Athletic Brewing expands with second San Diego acquisition

America’s biggest non-alcoholic brewery Athletic Brewing Company has acquired a second San Diego brewing facility for an undisclosed sum.

The 107,000 sq. ft. brewery, located in the Miramar neighbourhood of San Diego, was formerly known as Ballast Point.

The new space will be situated next to Athletic Brewing’s existing San Diego brewery on Trade Street, the new Carroll Way facility includes 300-barrel and 150-barrel brewhouses and will offer Athletic Brewing the versatility to produce both flagship and limited edition brews.

Over the next 18 months, Athletic Brewing is planning a series of renovations and site improvements including the installation of a new packaging line as well as enhancements to the brewhouse, cellar, and lab.

Despite the brewing site acquisition, a Ballast Point taproom operated by Kings & Convicts and connected to the Carroll Way facility will still remain open to the public during the planned renovations.

Brewing at the Carroll Way facility is predicted to begin in late 2025 and, once operational Athletic Brewing will essentially have doubled its US brewing capacity.

Launched in 2018, Athletic Brewing currently has over 19% market share and dollar sales growing more than 62%. The Brewers Association recently ranked Athletic as the 10th largest US craft brewery and 20th largest overall brewing company, a feat recognised all the more for the fact its beers are all non-alcoholic.

Speaking about the acquisition, Athletic Brewing Company co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt said: “Once a punchline, non-alcoholic beer is now the most exciting beverage in coolers across the country. Thanks to our ongoing investment, consumers finally have a product they are proud to hold in their hands and share with friends and family. Since day one, skeptics have questioned the viability of a brewery dedicated to non-alcoholic beer, but we’ve proved them wrong, reinvigorating one of the sleepiest corners of the grocery store in the process. Through our innovative approach to brewing and creative marketing, we’ve created additional occasions for beer and attracted new consumers to the beer aisle.”

Shufelt explained: “More people than ever before are excited about Athletic, and this expansion will allow us to efficiently and sustainably scale our capacity in anticipation of meeting increasing wholesaler, retailer, and consumer demand for years to come. The future of modern adult beverages is bright, and we’re excited to continue shaping it. We can’t wait to get to work and strengthen our roots in the San Diego brewing community.”

Athletic Brewing Company co-founder and chief product officer John Walker added: “We plan to utilise the capacity at Carroll Way to its fullest with the addition of a brand new, state-of-the-art packaging hall capable of filling 1,200 cans per minute and implementing some amazing brewing technology which will enhance sustainability as we continue to reduce our use of one of our most precious resources — water. Our team will take the next 18 months to make efficiency and food safety modifications while we build the packaging hall, and we look forward to the day when we can fire up both the main and the pilot brewhouses.”

The trend for alcohol-free drinks in the US has led to a swathe of zero-alcohol beers becoming the norm across the country’s craft brewery scene. This spring, a new study showed that making more non-alcoholic beers available on draught in bars could assist in helping people make healthier choices.In a recent ranking, the top 10 non-alcoholic beers were identified in a new list outlining which 0% ABV brews are worth trying in 2024 with Athletic named with three out of the top 10 zero-alcohol brews available.