America's largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewer, Athletic Brewing Company, has partnered with olive oil brand Graza to release Cold Off The Press, a limited-edition non-alcoholic pilsner brewed with Graza Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The product went on sale September 23 exclusively through athleticbrewing.com in 6-packs of 12-ounce cans, available while supplies last.
The Product
Each 12-ounce can delivers fewer than 0.5% ABV, 60 calories, and 14 grams of carbohydrates, with zero protein and zero fat. The grain bill combines malted barley, rice, wheat, and lemon alongside hops, yeast, and olive oil. Contrary to what the ingredient list might suggest, the brew is not olive oil-flavored; the oil functions as a yeast nutrient during fermentation, shaping texture and mouthfeel rather than taste. The finished beer presents floral, herbal, and lemon aromas with a clean, dry finish — attributes consistent with the classic pils style Athletic has built a reputation around.
The collaboration represents a meaningful brand-extension moment for both companies. Athletic, which launched commercially in 2018 and now claims the number-one non-alcoholic beer position in U.S. tracked retail channels per NielsenIQ data through August 2026, has accumulated more than 200 taste awards and holds a top-15 ranking among all U.S. brewing companies by volume. Graza, founded in 2021, reached the position of fifth-largest olive oil brand in the U.S. in under four years and now occupies more than 28,000 retail doors nationally. Its product lineup has expanded beyond its signature squeeze-bottle duo — Drizzle and Sizzle — to include refill cans, a high-heat cooking oil, an olive oil mayonnaise line, and potato chips fried in 100% extra virgin olive oil.
Why It Matters
For the non-alcoholic beer segment, which continues to attract adult consumers who want social drinking occasions without alcohol, ingredient-forward collaborations with recognizable food brands can accelerate trial and shelf visibility in channels where NA beer competes with functional beverages and premium soft drinks. Athletic's distribution footprint — over 75,000 retail locations nationwide — gives any limited release unusual reach, even if this drop is direct-to-consumer only at launch.
The Graza tie-in also underscores how fast-growing better-for-you food brands are using co-branding to extend their category presence beyond the grocery aisle. As Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked, olive oil's premiumization trend has been one of the more durable consumer movements of the past three years, with brands like Graza benefiting disproportionately from the "ingredient provenance" narrative that resonates with younger, label-conscious shoppers.
"We love collaborations that push us outside the traditional boundaries of brewing," said John Walker, Co-Founder and COO of Athletic Brewing Company. "Cold Off The Press gave us a chance to bring that shared curiosity into the brewhouse, challenge ourselves to think differently, and create something entirely new."
Andrew Benin, CEO and Co-Founder of Graza, framed the collab as a demonstration of olive oil's versatility across categories. "Cold Off The Press is super drinkable and one of the more deliciously adventurous places we've taken olive oil," he said.
What's Next
Neither company disclosed production volume, pricing per unit, or whether a broader retail rollout would follow if the limited run sells through. For Athletic, the launch fits a pattern of seasonal and specialty releases designed to maintain consumer interest and drive direct-to-consumer revenue alongside its core year-round portfolio. Operators and buyers in the non-alcoholic beverage space will be watching sell-through velocity as an indicator of whether ingredient-collaboration SKUs can hold their own against Athletic's established lineup. Retailers tracking the better-for-you beer category should note that cross-category collaborations are becoming a more common tool for NA brands seeking differentiation in an increasingly crowded segment.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
