Stoli Group has led a US$3.6m Series B funding round for The Pathfinder, the non-alcoholic spirits company and brand in which it first invested two years ago.
The financing will support expanded US distribution, retail partnerships and new hires across sales, finance and supply chain for The Pathfinder Hemp and Root, which debuted in 2021. The brand now expects to be available in 41 states by the end of the year, with national listings secured at Whole Foods Market, Total Wine & More and Sprouts.
Co-founder Chris Abbott said the money would accelerate the shift from on-premise, which accounts for 70% of current sales, into off-premise growth. Stoli North America president Michael Howard described the brand as “a true trailblazer in the non-alcoholic space” as demand for zero-proof spirits accelerates.
The Pathfinder will also continue the roll-out of its recently released 20cl RTD extension, including a Spritz and a Negroni, the latter being positioned as the “only non-carbonated Negroni RTD” in the non-alcoholic sector.
Stoli Group did not disclose the size of its stake in the non-alcoholic brand in 2023, a move that marked the Stoli vodka owner’s debut in no- & low-alcohol spirits.
Late last year, the Stoli Group USA unit, along with the privately-owned company’s Kentucky Owl American whiskey business, filed for bankruptcy in their home country, with alleged liabilities of between $50m and $100m.
