Grog AU

Grog is a hard alcoholic Japanese-style soda brand created by the founders of the Cold Ones podcast, Max and Chad, who launched the show in 2018. After years of drinking on-air and growing frustrated with the existing alcoholic beverage options available to them and their audience, the pair spent several years testing breweries, sampling formulations, and navigating investor relationships before deciding to develop their own drink in 2021. The result was Grog — an Australian-made take on the popular Japanese canned soda format, designed to deliver full flavour with a cleaner nutritional profile. Each can comes in at 6% ABV, contains zero added sugar, and clocks in at just 120 calories, positioning the product squarely in the better-for-you segment of the ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverage market. The brand draws clear inspiration from Japanese chu-hi style sodas, reinterpreting them with an Australian sensibility and the irreverent personality of the Cold Ones brand. Grog is available in six distinct flavours — Grape, Peach, Lemon Ice, Mandarin, Pineapple, and Pear — offering a broad range of fruit-forward options designed to appeal to a wide consumer demographic. The product is distributed across retail locations in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, and is also available for purchase through its dedicated online shop. As a celebrity or influencer-founded CPG brand with a built-in audience from the Cold Ones podcast and YouTube channel, Grog benefits from an established and engaged fanbase that provided both the initial demand signal and ongoing brand loyalty. The RTD alcoholic beverage category, particularly the flavoured hard soda and seltzer segments, has seen significant growth globally, and Grog is positioned to compete on taste, ABV, and low-sugar credentials. The brand targets adult consumers seeking flavourful, sessionable alcoholic drinks without the caloric or sugar load associated with traditional beer, cider, or premixed spirits.