Robbie Williams Invests In Alcohol-Free Beer Brand
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2 hours ago
The teetotal singer is backing Aussie brand Heaps Normal
From Tom Holland to Blake Lively to Lewis Hamilton, numerous celebrities have tapped into the ever-growing alcohol-free drinks sphere in recent years. And now Robbie Williams is jumping aboard the trend, joining Australian non-alcoholic beer brand Heaps Normal as its ‘creative collaborator’.
Robbie Williams Joins Non-Alcoholic Beer brand Heaps Normal
Heaps Normal was founded in 2020 by friends Jordy Smith, Andy Miller and Ben Holdstock, after noticing that there were more and more people who didn’t necessarily identify as sober, but wanted to cut back on the booze. The team describe themselves as the ‘weirdos redefining normal for the better and celebrating people who do the same. We also make drinks, but we don’t care how much or how little you’re drinking, unless it’s water (yuck).’
The brand soft-launched in the UK this June, and its beers are now available in over 170 pubs and shops across the country, with plans for global expansion.
‘Teaming up with Heaps Normal is personal for me,’ said the singer. ‘I saw what they [Heaps Normal] were doing, creatively and culturally, when I was down in Australia, and I really wanted to get involved. I love the ethos of the Heaps brand, and I’m excited for what we’re going to achieve together around the world’.
Williams has been teetotal for more than 20 years, and is a vocal advocate for sobriety. He reflected on his alcohol addiction during his time in boy band Take That in a four-part documentary for Netflix, Robbie Williams: Raw. Honest. Real. ‘Everybody knew I was in trouble, but they didn’t care, I’d gone past the point of no return,’ he said. ‘My life had spiralled out of control so severely that my manager understood what needed to happen, I needed to be carted off to rehab.’
In a video on Instagram the singer revealed that he discovered Heaps Normal during his recent tour of Australia, and got in touch to tell the owners how much he loved the beers. This sparked the idea for a partnership – with Williams driven by a desire to get ‘back a new kind of normal’. As well as providing investment, Williams’ role will include developing creative campaigns and new product ideas.
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‘For a small, independent business, having Robbie advocating for us and spreading the Heaps Normal ethos to his community is wild,’ said Miller. ‘It’s a long way from the early days when we were getting laughed out of pubs, that’s for sure.’
The Heaps Normal range includes products like Quiet XPA, Half Day Hazy, Another Lager, Cheeky IPA and Jazz Stout. Although the beers contain a trace amount of alcohol due to the natural fermentation process, its website states that ‘you cannot become intoxicated’ after drinking it – it’s the same amount as you’ll find in foods like ripe bananas.
The brewery is also a B Corp, having secured certification in 2023. It has also launched initiatives in support of the Australian music industry, including a new platform focused around improving mental health in artists, focusing on breaking down the culture surrounding heavy drinking.
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, William joined Take That aged just 16, featuring on some of the band’s biggest tracks including ‘Back for Good’ and ‘Relight My Fire’. He ended up leaving in 1995 to address his alcohol addiction and mental health struggles. Reflecting on this period, he has described that he was ‘in the middle of a nervous breakdown, my first of many’.
In 1996, he began his rise to real stardom as a solo artist, kicking off with his debut album Life, which included songs like ‘Angels’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’, and scooping up numerous awards over the years including a record-breaking 18 BRITs.
Shop and find out more at heapsnormal.com
