Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nick Benz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nick, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Betera’s mission is to change the way you drink. For generations, we had two choices, alcoholic and complex drinks or non-alcoholic, sugary drinks. If you were saying you
didn’t want to drink alcohol, you got a bad option. We’re not accepting that if you’re not
drinking, you shouldn’t have a quality alternative. We believe you can define how you
want to drink, and have an option that’s delicious, complex, and refreshing, without
having the alcohol.. Beverages should be full of flavor, unique, enjoyable and good for
you. Beverages should elevate your experience and make you feel better about your
choices. Our aim is to prove alcohol is an option not a requirement for a great adult
beverage.

Whether for a night, a break or part of a lifestyle change, Betera has your
back. We encourage our community to drink like there’s a tomorrow.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Food & Beverage have played an oversized part of my life. I began my career in the kitchen, first in San Diego before moving to New York for culinary school and eventually finding my way into Jean Georges’ Perry Street. It was there that I met Paul Eschbach, who is one of the Founders of Betera. While he built his career in the kitchen, eventually earning a Michelin-star, I left after a few years recognizing the limits of my talent. After leaving the restaurant industry, I took a flyer on an opportunity in wine, and moved to Sonoma. Over the next decade I worked my way up the wine industry, overseeing Consumer Sales for the FIJI Water wine portfolio (JUSTIN & Landmark Vineyards) and then held a similar role at Jackson Family Wines.

In 2017 I was bit by the entrepreneurship bug, and launched Leaven Brands. Leaven is an executive advisory that brings strategic insight to emerging food & beverage companies. In this role I have advised or taken on leadership roles with brands that range from fermented foods to bottled water. Traveling and working extensively. It was during this chapter that I began to revisit my relationship with alcohol. Family, work and age is a dynamic trio that doesn’t allow much space for hangovers, poor sleep or mental fatigue. Not to mention the impact on my health.

As I began to slow down, the hardest thing was finding something good to replace what I was drinking. There is only so much sparkling water, tea, kombucha, etc. that I can drink. I wanted something better, and that was the inspiration to launch Betera.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

We launched Betera in late 2020. While its never easy to launch a business, doing so in the midst of a global pandemic was particularly challenging. We considered delaying, even abandoning the concept, but we were committed to what we were building. No chance we were quitting, so we got to work.

In March of ’20, we found a commissary kitchen to produce small batches for a select group of early adopters, the Founders Club. Bottling by hand on the weekends when most of the world was stuck on their couches. This continued for 8 months, batching, brewing, carbonating, bottling and packing, just the 3 founders. While stressful, this time helped us refine the beverages, raise Seed funds and build a brand we were proud of. We also developed amazing relationships with our Founders Club, 85% still buy a case every month from us.

Buoyed by this support, we moved to a Co-Packing facility and officially launched Betera in October of 202o. The grind was not over, we were really just getting started. Yet this milestone was a testament to our resolve. We kept pushing despite the obstacles and found the path forward. Resilience is one of our core values. We are determined to achieve our goals and have a gritty willingness to stay the course. At times we will fail or struggle to advance these goals, but we will remain confident and optimistic.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Betera is a sparkling botanical tonic crafted for occasions when alcohol will not do. It is not a beverage that is a manufactured replica of a wine, a cocktail or an aperitif, it is something entirely new. Crafted using real botanicals, either dried or fresh, not commercial extracts mixed with water. We brew our botanicals in-house with the same commitment to quality found in the finest beverages in the world. It is a difference you can taste, smell and see.

This is how we built our reputation, an unwavering commitment to quality. Constantly looking for improvement, not cost saving measures to aid manufacturing. The best beverages make you think, and enhance your experience. That is what we accomplished with Betera. Its the reason we received recognition from NY Times: Wirecutter as one of the best non-alcoholic beverages and numerous other publications. Its also low sugar, low calories and full of helpful botanicals. Truly a guilt-free beverage.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.drinkbetera.com
• Instagram: @drinkbetera
• Facebook: @drinkbetera
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/drinkbetera
• Twitter: @drinkbetera
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2PgSnQFkWMCUBnzJ07eyvQ