Liverpool’s Glen Affric Brewery has invested £300k in functional non-alcoholic beer brand NuWave in a two-year manufacturing deal.
Glen Affric has taken on production of NuWave’s botanical and postbiotic-infused beers as part of the deal. Time-to-market for new products has accordingly been slashed from months to weeks, thanks to dedicated support from the brewer.
NuWave has now kicked off a seed round to raise additional cash, with plans to expand its presence in retail, the on-trade, and DTC markets.
NuWave is currently stocked in WH Smith, and has recently won contracts with festival and events business Peppermint and a pair of 6,000-person capacity venues.
“We are clear that the future of the beer category lies in alcohol-free drinks and functional benefits,” said Glen Affric CEO Trevor McCormick.
“We couldn’t have found a better brand, business, or team to partner with to capture this high-growth, high-frequency market.”
The brand currently offers two 330ml SKUs, with one a lager and the other a pale ale. The beers contain ashwagandha, lion’s mane mushroom and maca root, in a mix that purports to “create a sociable buzz and enhance [one’s] mood”.
NuWave founder and CEO Brendan Williams said the partnership was “just the beginning”.
“With the advances in the science of botanicals and postbiotics we can now offer consumers all the upsides of drinking alcohol, without the messy downsides,” he added.
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