U.S. of N/A: Non-Alcoholic and THC Drinks
The U.S. of N/A podcast series is about the people and places putting non-alcoholic drinks and related alcohol-alternatives on the map, one crafted sip at a time. In each episode we'll sit down with founders who are helping raise the quality, profile, and accessibility of non-alcoholic beer, wine, spirits, and THC infused drinks. Brought to you by N/ATION Collaborative, LLC.
U.S. of N/A: Non-Alcoholic and THC Drinks
Built To Last: Athletic Brewing's Foundation Of Quality And Culture
While Athletic Brewing may today be known as one of the fastest-growing breweries the craft beer industry has ever seen, its origins were more deliberate and intentional, with a rollout strategy that stayed local for as long as possible. Bill Shufelt's founder story goes back nearly a decade, and in those early years he carefully constructed a foundation that would serve the company well as it emerged as one of the faces of a new mindset around adult drinking.
In this episode we talk with Bill on a variety of topics, including:
- Athletic Brewing's role in today's evolving drinking habits, and how quality and culture are table stakes for the company.
- The 18-24 month process they went through to come up with the brand name (including what the backup name would have been had "Athletic" not been available).
- The importance of Dry January in getting in front of a new audience, regardless of how consumers may choose to interact with the category.
- Which Athletic brews and seasonals Bill enjoys the most, and what's in his refrigerator at home.
- Advice for fellow NA entrepreneurs on the best way to achieve scale, balancing the need to learn from mistakes with a desire to grow quickly.
Mentioned in this episode:
Athletic Brewing
How I Built This Podcast (Bill Shufelt episode)
Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA)
