Five Corners Beverages Co: Sparkling globally-inspired non-alcoholic cocktails for adults to sip slowly. Chicago-based. Midwest-made. Family-owned.
- KLS
- 2 minutes ago
- 11 min read
For the 253rd feature of our "Together Talks" campaign, we collaborated with Five Corners Beverage Co and Co-Founder, Benno Nelson. Five Corners Beverage Co. creates delicious drinks for adults to celebrate softly. Full-flavored and non-alcoholic. Midwest-made and family-owned.
"Together Talks" feature 253: Five Corners Beverage Co. presented by KLS - Your Trusted Shipping Solutions In The USA
What separates you from your competition? What have been the biggest challenges? Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur? What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most? Share a decision that you made that was detrimental? What is your why?
Story of how it was created?
I got sober about eight years ago, and my wife, Shelby—who is both my co-founder and my partner—and I have had three kids since then.
As I moved completely away from alcohol, Shelby went through extended periods without drinking before ultimately deciding to remove it from her life as well. Along the way, we started trying everything available on the market. It’s actually been a really exciting time for non-alcoholic beverages because there are so many great new products being introduced.
But we kept finding that a lot of the options were still very sweet. They felt like soft drinks dressed up as something else, which is often what people immediately think of when they hear the word “mocktail.” Or they were heavily focused on replicating a specific alcoholic beverage, keeping alcohol at the center of the experience and trying to imitate those familiar flavors.
We started to realize that people have been drinking non-alcoholic beverages for as long as they’ve been drinking alcohol. That means there must be incredible, complex, full-flavored drinks from around the world and throughout history that are just as enjoyable and nuanced as alcoholic beverages, but without the booze.
We wanted to celebrate those drinks instead of pretending to be something else. Our goal was to create beverages that remind people it’s completely normal not to drink alcohol—whether that’s a permanent lifestyle choice or simply a decision for part of an evening. Having a flavorful, sophisticated adult beverage doesn’t need to involve alcohol.
What separates you from your competition?
I’m actually pretty aggressive about not using the word “competition.”
To me, this is very much a community. Right now, especially with the growth of non-alcoholic options entering the market, it feels like a rising tide that lifts all boats. We’re all helping create awareness and build new habits for consumers.
In many ways, our biggest competition isn’t another beverage company. It’s people choosing not to order anything at all. It’s someone getting a glass of water at a restaurant or a bar, or grabbing another LaCroix because they feel there isn’t anything available that truly fits what they want.
That’s a compromise. It’s a customer essentially giving up and saying, “There isn’t an option here for me.” That’s revenue a bar doesn’t get. That’s a sale a bottle shop doesn’t get.
If we can show people that their instincts make sense—that they can alternate drinks throughout the night or choose something alcohol-free without sacrificing flavor or experience—then we’ve done our job. We want to tell a story and offer something people are genuinely looking for.
I don’t believe anyone on Earth drinks only one thing. Everyone enjoys a variety of beverages. We simply want to be one of those options people reach for when they’re celebrating, relaxing, or spending time together.
What have been the biggest challenges?
Right now, there’s a huge learning curve.
My wife and I don’t come from beverage or consumer packaged goods backgrounds. We both worked in tech, and the realities of building a physical product are incredibly different from uploading code or creating another tab in an Excel spreadsheet.
There’s the reality of time, weight, logistics, and inventory. Yesterday I was moving boxes around in 83-degree Chicago weather, sweating like crazy. That’s a very different experience from sitting behind a computer screen.
Almost everything has been a learning experience. Thankfully, we’ve been incredibly fortunate because people have been so willing to share advice. The community has been remarkably supportive.
There’s also a funny truth in this industry. When I told people I wanted to start a beverage company, they would spend the first ten minutes trying to talk me out of it. Then, once they realized I wasn’t changing my mind, they’d spend the next hour and a half helping me figure out how to do it.
I think that’s really cool.
The practical realities of operating a business in this category are difficult, and there’s still a tremendous amount to learn. But the willingness of others to help has made a huge difference.
Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
Over the last 18 months, we’ve really been trying to answer one fundamental question: Is this possible?
Can you build a business around drinks that aren’t overly sweet and aren’t trying to replicate the taste of alcoholic beverages? Is there room in the market for something different?
We’ve now launched all three of the recipes we originally envisioned for the business.
The first is our Salted Lemonade, inspired by an Indian drink called Nimbu Pani. The second is Sangrita, inspired by the Mexican beverage that traditionally accompanies tequila but contains no alcohol itself. And our newest release is Sparkling Pickleback, inspired by the dive bar staple that’s especially popular here in the Midwest.
Now that all three products are in the market, our primary focus is growing in our hometown of Chicago. We’re currently in about 80 stores, and we’d love to continue expanding our footprint locally.
We’re also investing heavily in what’s known as the on-premise channel—bars, restaurants, music venues, concert venues, art spaces, and other places where people are out having memorable experiences. We believe those venues benefit from offering compelling non-alcoholic options, and it allows us to meet people where they already are.
Beyond that, we’re increasingly focused on the growing network of non-alcoholic bottle shops across the country. We believe our products bring something unique to that ecosystem, and we’re excited to introduce them to those communities.
Ultimately, our aspiration is to become the call non-alcoholic option. We’d love to occupy a space similar to a craft brewery or even Malört here in Chicago. We don’t need to be for everyone. We don’t need to be the only thing people drink.
We simply want to be something people know they can count on—interesting, dynamic, full of flavor, inspired by recipes from around the world, and part of a great Chicago night.
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business?
One thing that’s a little unique about Shelby and me is that we met at work.
We were both working at Groupon in Chicago and first got to know each other through a project. We had the opportunity to see how each other worked, how our skills complemented one another, and how we approached challenges. We got to understand our professional chemistry before we ever explored a personal relationship.
Because of that, the idea formed very early in our relationship that one day it would be fun to build something together. We wanted to create our own business, be our own bosses, put people at the center, and build something in a sustainable, long-term way.
The question became: What would that business be?
As we explored a life without alcohol for ourselves and watched the broader non-alcoholic movement gain momentum, our attention naturally gravitated toward this category. The more interested we became, the more we started asking ourselves how we would actually do it.
Entrepreneurship is hard. It’s scary. And to be completely transparent, Shelby still works full-time to help support our family while we build the company.
Our dream is that over the coming years we can grow the business enough that Shelby can join full-time, and we can both live this dream together.
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
One funny lesson is that when I worked in tech, I would do almost anything to avoid talking to customers or doing sales calls.
I worked in operations, analysis, marketing, and all kinds of roles that allowed me to stay behind the scenes. I never wanted to be out front.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve had to get comfortable with exactly that. I’ve had to meet people, shake hands, sell, hear “no” repeatedly, and put myself out there.
What surprised me is how rewarding it’s been.
I think part of that comes from the fact that this is our company. It’s our idea. Our work is directly connected to the outcome. That personal investment gave me the push I needed.
Now I genuinely enjoy being in the mix. I love meeting people, having conversations, engaging with customers, and walking into stores and venues.
It’s funny because it’s the exact thing I spent years trying to avoid, and now it’s become one of my favorite parts of the job.
If you want to be successful, you have to do it.
There’s that Special Forces saying: “No one is coming. It’s up to us.” Entrepreneurship feels a little like that.
I used to work with an incredible salesperson named Max Lowenbaum. At multiple companies, whenever something required sales, I could just say, “Send Max.”
Now there is no Max.
What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
One thing I appreciate most is the ability to do things the way I believe they should be done.
Anyone who has spent time in a large corporate environment has probably experienced moments where they watched decisions being made that they felt were wrong, but lacked the authority to change them.
That can be frustrating.
Today, when I see something being done poorly, it’s often because I’m simply not good at that particular thing yet. I can recognize my own limitations. Social media is a good example for us. There are areas where I know I’m not an expert.
The difference is that now I can do something about it. I can learn. I can improve. I can find help if I can afford it. I can experiment. I can change course.
I’m constantly confronted by my own incompetence, but that’s a very different feeling from being powerless. In a corporate setting, the frustration often comes from feeling unable to influence outcomes despite having a strong perspective.
Now I’m empowered to make changes. In fact, I’m required to.
That shift has been fascinating. It becomes all about asking, “How can I improve? How can the company improve? What can I learn? Who can I talk to?”
I really appreciate that journey because it feels like the possibility of doing it right is always within reach if I’m willing to keep learning.
Share a decision that you made that was detrimental?
One example that comes to mind immediately involves our first production run of Salted Lemonade.
There’s an ongoing debate in the non-alcoholic space around terms like “mocktail,” “cocktail,” “zero-proof cocktail,” and “non-alcoholic cocktail.” I always thought the debate was a little insular and frankly not that interesting.
So on our first cans, we labeled the product a “sparkling soft drink.”
I thought it was clever. It wasn’t soda. It wasn’t pop. Similar to how alcohol has categories like hard seltzer, hard cider, and hard kombucha, I thought “soft” could become an interesting category in non-alcoholic beverages.
The problem was that it confused people immediately.
We were making all kinds of decisions—using smaller cans, creating a specific design language—to signal that this wasn’t a soda. Then we printed “soft drink” directly on the can.
For most people, that phrase immediately brings Sprite or other traditional soft drinks to mind.
We realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t working.
We changed the packaging and went with “sparkling cocktail” and “non-alcoholic cocktail” instead. Those terms better communicate the occasion we want people to associate with the product.
We don’t want people thinking, “I’m driving from Meeting A to Meeting B, let me grab this.” We want them thinking, “I’m wrapping up a long day,” or “I’m kicking off a great barbecue with friends.”
The word “cocktail” tells that story much more effectively.
It was an early mistake, but it taught us a valuable lesson.
What is your why?
For me personally, having interesting non-alcoholic options is really about belonging and inclusion.
I think back to events I attended when I was struggling with alcohol and actively trying not to drink. I remember feeling like I stuck out like a sore thumb.
I was doing everything I could to blend in. I’d have sparkling water in a martini glass with a lime wedge, trying to make it look like everyone else’s drink. But it still felt obvious, and it was painful.
If we can make it easier for people to live the lives they want to live without giving up celebrations, special moments, concerts, parties, or social gatherings, that’s incredibly meaningful to me.
They shouldn’t have to skip the cocktail party. They shouldn’t have to avoid the concert. They shouldn’t have to opt out of life.
Living in Chicago as long as I have, it means a lot when our drinks become available in places I used to visit while drinking alcohol. When I make a delivery to a new account or see our products in one of those venues, I often think, “I used to come here all the time.”
Knowing that someone now has another option when they’re in that same space is deeply rewarding.
Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
An easy answer is the day we received our first production run.
I came home from the warehouse carrying actual cans and showed them to Shelby. Suddenly, this thing we had talked about for so long became real.
People talk all the time about things they want to do someday. “One day we’ll move to Scotland.” “One day we’ll start a business.” Those ideas are fun to discuss, but often they never happen.
There was a moment for Shelby and me when we had to ask ourselves whether this company was just going to be another thing we talked about doing or whether we were actually going to do it.
When those cans arrived, it became real.
We were doing it.
I still think about that moment all the time.
And honestly, Sean, when I look at many of the founders you’ve interviewed in this series, I feel incredibly early in the journey. I don’t even necessarily know how long they’ve been at it, but compared to them, I often feel small and inexperienced.
There’s still so much we need to learn.
But I know we’re on the path. I know we’re willing to learn. I know we’re willing to make mistakes. That feels like a pretty good place to start.
I also remember the first online order we received from someone we didn’t personally know. That was incredible.
Another memorable moment came when a friend called after hosting a party we weren’t even invited to. She told us that one of her guests—someone who had no idea she knew us—showed up with a four-pack of our drinks.
The person had been trying to drink less, walked into a bottle shop, saw our products, thought they looked interesting, and brought them to the barbecue so they’d have something enjoyable to drink.
That moment perfectly captured why we started this company.
It was exactly why we did it.
Our 3 Flavors
Today we offer three non-alcoholic cocktails, each inspired by a traditional alcohol-free recipe from somewhere around the world.
Every drink incorporates all five tastes—salty, sour, savory, bitter, and sweet. We like to say the Five Corners of the world are north, south, east, west, and home.
Our Salted Lemonade is inspired by Nimbu Pani from India. It features cumin, coriander, mineral-rich black salt, and a touch of pepper for heat.
Our Sangrita is inspired by Mexico. It combines citrus, chili powder, and tomato, creating a savory profile reminiscent of a Michelada or a spicy Bloody Mary.
Our newest release is Sparkling Pickleback, inspired by the beloved Midwestern barroom tradition. It features cucumber, authentic Midwestern pickle brine, and a touch of celery for a distinctly Chicago twist.
All three are sparkling, low in sugar, low in calories, and packed with flavor.
Piece of Advice
ou can do it.
I genuinely think that’s important for people to hear.
There are plenty of reasons to be afraid. There’s enormous risk involved. We’ve also been fortunate that Shelby has continued working while we build the business, and I never want to minimize how difficult entrepreneurship can be.
But acknowledging that difficulty is exactly why I believe people can do it.
People are capable of hard things.
If someone is reading this article with a burning desire to start a company, I’d bet they’re more capable than they think they are.
If it’s something you truly want to pursue, I encourage you to do it.
And if you ever want to send me an email or a DM on Instagram, I’d be happy to help however I can.
Promo Code
Purchase from their site, Five Corners Beverage Co, and use promo code below:
KLS10 -> 10% off!
Community Callout
Jimmy Semrick - Brella Beverage A really awesome guy who gave us a lot of early advice and connected us with others.
Joe Chura - Go Brewing Incredibly helpful, responsive guy that definitely helped us out early on with advice.
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Five Corners Beverage Co and Co-Founder, Benno Nelson, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!