ARVADA, Colo. — Is he doing it again? Keith Villa, Ph.D., world renowned brewmaster known for the success of Blue Moon Belgian White, one of many great tasting craft beers he created during his 32-year tenure at MillerCoors, has created a line of great tasting non-alcoholic craft beers.
Dr. Villa retired from MillerCoors in 2018 and that very same year, in partnership with his wife and CEO Jodi Villa, launched CERIA Brewing Company, a Denver-area craft brewery, which initially targeted the cannabis-infused beverage market in Colorado by brewing non-alcoholic craft beers infused with THC.
Now, due to consumer demand, CERIA is introducing its non-alcoholic craft beers without cannabis.
Today, CERIA announced it would be entering the growing Non-Alcoholic (NA) beer segment with a line of CERIA NA beers. CERIA consumers will be able to get their first taste of these beers at Total Wine & More’s 200-plus stores starting in February. CERIA NA will be immediately available in two styles: Grainwave, a Belgian-Style White Ale, and Indiewave, a West Coast-Style IPA (NA.CERIABrewing.com).
CERIA Grainwave Belgian-Style White Ale NA (left) is a refreshing medium-bodied brew made with blood orange peel and coriander at 77 calories per 12 oz. aluminum can. CERIA Indiewave IPA NA is a flavorful West Coast IPA that perfectly balances Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo hops with light caramel malts for a smooth citrus character, with 99 calories per 12 oz. can.
CERIA’s NA products will be initially available in six-pack cans which will be followed eventually by 12-packs, according to Dr. Villa.
To support sales, CERIA is supporting the rollout with a full suite of operational marketing support, including shelf talkers, cold vault shelves, endcap displays, and a life-size standup of Dr. Villa.
“The popularity of NA craft beers is being driven by millennials opting for a healthier lifestyle, a growing wellness mindset among a broad segment of the population in the U.S. and globally, and others who just want to reduce their alcohol consumption,” Dr. Villa said.
A recent example of this is the 26% increase in non-alcoholic beer volume in the U.S. over the Fourth of July 2019 holiday. It is expected that NA beer will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 7% through 2025 according to Global Market Insights, versus minimal incremental growth across the rest of the beer category. This is projected to be even more pronounced for craft beer, with an expected CAGR of nearly 14% globally through 2025, according to Zion Market Research.
IBC is a Valuable Ingredient in CERIA’s Success
Joe Messina, founding partner of InterContinental Beverage Capital (IBC) New York, advisors to CERIA, cites statistics that almost 50% of consumers have purchased a non-alcohol alternative to an alcoholic product in the last 12 months. The Villas have been assisted by IBC since CERIA’s inception.
Dr. Villa explains, “IBC has been a valuable advisor in the areas of business strategy and planning, distribution and capital formation.”
Messina said, “IBC has been honored to contribute to CERIA’s success and Keith’s growing legacy and impact on the beer industry these past two years. We expect there is even more to come in the next two years.”
For Total Wine retail locations, see: https://www.totalwine.com/store-finder
About CERIA Brewing Co.
CERIA, Inc., a Delaware C corporation, dba CERIA Brewing Company, is headquartered in Arvada, Colorado. The company was co-founded in January 2018 by Keith Villa, Ph.D., former brewmaster of Blue Moon craft beer, and his wife and CEO Jodi Villa. In late 2019 the company won the prestigious Food Dive “Startup of the Year” Award presented by Food Dive, a leading industry news publisher. For more information: NA.Ceriabrewing.com, @ceriabrewing #ceriabrewing
About InterContinental Beverage Capital, Inc.
IBC is a New York-based advisory and investment firm focused on the beverage and consumer packaged goods industries. IBC has a worldwide network of strategic industry contacts, lending institutions, consultants, recruiters, and management teams. These sources provide expertise, industry capabilities, access to new customers, and valuable investment and commercial banking capabilities to partnership companies. IBC is actively seeking investments in its targeted verticals in companies, which have unique products and dedicated management that exhibit the ability to develop into category leaders. For more information log onto www.inbevcapital.com