InvestBev's beverage start-up accelerator propels growth for the next generation of spirits.
CHICAGO, Feb. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Sprout Beverage, InvestBev's invite-only, start-up accelerator for emerging adult beverage brands, announces the brands selected for its winter 2024 cohort. These brand founders will receive education, mentoring, and resources from experienced alcohol industry leaders to help them succeed in the highly competitive adult beverage industry.
Twice a year, Spout Beverage hosts 3-month cohorts that provide promising beverage founders with the strategies and network to launch and scale their brands in four key areas: product strategy and development, marketing and growth, finance and compliance, and leadership development. The program culminates in a pitch competition where graduating brands compete to secure $100,000 in investments* and join the InvestBev brand portfolio with other industry innovators, including Cann, Ten to One, JuneShine, Pilot Project, Siempre, and Speakeasy.
Sprout Beverage accepts brands in the alcoholic, non-alcoholic, and cannabis categories, with founders who have demonstrated initial market validation and possess disruptive brands that either expand existing segments or create new ones. The accelerator is led by industry veteran Gustavo Aguirre, who previously oversaw the product innovation program at MillerCoors.
"The adult beverage space is an extremely competitive one with a failure rate of nearly 95% for new brands," said Gustavo Aguirre, vice president, brand incubation for Sprout Beverage. "There was a big need in this industry to support innovators and early-stage makers so we created the accelerator cohorts to give founders a better chance to be in the 5% that survives to drive our industry forward."
Brands selected to participate in the winter cohort include:
- Absinthia: Absinthia makes the world's most awarded absinthes and craft mixers, using old-world, artisan techniques that result in complex flavors.
- Avanas: Avanas offers handcrafted, pineapple-infused premium vodka that sips smoothly and blends perfectly.
- Bootleggers Cocktails: Bootleggers Craft Cocktails are the world's first real craft cocktail in a can, made with 100% real premium ingredients without the use of any preservatives.
- Doce Mezcal: Doce is mezcal for the mindful. Artisanally made with 100% hand-harvested Capon Espadin agaves at peak maturity, this sipping mezcal has a refined, velvet finish.
- Estoico Indigo: Estoico Tequilas are produced in the Tequila region of Mexico where they are fermented with mother yeast, which preserves the biotic agents responsible for composing their unique flavor.
- Levenswater Gin: Levenswater is an award-winning, carefully crafted blend of 34 botanicals and aromatics inspired by the traditions of 16th-century Dutch and Belgian distillers.
- LIXIR of the gods: LIXIR is the first honey based alcohol of its kind. It is a zero sugar, 100 calorie, better-for-you beverage.
- Oksen: The Oksen family prepares infused rums in the purest artisanal tradition. This Spiced Rhum is handmade in Cap Ferret, France, not far from Bordeaux.
- Rococo Tokyo: Co-founded by three friends, Rococo is Japan's first luxury beer, designed to complement the subtle flavors explored in fine dining, and currently served in over 100 Michelin-starred restaurants.
- Santo de Piedra: Santo de Piedra mezcals capture a unique savoir-faire, combining high altitude with marine humidity for agave plants and a blend of woods that give these spirits a quintessential character.
- Sueños Spirits: Sueños tequilas are crafted in small batches using the artisanal method of slow-roasting agave in a traditional stone oven. Their portfolio spans many different price points and appeals to every segment of today's tequila consumer.
- Suyo Pisco: Suyo is an all natural, limited batch pisco, handcrafted in Peru from 100% grapes. Suyo crafts single origin, small batch pisco with sustainable, non-intensive agriculture at independently-owned vineyards.
"The brands we've selected for this cohort reflect the opportunities and growing categories in the world of spirits - from RTDs to artisanal spirits, mezcals, tequilas and pisco. This is an amazing group of beverage founders from all over the world, and we're excited to help them make their mark in the adult beverage industry," said Brian Rosen, founder of Sprout Beverage.
ABOUT SPROUT BEVERAGE
Sprout is an invite-only accelerator for the most promising adult beverage brands. Founders receive actionable advice and connections to build and scale their brands faster. Sprout Beverage is a part of the Growth Beverage ecosystem, a collective of companies that support independent beverage brands across all stages of their journey - from inception through exit. To learn more, visit sproutbeverage.com
ABOUT GROWTH BEVERAGE
Growth Beverage is a collective of companies that include InvestBev, Sprout Beverage, Algoma Capital, and BevStrat. It is the only organization that supports independent beverage brands at every stage of their growth journeys — from start to store to scale. Companies in the Growth Beverage ecosystem can receive support with incubation and accelerator, retail distribution, venture funding, and operating capital. To learn more, visit growthbeverage.com.
*All investment is contingent on the successful submission and passing of the InvestBev due diligence process that occurs post-cohort
Media Contact
Jen Singerman, Sprout Beverage, 1 2516808529, jens@sproutbeverage.com, sproutbeverage.com
SOURCE Sprout Beverage
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