Tips on additional source of income for microbreweries and similar beverage manufacturers without large investments

A microbrewery does not need to invest in a new brewing line to broaden its beverage range. A sugar-free still drink concentrate can be used as a basis for non-alcoholic drinks, fruity servings and ready-mixed products on a small scale. It makes it possible to try a new source of income with existing staff, existing sales channels and a limited number of flavors.

Aromhuset's concentrate works as juice or cordial, but diluted considerably more than regular juice. The mixture is 1+32, so some more concentrate 32 share water. The product is sugar-free and developed to give a taste reminiscent of a regular sugary drink, without the synthetic aftertaste that some associate with sweeteners.

For a microbrewery or another beverage manufacturer, the opportunity is therefore not about starting to manufacture a completely new beverage from scratch. It's about adding a flexible alcohol-free option and using it in contexts where the company's existing equipment, local and customer contact already exists.

Create an alcohol-free supplement to your own range

Many microbreweries already have an audience that appreciates the drink, taste and locally produced options. However, not everyone in the party always wants to drink beer. Some drive a car, others want to vary and some simply prefer a sweeter or fruitier drink. A still drink concentrate can fill that gap without the brewery needing to produce its own soft drink- or juice base.

The simplest use is to serve the concentrate diluted with water as a non-alcoholic drink at the brewery's bar, taproom, store or trial. Rhubarb, strawberry, raspberry, pear and orange give clear sweet fruit flavors. Grapefruit, grapefruit-passion fruit and grapefruit-blood orange provide a less sweet option. Fruit Explosion consists of a mixture of apple, white grapes and champagne and can be suitable when you want to offer a more grown-up taste profile.

It is wise to start with a few flavors rather than taking in the whole range straight away. For example, choose a sweet fruit flavor, a healthier grapefruit flavor and Fruit Explosion. Then it becomes easy for the staff to describe the options and for the guest to understand the difference between them.

Another advantage is that customers can mix some of the sweet fruit flavors themselves. Strawberry with watermelon or raspberry with pear can provide variety without the brewery having to develop new recipes. The mixtures can be presented as flavor suggestions, while the customer himself chooses how the combination should taste.

This can become a natural complement to beer tastings. Serve a non-alcoholic still drink between two stronger flavors, or leave it as a separate option throughout the visit. The point is not to imitate beer, without giving the guest a different flavor trace.

Use existing sales areas and serving opportunities

The lowest threshold is often found in the activity that is already underway. A microbrewery might have a bar counter, a taproom, a farm shop, rehearsals or recurring events. There, the still drink concentrate can be tested without the company first having to build a separate business model.

When serving, the drink can be mixed in a glass or jug ​​according to the situation 1+32. This makes it possible to offer the same basic product in several contexts. A glass can be sold as a non-alcoholic alternative, while a larger jug ​​can suit groups and parties. A clear sign with taste and mixing ratio makes it easier for the guest to understand what is being served.

The concentrate can also be used on days when the beer selection is not the main number. It can be during family-oriented visits, local markets, corporate events or other activities where age-mixed groups participate. A sugar-free alternative with a fruit flavor can then give the brewery something else to serve, without the focus needing to shift from the regular business.

For cafes and restaurants that collaborate with a microbrewery, the same concept can work as a joint product. The brewery can be responsible for taste selection and presentation, while the partner serves the drink in their environment. Then the manufacturer gets an opportunity to be seen outside their own premises, without each new location requiring a large assortment.

Also hotels, gym, conference facilities and nursing homes can be conceivable target groups for an alcohol-free still drink. Here, communication should be simple and to the point: sugar-free concentrate, fruity taste and dilution 1+32. Avoid making the product more complicated than it needs to be.

Do small tasting series instead of big product launches

A new beverage does not need to be launched as a permanent main product from day one. A limited range of flavors can be a practical way to see which flavors customers actually choose. The series can, for example, consist of three distinctly different profiles: strawberry like sweet fruit flavor, grapefruit as a less sweet flavor and Fruit Explosion as a blend of apple, white grapes and champagne.

Such a trial period gives the staff the opportunity to learn how the concentrate is used and how customers react. It will also be easier to adjust the presentation. Perhaps the sweet taste needs to be described more fruity, while grapefruit is better for guests who don't want a distinctly sweet drink.

It is also possible to let the customer participate in the flavor selection. Serve two or three options and ask for a simple vote. It doesn't have to be an advanced investigation. A can of ballots, a question at the counter or a digital poll can be enough to get an idea of ​​which flavor should remain.

Sweet fruit flavors can be mixed with each other by the end customer. It opens to a simple tasting bar where the guest chooses two concentrates and gets to try their own combination. Strawberry and watermelon give a clear fruit profile, while pears and pineapples give a different direction. Feel free to keep the mixes to the sweet fruit flavors. The non-sweet adult flavors should be presented as their own options.

It can also be valuable to link the flavor series to the season without inventing new product names. Rhubarb and strawberry can be described with a bright and fruity profile, while grapefruit–blood orange can be suitable when the guest is looking for something with a more grown-up character. The description must be based on the actual taste and not promise properties that the product does not have.

Generate revenue through pre-mixed bottles

For a beverage manufacturer, the next step may be to sell ready-mixed still drinks in-house or through selected retailers. Here you first need to check which requirements apply to your own handling, labeling and sales. Those requirements should not be guessed at, but is checked before the product is offered to the customer.

The business idea is simple: the concentrate is used as a base, water is added according to 1+32 and the ready-mixed drink is served or sold in the form the business is able to handle. It can be a glass over the counter, a jug for a party or a bottle in a farm shop. Which model is suitable depends on the company's premises, routines and sales channels.

Selling in your own environment also provides a good opportunity to test different flavors before offering them further. A microbrewery can start with serving and only then assess whether a flavor is suitable for resale. In this way, product development becomes more practical and less expensive than directly producing many variants.

Ready-mixed still drink can also serve as an addition to orders. It can be offered together with food, coffee, snacks or trial packs. A brewery that already sells gift cards, glasses or other products can use the non-alcoholic drink as yet another option in the assortment.

It's good to keep the flavor and information consistent. Specify which flavor the customer gets, that the drink is sugar-free and that it is based on a concentrate that is diluted 1+32. Simple information reduces questions when selling and makes it easier for other staff to serve the same product in the same way.

Choose the right target group for the new drink

The most obvious target group is the visitors themselves, but a microbrewery can also use the product in sales to other businesses. Restaurants, cafes, Hotel, gym, schools and nursing homes may need non-alcoholic drinks that are easy to serve and can be varied with several flavors.

For restaurants, the more grown-up options may include grapefruit, grapefruit-passion fruit, grapefruit–blood orange and Fruit Explosion are interesting to try. For cafes and family-oriented environments, rhubarb can, orange, pear, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry, watermelon or banana provide a wider selection. However, it is better to offer a clearly limited range than to overload the menu.

Gyms and workplaces may want a non-alcoholic option that can be served in a glass or pitcher. Schools and nursing homes have other requirements for purchases, serving and information, so each business needs to assess for itself what is suitable. Here, the role of the beverage manufacturer is primarily to be able to describe the product correctly and offer a stable basis for the customer's own routines.

A microbrewery can also resell concentrate in smaller corporate packaging to restaurants or cafes in the local area. Then you don't just sell finished drinks, but also an opportunity for other businesses to mix and serve themselves. It can suit companies that want several flavors but don't need to buy large quantities of ready-mixed drinks.

For private individuals who want to try a smaller amount, Aromhuset's products are available at allt-fraktfritt.se. Companies that want to trade larger volumes at net price can instead turn to nettogrosisten.se. For a microbrewery, the latter route is most relevant when the product is to be used continuously in serving or further sales.

This is how you test the idea with little risk

A simple test plan can start with three flavors and a set period. Use the same mixing ratio, same type of serving and a short description on the menu. Then it becomes easier to see which flavor gets the best response and which questions the customers ask.

1. Choose a small selection from the flavor list, for example strawberry, grapefruit and Fruit Explosion.

2. Decide where the drink will be sold first: in the bar, during tests, in the farm shop or through a partner.

3. Make a simple taste description without exaggerated promises.

4. Serve according 1+32 and ensure staff are aware of the relationship.

5. Note which flavors customers ask for and which options are actually chosen.

After the trial period, the company can choose to keep a flavor, add a second or try a mix of sweet fruit flavors. It may also turn out that a certain flavor is better suited for serving than as a ready-mixed bottle. That type of discovery is valuable because it is based on your own customer contact.

This is the gist of Extra Income Tips for Microbreweries and similar beverage makers without major investment: start with a concrete use, limit the selection and let demand guide the next step. Aromhuset's concentrate is a new product category compared to the still drinks that were previously mainly sold ready-mixed in cans and bottles. For a smaller manufacturer, it can provide a new way of working with drinks without the entire production having to be redone.

Do you want to test the idea, choose three flavors, write a simple menu text and serve the drink at the next tasting or sales event. There you can quickly see if non-alcoholic still drinks fit into the business and which customers appreciate it.

Do you want to try Aromhuset's sugar-free still drink concentrate yourself??
As a private individual, you can find the entire range at
allt-fraktfritt.se. Are you driving?
restaurant, cafe or other business and wants to buy larger volumes at net price, visit nettogrossisten.se.