27 Apr 2021
Looking to go low at this summer's gatherings?
Shandy Shack's Elderflower Lager Top is to be rolled out to 51 stores across the country from May 9th in Sainsbury's, after a successful trial on the Taste of the Future Bay. The refreshing new ready-to-drink shandy combines a punchy pilsner lager with a splash of crisp elderflower pressé, and comes in at a lower ABV of 2.5% and just 105 calories per 330ml. As well as being vegan and gluten-free, the lager has been carefully brewed to a specification to compliment the zingy, all-natural elderflower, making this shandy the perfect refreshment to serve ice cold at a summertime picnic, garden gathering or BBQ.
Shandy Shack was founded by three friends in their twenties, one of whom continues to practise as a part-time NHS doctor, on the premise of creating a range of delicious low-alcohol alternatives without any compromise on taste. The co-founders, Ed, Tom and Fred, were active, outgoing people that often found themselves hankering after a lighter alternative to high ABV beers. It was here that their idea for an extra-tasty shandy came about.
After experiencing exponential growth with a 900% increase in sales in the first two quarters of 2020 via their direct-to-consumer website, Shandy Shack launched their second product, the Elderflower Lager Top, which the founders describe as tasting like 'chilling on a sun-drenched bench'. At just 2.5% ABV, it taps into the increasingly-popular 'NoLow' movement.
Ed Stapleton, Co-Founder of Shandy Shack says,
“The trend towards alcohol moderation has greatly accelerated over the last year, with people looking to enjoy at-home drinking moments during the pandemic while also growing increasingly health-conscious. The proliferation of higher-quality no/low-alcohol choices from brands dedicated to no/low-alcohol has removed the historic compromise of the category, and drinkers are now able to sink a range of delicious alternatives at a range of lower ABVs. Emerging brands are looking to create experiences specifically around those no/low-alcohol products, rather than simply treating them as an afterthought or a range expansion from a larger brewery. The moderation movement represents an important, progressive consumer shift that is here to stay.
We're here to revive the shandy and restore it to its rightful place as the country's favourite lower-alcohol drink. We're taking a drink that had its heyday in the 70s and 80s, and giving it a fresh craft beer spin for the modern moderator. As well as being lower in alcohol, our drinks are gluten-free and vegan-friendly. We're ready for the Summer of Shandy - are you?”
Joe Davies, Sainsbury's Future Brands Origination & Development Executive says, “At Sainsbury's, we're always looking to uncover the most distinctive and innovative new brands. Challenger brands such as Shandy Shack are vital for our stores as our consumers search out the newest and most exciting products. During Shandy Shack's Taste of the Future trial, the Elderflower Lager Top showed broad appeal across demographics, whether to an adventurous millennial market thanks to its innovative flavour and nutritional benefits (e.g. vegan, gluten-free), or to established drinkers that valued an uncompromisingly tasty craft option that allowed them to cut down their alcohol intake.”
Jack Banks, Specialty Beer and NoLow Buyer, Sainsbury's says,
“We've been seeing a really exciting surge in the NoLow alcohol category at Sainsbury's, which has generally been on the up since 2015. As a result, we are constantly looking for new options for those looking to cut down on their alcohol intake or avoid a hangover. We know from our customers that there is still some uncertainty about what these NoLow alcohol products taste like and how they are made. Shandy Shack is getting past this by taking a well-understood format and reinventing it with craft-quality ingredients. We're excited to have the delicious Elderflower Lager Top on the beer aisle this summer as the next step in what we hope will be a fruitful partnership.”
Oxford-based Shandy Shack has pivoted its business model since the pandemic hit, switching from a pop-up concept at festivals and events to a retail/wholesale-focussed operation. The trio of co-founders restarted by selling bottles and cans and delivering door-to-door to people locally in Oxfordshire. Word quickly spread, and their success led to Sainsbury's getting back in touch in June 2020, with the team having previously met the Sainsbury's Future Brands team at an event. Towards the end of the trial, the team landed a six-figure investment from a trio of angel investors that has subsequently allowed them to continue expanding through 2021.
It is not just at home that Sainsbury's shoppers can enjoy Shandy Shack this summer. The team has also secured flagship on-trade listings in The Wigmore Summer Garden & Terrace in central London, Bar at Lake 6 (at Cotswold Water Park), Backyard Bournemouth and Minster Mill in Oxfordshire, with more closely following in the pipeline.
Shandy Shack Elderflower Lager Top (2.5%) will be available at selected Sainsbury's stores from May 9 priced at £1.80 for 330ml.
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Notes to Editors
Shandy Shack was founded in 2018 by three friends on the wrong side of their twenties, who wanted a lower alcohol option that didn't compromise on taste. An initial tour of the UK in a pop-up shack proved there was an appetite for this re-imagined retro classic. The team then went on to brew their own shandies. The pandemic has meant that Ed, Tom and Fred, (the latter two of whom have worked as NHS doctors, with Fred returning to A&E recently to help with coronavirus patients) have had to pivot their business from events and festivals, to retail and wholesale, with flagship on-trade listings like the Wigmore Summer Garden & Terrace (part of the Langham Hotel London) being their debut account onboard for a #summerofshandy.
