Prost Beverage Co., RF Kettle Co. and Two Trees Distilling Co. announced they are merging under a newly formed parent company, Two Trees Beverage Co. Inc., with headquarters in Fletcher, N.C.
The companies are joining to combine taste and technology to offer unblocked creativity to beer, wine and spirits innovation for private label, third-party manufacturing and its own line of proprietary brands. The transition will be effective on July 1, 2021.
Prost Beverage successfully collaborated with Tim Smith, reality TV star from Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiners,” to develop major national brands of Climax Spirits and Tim Smith Southern Reserve.
Two Trees Distilling Co. brings advanced distilling, branding and innovation experience to the merger. The companies, with RF Kettle, have plans to advance RF Kettle’s proprietary technology for rapid-aging. The new combined company will utilize a 1,000-gallon system to produce and scale the volume equivalent of approximately 20 barrels of aged product per day.
The company has already raised $6 million in Series A funding, which is expected to close in July. Two Trees Beverage Co. will offer rapid-aging on a contract basis for private label, new and established beverage brands that are looking for ways to diversify portfolios and improve taste experiences.
Industry Cynicism
Some forms of rapid aging have been met with cynicism within an industry steeped in tradition, however officers of the newly formed parent company, CEO Chad Slagle and President Chris Sellers, are confident that complacency doesn’t drive innovation.
“It’s disruptive to put innovation in tradition,” said Slagle. “Some people are uncomfortable with that; but innovation isn’t about doing what is comfortable, it requires change to improve the old ways of doing things.”
Slagle added that Two Trees can help companies keep up with increasing consumer demand for premium spirits, beer and wine in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner. “By combining our expertise in blending with rapid-aging technology, we can deliver rapid, speed-to-market products that are aged to perfection without the wait and without bottom-line surprises,” he explained.
The company plans to engage with R&D professionals and brand marketers across many adult beverage categories to expand innovation and deliver upon the many benefits their process and expertise provides.
Innovation Mission
“Our mission is to provide a culture of breakthrough innovation,” said Sellers. “We remove obstacles to achieve exceptional, intriguing tastes, timeliness, scale and consistency to provide fine spirits, beer and wine that can be enjoyed now and in the future.”
The Two Trees Beverage Co. portfolio of brands includes Tim Smith Spirits, Climax Spirits and Southern Reserve, Two Trees Whiskey, Two Trees Vodka, Two Trees flavored whiskey portfolio, plus the Two Trees folklore brand series which includes Snarly Yow, Owl Head, Wampus Cat and Old Fyre Dragaman.