The nation’s leading bartenders and F&B directors know that the art of crafting a perfectly balanced cocktail lies not only in the choice of spirits but also in the selection of the highest quality mixers.
For a bar to truly elevate its cocktail program, it must carefully curate a range of mixers that harmonize with the spirits it offers, while maintaining an engaging and creative approach.
Today’s mixologists are seeking unique flavor profiles that will ignite inspiration, resulting in a concoction of tantalizing libations that satisfies even the most discerning palates.
With that in mind, after years of meticulous development and painstaking tastings, Badger Bevs has finally arrived to elevate the cocktail market.
Badger was founded with the goal to prioritize attention to detail and old-world quality, and these are the traits that allow Badger’s mixers to hold their own against the big players in the beverage industry.
Badger Bevs’ product line centers on three major mixers: tonic water, ginger beer, and club soda.
This emphasis on simplicity allows them to focus on sourcing the highest-quality ingredients possible to produce a top-quality mixer.
“Finding a natural spring water source of the highest quality that is super clean is the most important thing for producing these products,” said David Vogel, Badger’s CEO.
The water used in Badger Bevs mixers comes from a pristine reservoir in the Northeast, where Badger products are produced.
For their tonic water, a 100% quinine product is combined with bitters, citrus, and cane sugar to create a perfectly balanced tonic water that removes the bitterness often found in commercial tonic waters.
Crisp and refreshing, this is a return to the old-world style tonic water, elevated and perfected for the American palate.
Badger’s club soda is, again, sourced from the highest quality natural spring water, and Vogel mentioned that they’ve worked hard to achieve perfect bubbles that don’t become flat.
Despite Badger Bevs’ ability to perfect tonic water and club soda, ginger beer remains their biggest seller.
Badger’s ginger beer is made from Nigerian ginger and offers a full range of spices rather than the sweetened, yellow liquid found in most bars.
Badger’s ginger beer was even a double gold medal winner at the 2023 Denver International Spirits Competition.
What really makes Badger unique is their emphasis on elevating the bar menu; quality mixers are just as important to a high-end cocktail as quality spirits, and this has moved to the forefront of the minds of consumers and restaurateurs alike.
“In recent years we’ve definitely seen bars put more emphasis on quality spirits and mixers,” Vogel said. “We’re focused on high-end, fine dining locations like country clubs and hotels.”
This is how Badger Bevs is able to compete with the big-name brands; they offer an exclusive, high-quality product that isn’t available at every bar. In this way, using Badger mixers instantly elevates any bar’s menu.
“There are a lot of folks out there in country clubs and many other areas that are looking to move away from these brands that are mass distributed,” Vogel said.
“Those brands have done a great job of educating the market—we like to think that we’re elevating the market.”
One of the keys to the Vogel driven marketing strategy for the Badger Bevs launch was the selection of a distribution partner.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with The Chefs’ Warehouse to bring our innovative line of mixing solutions to leading food and beverage operators in the New York Metro area and Florida,” noted Vogel.
“Chefs’ Warehouse is known in key markets by talented bar staff, hospitality owners and management as the ‘go-to’ for the newest high-quality menu and beverage innovations in the country.
We are perfectly aligned to provide that level of service and quality to the Chefs’ Warehouse customer.”
So why the name Badger for this new line of mixers? “The Badger is this tenacious little animal that’s gone viral in recent years for its toughness and resilience,” Vogel said.
“We thought it was an apt name given the fact that we’re going up against some major players.” And it is—competing with big-name brands that are available at the grocery store is no easy task, but Badger Bevs is up to the challenge.
With the growing interest in supporting smaller, locally-owned companies, Badger, whose products are all made in the United States, is in a good position to break into the beverage market.
“The pandemic knocked out so many smaller players who were trying to break into the space, so the timing was right,” Vogel mentioned.
Using this to their advantage, Badger Bevs was able to make a name for themselves despite existing in a market that already boasts so many big names.
Badger Bevs’ clientele consists primarily of bar and hotel owners, country clubs, bar managers, and, perhaps surprisingly, chefs.
“Because of the way the liquor laws in New York are structured, chefs are often the ones placing the orders, even for the bar,” Vogel said.
Knowing this, it’s no wonder that attention to detail and quality is important to Badger’s buyers. These are mixers made specifically for high-end, fine-dining locations.
For more information on Badger Bevs’ innovative line of mixers, visit Badger Bevs website, or find them available at Chefs Warehouse.
