美國最大的無酒精啤酒品牌市值暴漲,這在一定程度上要?dú)w功于Z世代努力讓戒酒變得很酷。
Athletic Brewing創(chuàng)立于2018年,其聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人之一比爾·舒非特現(xiàn)任公司首席執(zhí)行官,之前曾是一名對(duì)沖基金交易員。據(jù)《華爾街日報(bào)》引用知情人士的話稱,該公司在完成5,000萬美元股權(quán)融資兩年后,市值接近翻了一番,達(dá)到約8億美元。該公司股權(quán)融資的領(lǐng)投方是成長股權(quán)投資公司泛大西洋投資(General Atlantic)。
泛大西洋投資的發(fā)言人稱,該公司沒有確認(rèn)也沒有否認(rèn)新估值。
舒非特在給《財(cái)富》雜志的電子郵件中表示,該公司將利用新融資擴(kuò)充團(tuán)隊(duì),以及改造位于圣迭戈地區(qū)的美國第三家釀酒廠。舒非特表示,新工廠將使公司在美國的釀酒產(chǎn)能翻一番。
《華爾街日報(bào)》對(duì)NielsenIQ數(shù)據(jù)的分析顯示,這家新興公司擊敗了喜力(Heineken)和百威(Budweiser)等老牌啤酒品牌,成為美國食品雜貨店內(nèi)銷量最高的無酒精啤酒品牌。去年Athletic的銷量為258,000桶,名列美國20大啤酒商的行列。該公司表示,去年其銷售額超過9,000萬美元。
舒非特表示,知名度更高的啤酒品牌只是將部分精力用來發(fā)展無酒精啤酒業(yè)務(wù),而Athletic只專注于這個(gè)品類,這讓它在競爭中占據(jù)了優(yōu)勢。
舒非特在郵件中告訴《財(cái)富》雜志:“無酒精啤酒之前被認(rèn)為是一個(gè)非常小眾的市場,但我們看到了巨大的商機(jī),通過為現(xiàn)有啤酒消費(fèi)者開辟新的無酒精啤酒消費(fèi)日,并積極吸引新消費(fèi)者,我們可以增加成年人飲酒的場合并擴(kuò)大消費(fèi)者的數(shù)量?!?/p>
除了泛大西洋投資外,Athletic的其他著名投資者包括飲料公司Keurig Dr Pepper,2022年在Athletic投資超過5,000萬美元。該公司還獲得了多位名人的投資,包括前全美橄欖球聯(lián)盟(NFL)球員J.J.沃特、Momofuku創(chuàng)始人張大衛(wèi)(音譯)和自行車運(yùn)動(dòng)員蘭斯·阿姆斯特朗。
Athletic的銷售大獲成功以及投資者對(duì)該品牌的信心,在一定程度上要?dú)w功于Z世代對(duì)戒酒生活方式和無酒精飲品的興趣。在TikTok上,#sober和#sobercurious標(biāo)簽下的視頻數(shù)以百萬計(jì),對(duì)于向戒酒生活方式轉(zhuǎn)變對(duì)健康的好處,許多網(wǎng)紅都贊不絕口。廣告公司NCSolutions在1月的調(diào)查顯示,1997年至2002年期間出生的年輕人中,有超過60%表示今年計(jì)劃減少酒精消費(fèi),去年的比例為40%。Athletic的首席執(zhí)行官舒非特表示,公司75%的客戶年齡不到45歲。
過去幾年,對(duì)戒酒的重視在“戒酒一月”期間可能達(dá)到了最高峰。舒非特表示,夏季是該公司業(yè)務(wù)最忙碌的時(shí)期之一。他對(duì)《華爾街日報(bào)》表示,無酒精啤酒的流行,在十年前難以想象。
舒非特表示:“十年前沒有這種選擇。我們不得不徹底改變產(chǎn)品和營銷方式?!?/p>
盡管隨著消費(fèi)者偏好的改變,啤酒總體銷量下滑,但日益流行的戒酒生活方式或“理性消費(fèi)”使無酒精啤酒變成了啤酒市場增長速度最快的品類。隨著更多年輕人減少飲酒,他們轉(zhuǎn)向了替代選擇,包括無酒精雞尾酒和無酒精紅酒,當(dāng)然還有無酒精啤酒,這種轉(zhuǎn)變令 Athletic受益匪淺。
舒非特表示:“我們將無酒精啤酒變成了一種積極的選擇,讓消費(fèi)者可以自豪地消費(fèi)我們的產(chǎn)品?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
美國最大的無酒精啤酒品牌市值暴漲,這在一定程度上要?dú)w功于Z世代努力讓戒酒變得很酷。
Athletic Brewing創(chuàng)立于2018年,其聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人之一比爾·舒非特現(xiàn)任公司首席執(zhí)行官,之前曾是一名對(duì)沖基金交易員。據(jù)《華爾街日報(bào)》引用知情人士的話稱,該公司在完成5,000萬美元股權(quán)融資兩年后,市值接近翻了一番,達(dá)到約8億美元。該公司股權(quán)融資的領(lǐng)投方是成長股權(quán)投資公司泛大西洋投資(General Atlantic)。
泛大西洋投資的發(fā)言人稱,該公司沒有確認(rèn)也沒有否認(rèn)新估值。
舒非特在給《財(cái)富》雜志的電子郵件中表示,該公司將利用新融資擴(kuò)充團(tuán)隊(duì),以及改造位于圣迭戈地區(qū)的美國第三家釀酒廠。舒非特表示,新工廠將使公司在美國的釀酒產(chǎn)能翻一番。
《華爾街日報(bào)》對(duì)NielsenIQ數(shù)據(jù)的分析顯示,這家新興公司擊敗了喜力(Heineken)和百威(Budweiser)等老牌啤酒品牌,成為美國食品雜貨店內(nèi)銷量最高的無酒精啤酒品牌。去年Athletic的銷量為258,000桶,名列美國20大啤酒商的行列。該公司表示,去年其銷售額超過9,000萬美元。
舒非特表示,知名度更高的啤酒品牌只是將部分精力用來發(fā)展無酒精啤酒業(yè)務(wù),而Athletic只專注于這個(gè)品類,這讓它在競爭中占據(jù)了優(yōu)勢。
舒非特在郵件中告訴《財(cái)富》雜志:“無酒精啤酒之前被認(rèn)為是一個(gè)非常小眾的市場,但我們看到了巨大的商機(jī),通過為現(xiàn)有啤酒消費(fèi)者開辟新的無酒精啤酒消費(fèi)日,并積極吸引新消費(fèi)者,我們可以增加成年人飲酒的場合并擴(kuò)大消費(fèi)者的數(shù)量。”
除了泛大西洋投資外,Athletic的其他著名投資者包括飲料公司Keurig Dr Pepper,2022年在Athletic投資超過5,000萬美元。該公司還獲得了多位名人的投資,包括前全美橄欖球聯(lián)盟(NFL)球員J.J.沃特、Momofuku創(chuàng)始人張大衛(wèi)(音譯)和自行車運(yùn)動(dòng)員蘭斯·阿姆斯特朗。
Athletic的銷售大獲成功以及投資者對(duì)該品牌的信心,在一定程度上要?dú)w功于Z世代對(duì)戒酒生活方式和無酒精飲品的興趣。在TikTok上,#sober和#sobercurious標(biāo)簽下的視頻數(shù)以百萬計(jì),對(duì)于向戒酒生活方式轉(zhuǎn)變對(duì)健康的好處,許多網(wǎng)紅都贊不絕口。廣告公司NCSolutions在1月的調(diào)查顯示,1997年至2002年期間出生的年輕人中,有超過60%表示今年計(jì)劃減少酒精消費(fèi),去年的比例為40%。Athletic的首席執(zhí)行官舒非特表示,公司75%的客戶年齡不到45歲。
過去幾年,對(duì)戒酒的重視在“戒酒一月”期間可能達(dá)到了最高峰。舒非特表示,夏季是該公司業(yè)務(wù)最忙碌的時(shí)期之一。他對(duì)《華爾街日報(bào)》表示,無酒精啤酒的流行,在十年前難以想象。
舒非特表示:“十年前沒有這種選擇。我們不得不徹底改變產(chǎn)品和營銷方式?!?/p>
盡管隨著消費(fèi)者偏好的改變,啤酒總體銷量下滑,但日益流行的戒酒生活方式或“理性消費(fèi)”使無酒精啤酒變成了啤酒市場增長速度最快的品類。隨著更多年輕人減少飲酒,他們轉(zhuǎn)向了替代選擇,包括無酒精雞尾酒和無酒精紅酒,當(dāng)然還有無酒精啤酒,這種轉(zhuǎn)變令 Athletic受益匪淺。
舒非特表示:“我們將無酒精啤酒變成了一種積極的選擇,讓消費(fèi)者可以自豪地消費(fèi)我們的產(chǎn)品?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
The biggest nonalcoholic beer brand in the U.S. just got more valuable thanks in part to Gen Z’s efforts to make sobriety cool.
Athletic Brewing, cofounded by hedge fund trader turned chief executive Bill Shufelt in 2018, nearly doubled its valuation to about $800 million in just two years following a $50 million equity financing round led by growth equity firm General Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
A spokesperson for Athletic said the company could not confirm or deny the new valuation.
The company will use the new financing to grow its team and fund renovations at its third U.S. brewing facility located in the San Diego area, Shufelt said in an email to Fortune. The new facility will allow the company to double its brewing capacity in the U.S., Shufelt said.
The upstart company has punched above its weight, beating out established names like Heineken and Budweiser to claim the title of the top nonalcoholic beer brand by sales in U.S. grocery stores, according to a Journal analysis of NielsenIQ data. With 258,000 barrels sold last year, Athletic ranked in the top 20 breweries in the U.S. The company said it topped $90 million in sales last year.
While the more well-known beer brands focus just part of their operations on nonalcoholic beer, Shufelt said its single-minded focus on the category has allowed it to get a leg up on the competition.
“Nonalcoholic beer was previously thought of as a very small market, but we see an enormous opportunity to add both occasions and populations to the adult beverage world by opening new days of the week for existing consumers and actively recruiting new consumers to the category altogether,” Shufelt told Fortune in an email.
Apart from General Atlantic, Athletic’s other big-name backers include beverage company Keurig Dr Pepper, which invested more than $50 million in 2022, as well as celebrities such as former NFL player J.J. Watt, Momofuku founder David Chang, and cyclist Lance Armstrong.
Athletic’s sales success, and investors’ confidence in the brand, is thanks in part to Gen Z’s growing curiosity about leading a sober lifestyle and nonalcoholic drinks. On TikTok, #sober and #sobercurious have racked up millions of posts with many influencers raving about the health benefits of their transition to sobriety. More than 60% of young people born between 1997 and 2002, up from 40% last year, said they plan to cut back on their alcohol consumption this year, according to a January survey by advertising company NCSolutions. Athletic’s chief executive, Shufelt, said that 75% of the company’s customers are under 45 years old.
While in years past, the emphasis on sobriety may have peaked during “Dry January,” Shufelt said summer is actually one of the company’s busiest times. The proliferation of nonalcoholic options would have been unthinkable just a decade ago, he told the Journal.
“Ten years ago, there were no options,” Shufelt said. “We had to totally change the product and the marketing.”
The growing trend toward sobriety or “mindful consumption” has turned nonalcoholic beer into the fastest-growing segment of the beer market, even as overall beer sales have fallen with changing preferences. As more young people cut back on their drinking, they have turned to alternatives, including mocktails and nonalcoholic wine, but also nonalcoholic beer, much to the benefit of Athletic.
“We’ve made nonalcoholic beer a positive choice and given consumers a product they are proud to hold in their hands,” Shufelt said.