When Athletic Brewing needed to deliver 36,000 variety packs to Costco under a compressed timeline, they knew exactly who to call. Meyer’s second fulfillment project with the innovative non-alcoholic brewing company demonstrates how trusted partnerships deliver results when stakes are high and deadlines are non-negotiable.
Building on Success
Athletic Brewing’s decision to partner with Meyer again stems from their successful collaboration during the company’s 2022 move into their Milford facility. That project established Meyer as a reliable partner who understands the unique demands of beverage manufacturing and distribution—expertise that proved invaluable when Athletic faced their latest challenge.
The Challenge: Scale Meets Speed
Athletic Brewing needed to produce 36,000 variety packs combining their popular Free Wave IPA and Run Wild IPA for Costco distribution. The scope was substantial: 72,000 individual 12-packs totaling 864,000 cans of non-alcoholic beer. The complexity came from two critical constraints:
Space limitations at Athletic’s own facility meant they couldn’t accommodate the project’s warehousing and assembly requirements internally.
Tight turnaround times demanded by Costco’s distribution schedule required immediate action and flawless execution.
The Meyer Solution: Capacity Meets Capability
During a tour of Meyer’s Stratford warehouse, Athletic Brewing’s decision-makers saw firsthand that Meyer had both the physical space and operational expertise to handle their project. More importantly, their previous experience working with Meyer gave them confidence that the project would be completed on time, regardless of complexity.
Meyer’s integrated approach addressed every aspect of the fulfillment process:
Strategic Transportation Management: Over 10 days, Meyer’s transportation team orchestrated the movement of 18 trailer loads of incoming 12-packs while simultaneously delivering 18 loads of completed 24-pack variety cases back to Athletic’s warehouse.
Precision Assembly Operations: Meyer’s fulfillment team handled the intricate details that meet Costco’s exacting standards—using handheld printers to mark lot codes and best-by dates on each master carton, assembling and filling each variety pack, and sealing cartons with glue according to Costco’s specifications.
Quality-Focused Finishing: Each completed variety pack was carefully stacked in interlocking rows on pallets and wrapped for secure transportation, ensuring product integrity throughout the supply chain.
Execution That Delivers
The project required sustained intensity over two weeks, with no fewer than a dozen Meyer team members dedicated to the Athletic Brewing project daily. This level of resource commitment reflects Meyer’s understanding that partnership means stepping up when clients need comprehensive support.
The results speak to both the scale and precision of the operation: 864,000 individual cans processed, packed, and shipped to meet Costco’s timeline and specifications.
Partnership Built on Performance
Athletic Brewing’s return to Meyer for this critical Costco fulfillment project exemplifies how successful partnerships evolve. Their initial experience during the 2022 facility move established trust; this latest collaboration reinforces Meyer’s value as a partner who can scale operations quickly while maintaining quality standards.
For companies facing similar challenges—whether it’s space constraints, tight deadlines, or complex fulfillment requirements—Meyer’s work with Athletic Brewing demonstrates the difference that experienced fulfillment partnership makes. When the pressure is on and the stakes are high, having a partner who can deliver comprehensive solutions with proven reliability becomes invaluable.
As Athletic Brewing continues to grow and expand their market presence, their ongoing partnership with Meyer provides the operational flexibility and dependable execution that allows them to focus on what they do best: brewing exceptional non-alcoholic beer.
