIDE from a promising startup into a real player in the industry. A quickly growing portfolio business themselves, Next Century Spirits serves as the perfect strategic partner for VIDE, with high aspirations for the evolving ready-to-drink category.

Passion Tree Targets Health-Conscious Consumers with Mini Hard Seltzer in New Flavors

Press Release
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Passion Tree Targets Health-Conscious Consumers with Mini Hard Seltzer in New Flavors
Passion Tree, the eco-friendly hard seltzer company from Southern California, introduces Passion Tree Minis, the first-ever mini hard seltzer. Passion Tree Minis are a fun sized option to moderate drinking, bridging the gap between non/alcoholic and low-ABV beverages by focusing on portion size. Passion Tree Minis, packaged in a new signature mini-sized of 7.5oz, officially rolled out through all Target stores across California, Florida, Illinois, Texas and New York on October 16th. The company designed the product for those who “embrace balance, celebrate responsibly, and cherish every #minimoment in life.” Exclusive to minis, Passion Tree also launched two new flavors, coconut and lychee, in the variety 10-pack package. With their compact size, signature light carbonation, premium brewing process using nano-filtration, Gluten-Free and Kosher certification, and at only 70 calories per can, these mini hard seltzers serve to disrupt the hard seltzer market. “It’s cool to see how the minis not only cater to a vast number of health-conscious consumers, but also how it invigorates the market with a novel, enjoyable option. Our focus now is expanding distribution, as we think everyone should have a chance to enjoy a chilled Passion Tree mini.” says Garrett Olsen, CEO of Passion Tree. Passion Tree was founded on celebrating passions and contributing to environmental well-being. With every pack sold, one tree is planted, reinforcing their slogan: “mini Can. Big Impact.” Passion Tree has already planted over 52,000 trees in partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects, and their commitment to a greener planet continues to grow with the launch of their mini line. Passion Tree minis are offered in five exotic flavors: Guava, Dragon Fruit, Boysenberry and the two new flavors Coconut & Lychee. All mini variants come in a 7.5oz can, boast a delightful 5.5% ABV, are 70 Calories, GF, Kosher and available for purchase at Target in their Variety 10-pack at a price of $18.99 and their Guava 6-pack or Coconut 6-pack for $11.99.  Store locators can be found at drinkpassiontree.com. Passion Tree invites consumers to cherish life’s #minimoments, whether it’s conquering a challenging hike, catching the perfect wave, achieving a personal milestone, finishing a day of hard work, tailgating or just enjoying time with friends, top it off with a Passion Tree mini – an ideal size for any occasion. After all, life is made from the mini moments, and Passion Tree thinks that’s worth celebrating. For more information please visit drinkpassiontree.com and follow @PassionTree on social.

Hard Seltzer Leads Consumers to Find the Flavor

Caroline Hill
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Hard Seltzer Leads Consumers to Find the Flavor

Hard seltzer opens the minds and palates of US consumers.  The rapid rise of the category served to introduce consumers to beverages with a broad range of flavor profiles, resulting in exponential gains in ready-to-drink (RTD) and flavored alcoholic beverages (FAB) market share. 

As consumers switch to hard seltzer from beer or wine, beverage manufacturers see a trade up to more expensive packaged drinks, bursting with flavor.   Once thought an entry point themselves, FABs are being rediscovered by consumers and finding new gains.

Molson Coors Found the Flavor

At the Molson Coors Beverage Company (NYSE: TAP) earnings conference call last week, CEO Gavin Hattersley responded to questions from the financial community about the growth of various categories at the beverage alcohol giant.  “The data that we’ve looked at from a hard seltzer point of view, shows that it provided an entry point into flavor for consumers,” noted Hattersley. 

The data that we’ve looked at from a hard seltzer point of view, shows that it provided an entry point into flavor for consumers

Gavin Hattersley, CEO Molson Coors

“Once they discovered flavor, (consumers) started to experiment and trade into FABs and RTDs and so on.”

“And that’s why we built a diversified portfolio of brands,” said Hattersley.  The company is maker of Simply Spiked, Peace Hard Tea, and the soon to be launched Happy Thursday.

Happy Thursday

Molson Coors recently announced the launch of Happy Thursday, a non-effervescent spiked beverage in four flavors.  The launch is set for March of 2024.  These “spiked refreshers” will debut in strawberry, pineapple-starfruit, black cherry, and mango-passionfruit.  Starfruit has a sour flavor to its sweetness, making it a good partner to pineapple.

Oregon Fruit Products Introduces Concentrates for the Fermentation Market

Hard Seltzer News
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Oregon Fruit Products Introduces Concentrates for the Fermentation Market

Oregon Fruit Aseptic Concentrates meet consumer demand for beverage diversity and fruited ciders, along with beverage makers’ desire for ease of use and more fruit formats.

Oregon Fruit Products, LLC, introduces its new limited line of Oregon Fruit Aseptic Concentrates, real fruit concentrates that are aseptically processed, clean label and meet Oregon Fruit’s rigorous quality standards. These concentrates meet the evolving industry’s demand for innovation, inspiring new product formats and recipes.

Offering a small portfolio to start, including mango, grapefruit and lemon, Oregon Fruit Aseptic Concentrates are ideal for popular fruited ciders, the ready-to-drink category (RTDs), and beers.

With the introduction of fruit concentrates, Oregon Fruit Products is now a one-stop supplier of real fruit for the fermentation industry. The concentrates deliver bold real fruit flavor for a variety of beverages, blend well, provide savings by being shelf stable and maximizing storage space, and are delivered in easy-to-use 5-gallon bag in box (BIBs) packaging. They also add potency and work well in combination with Oregon Fruit Purees for top noting.

“To be successful in today’s market, breweries and cider makers seek to diversify their portfolios. For brewers, that means offering interesting, unique beers while branching into non-beers like seltzers and RTDs. For cider makers, it is important to deliver new flavors and styles of ciders,” said Chris Hodge, Director of Sales for Oregon Fruit Products. “Our concentrates help lower COGs and drive inspiration and excitement for new ciders, beers and other trending fermentation categories.”

The global cider market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.92% from 2018 to 2025, reaching $15.84 billion in sales in the US. (1) Oregon Fruit Aseptic Concentrates are ideal for clarified beverages because they don’t contain fiber, thus filtering is not required.

Oregon Fruit Products purees and concentrates are made in the U.S.A, kosher, non-GMO, gluten free and vegetarian. For more information, visit www.oregonfruit.com/fermentation.

About Oregon Fruit Products LLC
Founded in 1935, Oregon Fruit Products offers a complete line of canned, frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit for consumers, foodservice operators and ingredient sales. The company is the recipient of the Oregon State University Center for Family Enterprise’s 2022 Business Renewal Award and the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Agricultural Producer of the Year Award. Oregon Fruit Products is located in Salem, Oregon and can be found on the web at www.oregonfruit.com/fermentation.

(1Source: Kenneth Research)

Passion Tree Hard Seltzer Pledges Environmental Sustainability

Hard Seltzer News
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Passion Tree Hard Seltzer Pledges Environmental Sustainability
For every case of Passion Tree Hard Seltzer sold, a tree is planted Passion Tree, the eco-conscious hard seltzer brand, has emerged as a leader in Southern California’s competitive beverage market with its award winning Hard Seltzer. Partnering with Eden Reforestation Projects, Passion Tree plants a tree for every case of its hard seltzer sold, supporting impoverished farming communities and restoring ecosystems. With over 52,000 trees already planted in Madagascar (where 90% of their land has been deforested), Passion Tree sets a precedent for sustainability and encourages other companies to follow suit. The brand’s commitment to sustainability and quality remains unwavering, contributing to a positive impact on the environment and your taste buds. Passion Tree’s journey began when Garrett Olsen (CEO), Jake Ryder (COO), and Andy Kuklock (CMO) recognized the untapped potential in the booming seltzer market. They combined their expertise in global business, operations management, mechanical engineering, beverage industry, and marketing to create Passion Tree. The name symbolizes their commitment to vibrant flavors derived from natural sources and their pledge to plant a tree for each case sold. “We wanted to set a new standard for seltzers—ones that taste amazing, aren’t excessively carbonated, and leave you with a sense of fulfillment, knowing you are contributing to the well-being of the planet.” said Jake Ryder, Chief Operating Officer of Passion Tree. Since its 2021 launch, Passion Tree immediately gained traction in San Diego, securing 80 accounts within three days of launching and has achieved record-breaking sales as the top-selling hard seltzer at Kroger’s Ralphs chain, solidifying its position in the market. Experiencing remarkable growth in such a short time frame propelled the company to relocate its headquarters to Los Angeles in 2022 to accommodate the high demand. The brand has since hosted exclusive events at the iconic Passion Tree House, drawing notable celebrities and industry influencers who appreciate the premium taste of Passion Tree Hard Seltzer. This has fostered a passionate following among locals in Southern California. Passion Tree Hard Seltzer stands out with its lightly carbonated, premium brew process by cold-brewing fermented sugar cane while using all-natural tropical fruit flavors. With a balanced 5.5% ABV and an emphasis on a smooth drinking experience without the discomfort or bloating associated with other seltzers, Passion Tree offers a distinctive product in the beverage industry. Passion Tree Hard Seltzer is offered in four tantalizing flavors: Guava, Passion Fruit, Dragon Fruit, and Boysenberry. All variants boast a delightful 5.5% ABV and are available for purchase in their Variety 12 pack at a price of $19.99 and can be found at select retailers in California, including Ralphs, Total Wine & More, Sprouts, AmPms, 7-Eleven, Independent Liquor stores and Instacart. Store locators can be found at drinkpassiontree.com “Our signature lightly carbonated seltzer delivers a smooth and unparalleled taste experience offering the ideal “sessionable” drink that can be enjoyed by anyone at any time for any occasion.” says Andy Kuklock, Chief Marketing Officer of Passion Tree. To track Passion Tree’s real-time tree planter ticker just scan the QR code on any of the cases or visit Passion Tree’s profile on Our Forests at ourforest.io/profile/passion-tree/. For more information please visit drinkpassiontree.com and follow @PassionTree on social.

Hard Seltzers: Boom or Bust?

Press Release
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Hard Seltzers: Boom or Bust?
Hard seltzer is a ready-to-drink beverage that blends carbonated water, alcohol, and fruit flavoring in a can for portability. The absolute explosion in interest around low and non-alcoholic beverages began during the White Claws Summer of 2019, when a hard seltzer brand White Claws collaborated with comedian Trevor Wallace and released a video that popularized the phrase “ain’t no laws when you’re drinking Claws”. This line led to an explosion of growth in White Claw sales that even caused shortages across the US. One year later, while White Claw was still dominating the sales of hard seltzers, more than 150 brands were bursting out in the US in the same beverage category: Truly, Bud Light Seltzer, Polar Seltzer, and many more. Marketed as healthy, aspirational and gender-neutral, in 2021 the global hard seltzer market size was valued at USD 8.95 billion and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.9% from 2022 to 2030. The boom of hard seltzers has greatly benefited from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when consumers started to gain higher health consciousness and look for low-alcohol beverages. Moreover, millennials and the younger generation during lockdown were driven to look for novelty on the shelves at grocery stores, and the colorful, fruity-flavored, low alcohol and calorie hard seltzers were the perfect eye-catcher. However, in July 2022, while crowds were returning to bars and restaurants, hard seltzer sales in retail stores were down about 18%, compared to the previous year. Today, some argue that Hard seltzer has lost its fizz, while others expect the market to be continuously expanding into a competitive landscape. This article provides insight into the above controversy by leveraging Dashmote’s Data Analytics SaaS platform and evaluating the performance of the major hard seltzer brands on meal delivery in North America from 3 perspectives: the growths, the penetration rates and the market shares in 2022.

Top hard seltzer brands on meal delivery in the US

North America accounted for the largest hard seltzer revenue share of more than 55.5% in 2021 and is likely to further increase the consumption of hard seltzer in the coming years. According to Dashmote’s latest data, White Claw hard seltzer brand had a market share of 20% on US meal delivery platforms in Q4, 2022 among all the Digital Storefronts (DSFs) selling hard seltzers. This was followed by Truly, with a market share of 20%. Topo Chico, a hard seltzer brand bought by Coca-Cola in 2017, saw the largest quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) growth of 49% in DSFs listings in Q4, 2022. Controlling a 6% hard seltzer market share on US meal delivery, Topo Chico ranked 7th among the top hard seltzer brands. High Noon, launched by Wine and Spirit Industry Giant E&J Gallo Winery in 2019, also saw a large QoQ growth of 41% and controlled 7% hard seltzer market shares in Q4, 2022. High Noon separates itself by appealing to the better-for-you crowd, including distilled liquor and real juice in its transparent ingredient list. This marketing strategy appears to be successful, as proved by the growth rate in our data. Furthermore, White Claw, Truly, and Bud Light Seltzer, all had a QoQ growth above 20%. A key takeaway from this is that the hard seltzer industry is unlikely to fizzle out in the upcoming years. Although appearing as a summertime drink, the hard seltzer market tends to remain dynamic and resilient all year round in 2022. In fact, the penetration rates of top hard seltzer brands on US meal delivery are already more than 10 times higher than non-alcoholic beers, but still mainly under 2%. Partnering with restaurants and major delivery aggregators would be beneficial for hard seltzer brands to expand their digital footprints.

Top hard seltzer brands on meal delivery in Canada

In Canada, the hard seltzer market for meal delivery is much smaller than in the US. White Claw dominated Canadian meal delivery platforms in Q4, 2022 with a 53% hard seltzer market share. There was a huge gap to the second most listed brand, Coors Seltzers, which controlled only 10% market share. The penetration rate of White Claw (1.8%) is more than 4.5 times higher than Coors Seltzer (0.4%) and Bud Light Seltzer (0.3%). The QoQ growth of the top 5 hard seltzer brands on Canadian meal delivery varied between 8% and 22% in Q4, 2022. Corona Tropical, released by AB InBev in May 2022, saw the largest growth on meal delivery. This is followed by White Claw, with a 15% QoQ growth. Speaking about the domination of White Claw in the hard seltzer market, Nicholas Greeninger, CEO of Tolago Hard Seltzer, said that he didn’t expect it to fall from the top position but he did expect smaller brands and businesses to gain more sales in the future. With only less than 1% of all menu cards on Canadian meal delivery having a hard seltzer product listed, Dashmote is confident that there is a major opportunity for seltzer brands to grow their business by expanding their presence on meal delivery. Dashmote is the leading big data and AI analytics company in the food & beverage industry. We empower F&B leaders and analysts to track and analyze publicly available data so they can make informed decisions for their brands. Are you interested in retrieving market insights across meal delivery and F&B? → Please contact sales@dashmote.com.

SYSTEM Seltzers Now Available Across The Country In Time for Dry January

Hard Seltzer News
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SYSTEM Seltzers Now Available Across The Country In Time for Dry January
SYSTEM Seltzers™, The First Inclusive Drinking System™, happily toasts to the new year with availability expansion across 45 states. With the return of the popular concept of Dry January, the Sober-curious movement and non-alcoholic segments continue to grow and gain multi-generational acceptance. SYSTEM co-founders and beverage industry veterans Anthony Spina and Matt Sievers saw a rare window to redefine the modern drinking experience as we knew it. System is first of its kind, offering 3 different ABVs (alcohol by volume) of 0%, 5% and 8% in one package with flavor continuity throughout. “We created System as the first ever native beverage brand that provides something for everyone. We wanted to fill a void in the current beverage industry – with a solution that normalizes whatever you are drinking – whether that’s alcohol or not.” – SYSTEM founders Anthony Spina and Matt Sievers The blurring of category lines between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages have only accelerated over the last few years, with the modern beverage landscape showing that 58% of current consumers identify they will switch between full strength and no/low ABV (alcohol by volume) drinks during the same occasion (IWSR, 04.2021) and 78% of non-alcoholic drinks buyers in the US are also purchasing alcoholic beer, wine or spirits (Nielsen IQ, 10.2021). The SYSTEM drinking experience is fully customizable, giving every drinker the chance to mix and match to their personal preference. Beginning this January, SYSTEM makes its eagerly anticipated debut across the country, available in 45 states (excluding UT, AR, MS, AL, and HI) plus same-day delivery in both New York and Chicago. The audience expansion news follows the brand’s hugely successful debut in the Midwest just last year (including a festival appearance at Chicago’s sold-out Riot Fest). The inclusive seltzer is sold in flavor favorites Mango and Black Cherry 3-ABV variety 9 packs of 12 oz sleek cans (3 cans each of 0%, 5%, and 8% ABV) and 0% ABV by itself. Each 12 oz. can contains only 2g of sugar and carbs per serving, between 20 and 160 calories, and naturally gluten free. For more information about SYSTEM please visit http://www.systemseltzers.com/ or follow the brand on social media @systemseltzers.

ThirstyFrog Sets Sail

Aiden Gentson
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ThirstyFrog Sets Sail

New at the buoyant RedFrog Pubs on Carnival Cruise ships is ThirstyFrog Hard Seltzer. The entry from Carnival includes Piña Colada and Berry Hibiscus.

“For the last few years, hard seltzers have grown in popularity worldwide, and certainly we’ve seen that surge in popularity on board our ships as well,” said Edward Allen, vice president of beverage operations.

I am proud of our team and the hard seltzers they created, which are delicious and refreshing, expanding our high-quality Carnival offerings.

ThirstyFrog are vodka-based seltzers with 99 calories per 12-ounces and available fleetwide and on Carnival’s private islands. Packaged exclusively in slim cans, ThirstyFrog is introduced on the heals of another brewed beverage from Carnival’s beverage team. Last month, ParchedPig Beach Lager was introduced, joining an exclusive lineup that includes an unfiltered wheat beer, a red ale, a west coast IPA, and an amber ale.

Like its lineup of ales and lagers, Carnival sources ThirstyFrog hard seltzer from Lakeland, Florida-based Brew Hub. Brew Hub is a contract craft brewer with a 75,000 square foot facility on the I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando.

Wine Country Network Launches 3rd Annual Canned Challenge Competition

Hard Seltzer News
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Wine Country Network Launches 3rd Annual Canned Challenge Competition
BROOMFIELD, Colorado, August 23, 2022 — Wine Country Network, Inc., publisher of Wine Country International® Magazine and producer of numerous highly respected professional beverage competitions, has announced that it is accepting entries for the Canned Challenge through October 14, 2022. The Canned Challenge, set to take Place October 22-23, is the world’s first professionally judged competition to define excellence in canned alcoholic drinks. The Canned Challenge Tasting Contest will be conducted double-blind by a prestigious panel of mixologists, bartenders, beverage professionals, sommeliers, buyers, and trade members. The Canned Challenge Packaging and Design Contest will be juried by a committee of art directors, designers, and retailers, focusing on critical elements that help a brand stand out from its competitors. Canned alcoholic drinks are convenient and enjoyable in various situations, including at home, on the beach, on the boat, on the golf course, or camping. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting everyone, canned adult beverages are shaking up the beverage industry. The 2022 Canned Challenge is now accepting canned beverages in the following categories: •Hard Seltzer •Spiked Spritzers •Premixed / Ready-To-Drink (RTD) Cocktails •Wine •Mixers •Hard Cider •Hard Kombucha •Sake Competition details: For all products (except canned wine), including packaging & design Entry Fee: $250 Enter online through The Data Still. For wines (only) Entry Fee: $110 Enter wines online through Enofile Online. Sample Cans Required: Tasting Competition: 8-12 oz or equivalent ounces Packaging and Design: 1 can of each “Our well-rounded and seasoned panel of judges will taste products double-blind to achieve the fairest scoring results possible,” said Christopher J. Davies, Wine Country Network CEO and Co-Founder. “We are looking to identify the best products in this exciting category!” The 2022 Canned Challenge will announce winners in late October, right before the busy holiday buying season. Consumers can view the winners’ list online and seek top-scored products locally. Winners will have the opportunity to promote their results with royalty-free digital images of the competition medals and other valuable brand marketing assets. For more details, visit: CannedChallenge.com. Company Info: The Canned Challenge is organized by Wine Country Network, Inc., the publisher of Wine Country International® Magazine and the organizer of the following world-famous beverage competitions: •Denver International Spirits Competition: www.denverspiritscomp.com •Denver International Wine Competition: www.denverwinecomp.com •Drink Pink International Rosé Wine Competition: www.rosewinecomp.com •North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition: www.whiskeycomp.com •Tequila Mezcal Challenge: www.teqmezchallenge.com Wine Country Network, Inc. is a multi-platform media and event company dedicated to wine, beer, spirits, food, and travel. Christopher and Darcy Davies founded the company in 2002 in New York. Today, the company is based in Broomfield, Colorado. The company publishes Wine Country International® Magazine, a well-respected glossy print publication (2003 to 2012), which transformed into a fully digital magazine in 2013. The magazine is now available through Issuu, the world’s leading digital publishing platform. https://winecountryinternational.com

Neatly Spiked™ Takes Top Prize at Seltzer Land Jersey Shore

Press Release
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Neatly Spiked™ Takes Top Prize at Seltzer Land Jersey Shore
NEW JERSEY—Neatly Spiked™, the female-founded, green-tea infused, vodka seltzer that has been on the market for just a year, took home the top prize at Seltzer Land Jersey Shore 2022. Besting established, national brands, Neatly Spiked was voted ‘Overall Favorite’ by nearly 1500 people on August 13, 2022, at Shoretown Ballpark. Neatly Spiked, founded by Lauren Kotler, has quickly gained a strong following for its great taste derived from natural flavors, competitive ABV of 5%, low 100 calorie-count, and the compelling story behind the brand. Three years ago, avid-golfer, Lauren Kotler set out to create a beverage that she could enjoy on the course without compromising how she physically felt the next day. Malt-based beverages can cause bloating, burning, and crashing; therefore, Lauren designed a ready-to-drink (RTD) hard seltzer infused with green tea. She chose tea because it coats the stomach to defend against bloating and burning while the caffeine staves off the crash typically associated with flavored malt beverages. Last year, Lauren was selling Neatly Spiked out of the trunk of her car, going door-to-door to liquor stores, bars, restaurants, and supermarkets. On her own, Lauren opened 100 accounts. And that’s when New Jersey’s largest alcohol distributor, Fedway Associates, took notice and took Neatly Spike into its distribution fold. Now Neatly Spiked™ is sold at 200 +accounts. We asked Kotler what’s next for Neatly Spiked. She’s optimistic about the spirits RTD market which is expected to grow double digits over the next five years. Kotler said, “Now that we have established ourselves in the Jersey market, one of the most competitive alcohol markets in the US, we are looking at expanding into the southern states.” You can learn more about Neatly Spiked at NeatlySpiked.com and follow them on social media, @neatlyspiked.
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