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.
Orangetheory Fitness is redefining the future of workouts with smarter tech, strength-based programming, and community-driven studios built for what’s next.
Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain's ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies amid a housing affordability crisis especially in popular urban areas. The ministry ordered Airbnb in May to remove around 65,000 listings for similar violations. The government's consumer rights minister emphasized the impact on families struggling with housing. Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company's primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process by February.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
