Rachel Bukowski, Ph.D.

Leading nonalcoholic brewer Athletic Brewing Co. raised $50m from General Atlantic "to increase production capacity and expand its offerings to meet rising consumer demand for nonalcoholic beer". Athletic is a unique brewer in that it exclusively offers alocohol-free beers, while at the same time being positioned as a craft brewer. It holds ~20% MS in alcohol-free segment (~$90m revenue) driving 32% of total nonalcoholic beer category growth (while being #20 largest brewer overall) The nonalcoholic segment is the fastest growing one in Beer, with strong tailwind especially from young consumers that are ditching alcohol consumption. While all incumbents are already in the race with a strong offering from their legacy brands (HEINEKEN Beverages AB InBev Molson Coors Beverage Company Diageo) and enormous advantage in go to market muscle, they cannot be also as aggressive in positioning itself as nonalcoholic brewers, an angle that is available to Athletic Brewing #fmcg #cpg #strategy ##mergersandacquisitions Frederic Fernandez & Associates

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Reflecting on this monumental moment, I wanted to wait until the news was "official" before sharing my thoughts and feelings... Almost 7 years ago, a good friend now who started as a good client invited me to his new office in NJ to explore a plant-based protein company he was considering acquiring. That's when I first encountered OWYN. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of it initially. Plant-based, vegan protein drinks weren't in my usual "repertoire" of ideation and marketing. But after trying the product that day, I knew I wanted to be part of the journey. And what an incredible journey it has been! Throughout the last 7 years, in my capacity as a "strategic advisor," I've embraced a multitude of roles and responsibilities, working closely with a diverse array of talented leaders. From individuals who made significant contributions from the outset and have since moved on, to those who have ascended to leadership positions, such as CEO Mark O. and Chief Sales Officer Matt OConnell, as well as "more recent" additions like CMO Julia Perez, who came in and made an immediate and substantial impact, our collaboration has been characterized by passion, mutual respect, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. Now, fast forward to today. After countless hours of strategic discussions, meetings, and partnerships, we've achieved something remarkable. We've taken a niche brand, crafted with the finest ingredients, and found the perfect successor in our recent acquisition. If you notice, even as a "consultant" I always will refer to it as we. When I work with brands, especially from day 1, I consider myself a true part of the team. Being part of a brand from inception to this pivotal moment is incredibly special. As a matter of fact, it's been a huge goal of mine since that fateful day 7 years ago. I'm eager to see what lies ahead for OWYN and hopeful that I can continue contributing to a product and brand that means so much to me and countless others, especially our consumers. #OWYN #PlantBased #Acquisition #Journey #Gratitude #Business #CPG #SimplyGood https://lnkd.in/emY6UT2g

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2 simple ways to find out how much sugar is in your food: nutrition facts panel and ingredient lists. (and since there are so many different names for SUGAR, here's a handy cheat sheet: https://bit.ly/4bGzi7Y).

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One of the most ‘intuitively guessed upon’ ingredients in CPG formulations... is also one of the most critical product choices you'll make. Let me explain: 🍔 Earlier this year, Beyond Meat switched to formulating with avocado oil to combat falling US sales. A burger deemed unappetizing to meat consumers (and ‘Franken-meat’ to non-meat eaters) changed ONE thing... and completely altered customer perception of their product. Even my boyfriend, who would never consider a Beyond Burger in lieu of a real meat burger, shared this article with me and said: “I’d probably order that now. It’s a healthier burger for me now, right? Since it has avocado oil.” FEW ingredients in CPG hold as much perceptive power—and as much control of your COGS—as the oil you use. So, when client Brala's Best LLC went through Product & Prosper’s sampling program, we discovered the key threat to their purchase and repurchase rate: canola oil. ❌ 38.8% of the 100 samplers surveyed who said they would not repurchase the product mentioned canola oil as part of the reason. So the question became – what oil can we feasibly use instead? In this week's Product & Prosper newsletter, I'll be breaking down the consumer perception of oils — and you'll be shocked by some of our findings. Bottom line: If your product isn’t selling, like Beyond Meat. Go back to the customer. https://lnkd.in/eFF66Y3S

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Solid reviews of many of our variants. A great read and some great company to be in on the high end of this rapidly growing (and evolving) segment. Most RTDs are about sessionability, ours are about savorability… most are canned, we think ‘glass is class’… most are 5-9%, ours are ‘full proof, fool proof’ same as you’d get in a bar… most are about flavors, ours are tried and true cocktails. As someone very wise told me, it’s easy to build a differentiated brand, it’s magic when you create one that is truly distinct. At Bar Diver we are here to demystify cocktails, so dive on in!

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