Athletic Brewing Names Dan Kleinman as CMO to Power an 'Adult Non-Alc' Land Grab
Athletic Brewing has named drinks-marketing veteran Dan Kleinman as CMO to defend and extend its lead in non-alcoholic beer — a category growing fast, where it already holds a 20.7% off-premise share and has lifted national media spend 120%.
The Hire
Athletic Brewing appointed Dan Kleinman as chief marketing officer, effective 8 September 2026. He joins from Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits, where he was CMO and scaled the Josh Cellars brand, following 16 years at Diageo.
It's a classic move: a category disruptor bringing in Big Drinks marketing muscle as it matures from insurgent to leader.
The CEO praised Kleinman's record of 'building culturally relevant brands and scaling them into category leaders' — the exact brief for the next phase.
Why Now: A Category on the Move
Non-alcoholic beer grew 23% in 2025 and now accounts for 87% of all non-alcohol beverage sales in the US. Athletic already commands a 20.7% share of off-premise non-alc beer.
The company has raised national media spend 120% year on year and signed a multiyear partnership with MetLife Stadium and its resident NFL teams, the Jets and Giants.
Marketing Minute's read: this is a land-grab moment. As big brewers pile into non-alc, Athletic is spending to convert its first-mover lead into an unassailable brand.
What Businesses Should Take Away
When your category tips from niche to mainstream, upgrade your marketing leadership before rivals arrive, not after.
Pair reach (that 120% media lift) with cultural anchors (NFL, stadiums) to turn awareness into identity.
Defend a first-mover lead with brand investment; distribution and range are easy to copy, a beloved brand is not.
Quick FAQ
Who is Athletic Brewing's new CMO?
Dan Kleinman, effective 8 September 2026, previously CMO at Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits and a 16-year Diageo veteran.
How big is Athletic Brewing?
It holds a 20.7% share of off-premise non-alcoholic beer sales in a category that grew 23% in 2025.
What is Athletic doing in marketing?
It has raised national media spend 120% year on year and signed a multiyear partnership with MetLife Stadium and the NFL's Jets and Giants.
Hiring a Diageo-and-Deutsch veteran is a tell: Athletic Brewing knows the easy insurgent years are over and the category fight is about to get expensive. A 120% media jump and an NFL-stadium deal say it plans to defend its lead with brand, not just distribution. That's the right instinct. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
When your category goes mainstream, the winners upgrade their marketing before the big incumbents show up — and defend a lead with brand, not just shelf space.
Can a first mover like Athletic keep its lead as big brewers flood non-alc? Tell us who wins the category.
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Dive.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
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