Founders Brewing Co. is strategically rolling out its new boozy bubbly water. Más Agave is now available in select states and will be in stores across the country this spring. It initially debuted at the Founders’ taproom in July of last year.
Reach For Real
The Grand Rapids, MI-based brewery is utilizing the #ReachForReal campaign in promotion of its new premium hard seltzer
. The naturally flavored spiked seltzer promises to “start you off on the right foot without sacrificing flavor.” It also contains a lovely hint of color, thanks to its real fruit ingredients.
The premium positioning opens up the possibility of differentiation in the increasingly crowded hard seltzer space, while bringing more profit margin. The revenue enables higher ingredients costs and the company’s craft approach.
Each can of Más Agave hard seltzer contains 110 calories. 7 carbs, 4 grams of sugar, and 4.5 percent ABV. Consumers eager to try out the new seltzer can visit Founders’ store locator tool, and – depending on location – can be delivered via Drizly goPuff, or InstaCart.
Más Agave was released in three inaugural flavors: Grapefruit, Lime, and Strawberry. As its name implies, Founders’ seltzer is made with organic blue agave in addition to “cane sugar, real fruit juice, and a dash of sea salt.”
Bucking convention, the seltzer is available in a variety 15-pack as well as more traditional six packs of each single flavor. The seltzer is currently available in MI, IL, AZ, TX, FL, PA, NJ, MA and NV (Las Vegas only), with the rest of the US following within a few months.
From Craft Beer to Hard Seltzer
Más Agave premium hard seltzer shares its name with one of Founders’ beers that played a role in its creation. According to the company’s initial announcement, “The wife of our VP of Marketing, Sandy, thought Más Agave (the beer) was a bit too strong. So, he cut it with some seltzer and she absolutely loved it. Sandy brought the concept to Mike (CEO) and they tested it by going to the taproom.”
Sandeep Anaokar is VP of Marketing at Founders Brewing Company, and the company’s CEO is co-founder Mike Stevens. Stevens and Dave Engbers made the shift from homebrewing to commercial operations in 1997.
Founders’ Brewmaster and R&D Brewer then spent months perfecting the hard seltzer recipe, creating a true craft seltzer. The brewery, which is repeatedly ranked among the best beers in the world, brought that same dedication to flavor and quality ingredients to its new spiked seltzer.
Beer Cousins
The original Más Agave beer is itself fruit forward and inspired by the classic margarita and paloma cocktails -it’s even aged in tequila barrels. Más Agave is available in Clasica Lime and Clasica Grapefruit. At 10 percent and 9.7 percent ABV respectively, we can see why Sandy’s wife preferred hers with a dash of sparkling water.
With so many premium options hitting the market, 2021 is shaping up to be the year of craft seltzer. It is exciting to see so many legendary brewers and distillers expanding their own portfolios while pushing the boundaries of the spiked and sparkling segment at the same time.
We are excited to see what this next chapter has in store for Founders. While one of its best known beers is the All Day IPA, Más Agave may prove to be the more sessionable beverage. And with a variety 15-pack in stores, consumers can enjoy even más premium Más Agave.
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