'If a brand is built with a celebrity tie-in that doesn't have credibility or a soul or quality, it will fail' - Bero co-founder & CEO John Herman speaks to Global Drinks Intel - Part I

‘If a brand is built with a celebrity tie-in that doesn’t have credibility or a soul or quality, it will fail’ – Bero co-founder & CEO John Herman speaks to Global Drinks Intel – Part I

Last updated: 28/09/2026 at 5:19 PM

By Jessica Broadbent

28 September 2026

9 Min Read

‘Non-alc beer needs to become a higher-velocity play before it can warrant tap space in the on-premise. Beyond the complexity of putting non-alc in draught, that’s the bigger hurdle we need to solve first.’

While the launch of a new alcohol-free beer brand isn't necessarily cause for much excitement these days, Bero has a very high-profile sales cue. Earlier this month, the brand's co-founder & CEO, John Herman, talked Global Drinks Intel deputy editor Jess Broadbent through how Bero has been deploying that web-shaped cue.You quit Nutrabolt, where you were company president, in mid-2023 to focus on Bero. How helpful has it been to the brand to have (actor) Tom Holland as its co-founder?Bero's not quite two years old yet. Growth- and distribution-wise, we're in the position we are today becau