Stratford nonalcoholic beermaker Athletic Brewing has lined up a host of celebrity investors, including the NFL”™s J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans and Justin Tuck, formerly of the New York Giants.
Also on the celebrity roster are cyclist Lance Armstrong, Chef David Chang (Momofuku/Fuku), and TOMS founder and social investor Blake Mycoskie.
“When we began Athletic Brewing, we knew that we had the potential to take nonalcoholic beer out of the penalty box and open up new occasions for the beer industry,” said Athletic Brewing Co-founder Bill Shufelt. “The fact that Lance, David, Blake Justin and J.J., who are leaders in their own professional and personal endeavors, would see the value in our pursuit to offer a life without compromise, greatly validates our mission and sets us on the path for mammoth success in 2021 and beyond.”
“Bill and his team at Athletic have not only created an incredible tasting nonalcoholic beer, they have also shown an immense commitment to philanthropic efforts and protecting the environment,” Watt said.
According to Nielsen, the nonalcoholic beer market in the U.S. is up 38% year-to-date, and is tracking toward $184 million from $132 million in 2019. In addition, despite the pandemic, the nonalcoholic craft beer market is up over 300% year-to-date, with Athletic Brewing holding a 60% share nationwide.
The company said that it was uniquely positioned for a post-Covid world, claiming the only true e-commerce in the beer world coming into the crisis.
In its third year of operation, the company has outgrown the 12,000 barrel capacity of its brewery headquartered in Connecticut and expanded its capacity by adding 125,000 barrels in its new San Diego facility.
Athletic Brewing donates 2% of all sales to trail and park cleanups through its “Two for the Trails” program; it expects to contribute more than $500,000 to that program and to other charities across the nation this year.
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