Top Note Tonic Projects Growth

MILWAUKEE — According to Mary Pellettieri, co-founder of Top Note Tonic, there’s a significant gap in the craft mixer market that her company is ready to fill. She points to a May 2018 report from Morgan Stanley that identifies the U.S. tonic market as half the size of the UK market but with nine times the craft spirit producers.

“The American market is underserved. It needs a homegrown, independent mixer brand to pair with the tremendous growth of the craft spirits industry. Plus, there hasn’t been innovation in the mixer beverage category in more than 50 years,” says Pellettieri. “Top Note mixers are fresh, playful and encourage experimentation. I crafted them for mixability, drinkabilty, quality and versatility to elevate the modern cocktail experience.”

In 2014, believing that beverage mixers needed a craft brewer’s touch for innovation and flavor balance, Pellettieri and her partner, Noah Swanson, teamed up to launch Top Note.

Pellettieri is a 20-year craft beer veteran with a degree in botany who spent eight years at Goose Island and helped launch many of the brewery’s highly regarded labels, including Matilda, Sofie and 312.

She applied her experience and knowledge to create Top Note mixers, which have a unique set of flavors and formats that have broad appeal in the cocktail space.

“Today’s cocktail consumers are seeking modern flavors, healthier options and less fuss in beverage mixers,” said Pellettieri. “They want to make drinks that sing and we deliver that with our mixers.”

Fundable.com Equity Round

This summer, Top Note is launching a $1 million round of equity investing on Fundable.com. The funds will support a build out of its sales and marketing team and pipeline new products.

Top Note has previously raised more than $500,000 from a friends and family round. The company is now seeking an equity partner to grow into larger grocery channels.

Top Note Products & Awards

The Top Note line features sparkling Indian Tonic Water, Bitter Lemon Tonic and Ginger Beer. Last year, Top Note’s Indian Tonic Water won a coveted Sofi™ award from the Specialty Food Association as “best new cocktail mixer in the U.S.”

Indian Tonic Water showcases Pellettieri’s innovative approach to ingredients since it’s the only craft mixer to combine bitters and quinine.

This fall, Top Note is introducing two additional flavors – Grapefruit and Classic Tonic. The company is also debuting 750 ml bottles to better serve holiday gatherings and parties.

Market Penetration

In 2017, Top Note successfully entered the Chicago market and is now featured at trend-leading bars and restaurant groups throughout the city, including The Whistler, Frontera (Rick Bayless Restaurants), Soho House, One Off Hospitality and a number of others.

Top Note is also on shelf at Fresh Thyme, Home Goods and Whole Foods regionally, as well as independent and specialty grocery stores and retailers throughout the Midwest.

In 2019, Top Note plans to increase its presence in Minnesota and push east into the Mid-Atlantic since it’s an active and experimental cocktail market.

About Top Note

Top Note crafts the most complex and layered beverage mixers on the market. Our founder, Mary Pellettieri, spent 20 years as one of the brightest minds in the craft beer game. Having mastered the art of making award-winning beer, Mary set her sights on revolutionizing craft cocktail mixers. Featuring unique botanicals and unexpected ingredients, Top Note mixers provide the consumer with beautiful flavors that complement the best spirits in the market. Top Note allows consumers to experiment with confidence ​and create complex, not complicated, high ball cocktails, or mocktails of all kinds. The Top Note product lineup currently includes Ginger Beer, Classic Tonic Water, Grapefruit, Bitter Lemon Tonic and their award-winning Indian Tonic Water. For more information about Top Note Tonics, visit www.topnotetonic.com.