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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | A u g u s t 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 13 330 standard 12-ounce cans.) Next was an East Coast base that could expand Athletic's production as the brand grew to more than 12,000 retail stores, bars and restaurants na- tionwide, including over 1,000 Buffalo Wild Wings outlets. Aer wrapping up a $50 million funding round, the company announced in 2021 it would expand while maintaining its original location in Stratford. Amazon and other distributors had snapped up many of the large facilities suitable for Athletic in the area, but the team soon learned of the 150,000-square-foot building on Cascade Boulevard, much of which had been retrofitted as offices, Walker said. Forced to downsize during the pan- demic, the company that ordered the renovations had pulled out of the deal. Pennsylvania-based 75 Cascade LLC bought the building for $14.5 million in July 2021, and soon announced a long-term lease to Athletic. Once fully operational, the Milford plant will be able to produce 450,000 barrels a year and serve as a hub for the company's online business, which shipped more than 50,000 packages a month directly to customers as of this summer. As of July, Athletic had customers in all 50 states and across the world. Growing competition Why such explosive growth? Athletic had the luck and foresight to fit itself into a wide-open niche. Oen stale and watery, the nonalcoholic beers of old were scorned by drinkers and teetotalers alike even as customers looked for lower-octane alternatives. "It's a hard nut to crack, decades-old stigmas around nonalcoholic beer," Walker said. Alcohol-free beers also require a high level of skill to make, as brewers can't rely on alcohol as a preservative. Food safety requires a com- plex manufacturing process in addition to the steps needed to infuse flavor. Hoping to educate drinkers on the possibilities of nonal- coholic beers, Athletic centers its marketing on tastings to expose people to its products. "We do a lot of sampling," said Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Katz, add- ing that the company oen sets up at runs and other outdoor events in line with its health-and-wellness messag- ing. "e opportunity for us is to get people over the hurdle," Katz said. "When people try our brews, they're like, 'Wow, that's amazing.' " e nonalcoholic adult beverage sec- tor is growing, according to industry experts. Analyst IWSR Drinks Market Analysis reported in January that the worldwide market for no- and low-al- cohol beer, wine and spirits hit $10 billion by the start of 2022, growing by 6% year over year. Beer and cider were projected to drive growth going Building Ideas That Work... Building Ideas That Work... Contact us at 860.482.7613 or visit us at BorghesiBuilding.com 2155 East Main Street Torrington, Connecticut 06790 © 2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing ™ is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. You choose these brands because they deliver quality products and services. Choosing a builder should be no different.. For more than 80 years, Borghesi Building & Engineering Co., Inc. has provided quality and reliability with design and energy efficient construction. With on time construction, Borghesi Building & Engineering Co., Inc. will create a smooth transition from construction to completion. FUJI PLAZA, TORRINGTON MEN'S WEARHOUSE, WEST SIMSBURY WALGREENS, TORRINGTON forward, the analyst said. Now other companies have caught on to the nonalcoholic beer boom, with giants like Anheuser-Busch and Heineken debuting alcohol-free beers. Regional cra beer mainstays like Two Roads of Stratford and Brooklyn Brew- ery have also entered the market. Walker said that Athletic welcomes the competition as an opportunity to spread the message across demograph- ics that nonalcoholic beer can be tasty. "e fact that there are other brewers and other companies popping up … supports our mission," Walker said. "It's awesome to have help from players big and small, sharing the fact that this is just positive." New products Athletic is also expanding its product line to appeal to a range of drinkers seeking tastes beyond the traditional hoppy IPA. Flavors that capitalize on the latest cra beer trends include its Blackberry Berliner Weisse, modeled on the refreshing sour beer, and its Down- winder Gose, infused with coriander, lime leaf and salt for a nonalcoholic take on a German wheat beer style. (Most Athletic beers retail online for $13 for a six-pack.) Athletic Lite made its debut earlier this year for light beer drinkers, along with All Out Dark, modeled on a hearty stout. e company has also tapped into trends like spiked seltzer with its DayPack line, a series of complex and refreshing sparkling waters with a hint of hop bitterness and flavors like blood orange, yuzu and black cherry ($9.99 for a six-pack.) e brewery's expanding product line and growing footprint all validate the promise the founders saw in beverages that allow for safer and healthier social- izing, Walker said. "Now, if you like beer, you can have it any time and it won't impact your operation or your senses at all," Walker said. "We're helping drive kind of a change in the way people think about their lives – being optimistic and being at your best." n Upside Dawn is Athletic Brewing's popular nonalcoholic golden ale beer. PHOTO | GARY LEWIS

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