Since 2021, Food Export-Northeast’s Branded Program has supported Athletic Brewing Company’s growth in four export markets. The Market Access Program (MAP) funded program has supported the Milford, Connecticut supplier’s marketing efforts to increase brand awareness in Canada, Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
The non-alcoholic beer supplier started exporting in 2020 and began participating in Food Export-Northeast programs in March of 2021, joining the Online Product Catalog, where they were able to showcase their products to buyers worldwide searching for non-alcoholic beverages and joining the Market Access Program funded Branded Program. During their first year of participation in the program, they created a marketing strategy to promote their products in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The funding from the Branded Program helped them build a robust social media marketing strategy in all three of their targeted markets and increase sales by 100% to the United Kingdom.
In 2022, Athletic Brewing Company participated for the second year in Food Export-Northeast’s Branded Program to promote its non-alcoholic beverages in the United Kingdom. The Branded Program helped the Connecticut-based supplier gain brand awareness, new export sales, new foreign buyer contacts, and new distributorships in the market.
During its third year of participation, Athletic Brewing strategically used its Branded Program funding to promote its products in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The company strongly promoted its All Out Extra Dark, Free Wave Hazy IPA, Run Wild IPA, and Upside Dawn Golden in the markets by attending multiple international trade shows, creating advertising promotions, and completing in-market product demonstrations. These tactics and promotions helped the supplier increase sales by 700% with 10 new foreign buyer contacts and 3 newly established distributors.
Athletic Brewing Company is the largest and most decorated non-alcoholic brewery in America. Athletic is revolutionizing how modern adults drink by crafting game-changing non-alcoholic beer that can be consumed anytime and anywhere. Founded in 2017, Athletic is now the number one non-alcoholic beer brand in America and a top 20 U.S. brewing company. Unlike other non-alcoholic beers, theirs are crafted with a proprietary process that helps maintain full flavor. The Connecticut supplier serves the food manufacturing and retail distribution channels.
Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.
