Partake Brewing, a Canadian non-alcoholic beverage brand has raised $4 million in institutional funding as it banks on consumers turning towards alternative drinking options.
"I think the big reason for our success and for the renaissance of craft [non-alcoholic] is this drive toward healthier drinking and eating," Partake Brewing CEO Ted Fleming told Cheddar.
Partake is banking on more consumers choosing non-alcoholic options at moments usually associated with drinking beer or wine, such as a happy hour event or party.
"They can have it at lunch and be productive in the afternoon when they get back to work," he said. "They can have it at a business meeting and have that same social experience and connection that comes with those meetings and also then be able to go back and be productive."
Fleming said Partake aims to compete directly with alcoholic options, rather than soda or other non-alcoholic drinks, meaning it's shooting for a larger presence in bars as well as retailers.
While alcohol consumption grew during the coronavirus pandemic, Partake saw its sales rise as well, and now the company is anticipating an uptick thanks to health-consciousness.
"We're expecting there to be a bit of shift now toward healthier products as people get into September, back to school, some resemblance of back to normal," Fleming said. "It's a period where people will re-evaluate how much they're drinking and maybe look towards non-alc a bit more going forward."
Partake's products, which include beer varieties such as IPAs, stouts, pale ales, and blondes, contain zero carbohydrates and as few as 10 calories per drink.
