Hartford Business Journal

10 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | DECEMBER 19, 2022 Rob Metz, owner of New Britain-based Avery's Beverages LLC, holds the soda maker's popular holiday Jingle Juice and Elf Elixir brands. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER Creating A Buzz Avery's Beverages considers New Britain expansion as it builds brand loyalty with creative soda brands By Matthew Broderick Hartford Business Journal Contributor A s the president and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, Jason Jakubowski tirelessly promoted the organization's annual Turkey and Forty campaign during the month of November. With a goal of collecting more than 50,000 Thanksgiving meals statewide, Jakubowski appeared on television, radio and social media to help garner community support. "The need doesn't break down by town or zip code," Jakubowski said. "There are families in all 169 towns in Connecticut that are food insecure." To further increase campaign awareness and create a new source of revenue, last year Jakubowski's organization partnered with New Britain-based Avery's Beverages LLC — the nearly 120-year-old soda maker — to create Turkey Tonic, a seasonal custom soda comprised of cranberry, orange and ginger. "It helped raise $2,500 last year and is a great complemen- tary (beverage) with turkey," Jakubowski said. This year, 50 cents of every Turkey Tonic bottle sold — available as a soda or seltzer — benefited Food- share's annual campaign, raising over $1,000. Rob Metz, who acquired Avery's in the late 1990s and serves as general manager, credits the company's creativity and sense of nostalgia for helping Avery's — founded in 1904 — to build a loyal customer base and continue to operate at a time when few small, independent soda producers still exist. During the 1950s — amid the soda-fountain era — there were dozens of independent soda producers like Avery's in Connecticut, Metz said. Today, only a few remain. And amid inflationary pressures, supply chain challenges, and often less-than-optimal production facilities, smaller producers like Avery's are facing increased pressures to differ- entiate themselves, stay relevant and address shrinking profit margins. Metz jokes that his 1,000-square- foot production facility is equipped with state-of-the-art 1950s tech- nology. While that inefficiency impacts production capacity — which stands at 150 to 200 cases of product a day — it's also part of the nostalgic charm that helps attract and retain its customer base, both online and among its 16-town service delivery area, Metz said. Avery's brand remains so strong that Metz said he is considering a major expansion to boost production. He said annual revenues approach $1 million. Specialty sodas One creative way Metz bolsters the Avery brand and builds community ties is through his company's make your own soda program, reserved by appointment on Saturdays. The program allows customers of all ages — a minimum of five people and a maximum of 15 — to concoct and make three bottles of their own handmade flavors. The program helped give rise to another of Avery's unique features — its product names. It started in 2008, when a child in a make your own soda session mixed a group of syrups that resulted in a green- ish-brown mix, Metz recalled. "It looked really bad, but tasted really good," Metz said. "We called it 'Swamp Juice.'" Metz decided to use the name and product as a marketing oppor- tunity and create a specialty line of sodas beyond the traditional 30-plus offerings, like root beer, orange and black cherry. "We started with three (mixed) flavors to create our Totally Gross Soda line," Metz said. The trademarked product line — which now accounts for roughly AT A GLANCE Company: Avery's Beverages LLC Industry: Soda maker Top Executive: Rob Metz, Owner & General Manager HQ: 520 Corbin Ave., New Britain Website: averysoda.com Contact: 860-224-0830

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