Volunteer Botanicals Partners with the Independent Brewers Alliance to Help Members Expand Product Offerings

Associated Press

a day ago

Agreement makes Volunteer Botanicals the preferred supplier of hemp-based cannabinoids and functional ingredients for brewers developing non-alcoholic beverages
'Brewers have everything they need to make these new beverages, except a support system and tech team to help them.'— Jason Pickle
MURFREESBORO, TN, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- Volunteer Botanicals, developers of microemulsion ingredients for a variety of botanical-based products, announced today it has partnered with the Independent Brewers Alliance (IBA) to become the preferred supplier of hemp-based cannabinoids and other functional ingredients for IBA member businesses. The agreement comes at a time of rapid change for independent brewers, which face a maturing industry managing decreasing alcohol sales and changing consumer preferences.
In 2024 more breweries closed than were opened, a first for the industry as consumer preferences continue to shift away from alcohol consumption. Consequently, brewers are seeking ways to expand product offerings. Many are finding a niche with non-alcoholic beverages that feature a variety of functional ingredients ranging from hemp-derived THC to other botanical extracts. To date, Volunteer Botanicals has worked with dozens of craft brewers to help them formulate, develop, distribute and market new functional beverages.
'This partnership marks a pivotal step toward helping craft brewers across the country tap into the booming functional beverage space,' said Jason Pickle, President of Volunteer Botanicals. 'We truly believe we are experiencing a generational shift in beverage consumption. In order to meet changing consumer demands while still maintaining a robust taproom, brewers are diversifying their product lines and finding entirely new customers. Brewers have everything they need to make these new beverages, except a support system and tech team to help them. IBA and Volunteer Botanicals are perfectly positioned to help businesses succeed in this new environment.'
Volunteer Botanicals is on the forefront of the rapidly expanding functional beverage category. The company's Rapidose™ microemulsions provide a groundbreaking solution for incorporating oil-soluble compounds into water-based formulations. Most recently Volunteer Botanicals launched its Beverage Accelerator Program, which provides beverage manufacturers with the resources needed to develop, produce and distribute new non-alcoholic beverages in as little as three months. Through the new partnership with IBA, brewers can leverage Volunteer Botanicals' expertise and ingredients at preferred rates to tap into the exploding popularity of beverages featuring hemp-derived cannabinoids and other botanical ingredients.
'Brewers face a variety of challenges, from cost and supply issues to the ongoing drop in overall alcohol consumption,' said Peter Licht, Director of Supplier Relations for the IBA. 'Our mission is to help our members survive and thrive, and there is no doubt that many brewers are seeing great gains by diversifying their product offerings. By partnering with Volunteer Botanicals, our goal is to add yet another tool we can use to help members succeed.'
Formed in 2016, the IBA is made up of more than 600 brewers producing more than 2.2 million barrels annually. This combined production gives the IBA unprecedented buying power that attracts many of the industry's biggest and best supplier-partners providing deep savings to IBA members on a wide variety of expenses.
For more information on Volunteer Botanicals or to schedule an interview with Jason Pickle, contact Jim Dissett at 303-532-7392 or [email protected].
About Volunteer Botanicals
Volunteer Botanicals has developed an innovative in-house technology suite that produces Rapidose™ water-based microemulsions for beverages and shots, as well as free-flowing, pharmaceutical-grade powders for solid oral dose formats. This cutting-edge conversion technology is the cornerstone of the company's incredibly precise, highly effective and exceptionally bioavailable solutions. Whether creating a beverage or a custom tablet, Volunteer Botanicals' precision dosing technology offers endless possibilities when harnessing the power of plants. For more information, visit https://volunteerbotanicals.com.
About the Independent Brewers Alliance
The Independent Brewers Alliance (IBA) is a member-owned cooperative of independent craft breweries working together to strengthen their businesses through collective buying power, shared resources and strategic partnerships. Founded to level the playing field for independent brewers, the IBA empowers its members to compete more effectively in a rapidly evolving beverage market. By negotiating national contracts, fostering knowledge exchange and supporting operational excellence, the Alliance helps breweries reduce costs, increase margins and maintain their independence. Learn more at www.brewersalliance.org.
Jim Dissett
Dissett Communications Strategies
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