Spirit alternative maker Ritual Zero Proof this week announced it has hired craft non-alcoholic beer veteran Tom Halaska as its National Sales Director.
Founded in 2019, Ritual crafted a 4-SKU lineup of spirit alternatives that smelled and felt like the real thing to add a new tool to the cocktail kit, according to the brand’s website. The Chicago-based brand was recently named the fastest-growing non-alcoholic spirits brand on Nielsen over the past quarter and reportedly sold at a bottle-a-minute rate during Dry January, Ritual said in an email to BevNET. Amid its rapid retail expansion, Ritual has created the new national sales director position to boost brand awareness and advance education around Ritual and the broader non-alcoholic category.
“The addition of Halaska puts Ritual Zero Proof in a position to focus on education and advocacy of our products and the category, on both local and national levels,” said David Dorton, vice president of sales and trade development at Ritual, in a press release. “His passion for the industry is visible to everyone who meets him, and his boots-on-the ground approach to education is key to bolstering relationships among priority partners, distributors, the bartending community, and consumers alike, with a plan to accelerate our retail expansion and extend our lead as America’s leading spirit alternative.”
Halaska has more than two decades of experience in the restaurant and spirits industries. Most recently, he served as the global sales manager of Wellbeing Brewing Co., a craft brewery dedicated solely to creating non-alcoholic craft beers, from 2019 to 2022.
“Retailers and restaurants that don’t provide for those who want alternatives to alcohol are excluding a huge swath of customers and leaving money on the table,” said Halaska in a press release. “Providing sophisticated options for balance and mindful consumption has given me purpose inside an industry I love.”
Once considered a niche category, the booming non-alcoholic market “is hitting its inflection point like dairy and meat alternatives before,” Ritual Zero Proof said in its email to BevNET. As everyday consumer demand grows, Halaska will utilize his experience to help Ritual overhaul training for distributor and retail partners.
The brand is aligned with distribution partners including Breakthru and Southern Glazer’s in key states such as Illinois, California, Florida, Texas Washington, Kentucky, Arizona and Colorado. With the addition of Halaska, and the continued backing of Diageo’s investment arm Distill Ventures, Ritual hopes to assert an even more dominant position in the alt-spirits category, which also features names like Seedlip, Lyre’s and Optimist Botanicals.
“As leaders in the booming non-alcoholic drinks category, expanding rapidly at retail on a national level, we saw an opportunity to add a key member to the team in Tom. His background in non-alc beverages, proven success and availability that lined up with our growth trajectory presented a perfect opportunity to expand our team in alignment with our goals,” said the brand.