‘Blank canvas’: Heaps Normal boss sparks cannabis conversation

According to Miller, the wellness benefits of CBD are in line with what Heaps Normal is trying to achieve.

“We want to think about Heaps Normal as a blank canvas, we want to see Heaps Normal not as this option driven by sobriety.

“It’s an option that really genuinely drives inclusive social experimentation, or different ways of relaxing and socialising together that don’t necessarily have to be alcohol.”

Miller believes the non-alcoholic beer company can advocate “without conflict” for alternatives to alcohol and what some substances have to offer if presented and used in the right way. Social conditioning and stigmas are things that can change, he added – just look at the growing acceptance of non-alcoholic products.

“Why do we have these social norms and these rituals and expectations, and what’s actually driving them?”

“We would certainly be interested in the future in developing products with some of these substances, given the wellness and wellbeing benefits associated with them.”

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While Australia has been inching closer to formally decriminalising cannabis, the reality is still a fair way off. The Legalise Cannabis party introduced draft bills last month in Victoria, NSW and Western Australia’s state parliaments on the same day. Cannabis has been legal for medical use since 2016, with a spate of online clinics making it easy to obtain a prescription. The demand is certainly there: medicinal cannabis use is booming and has surpassed 1 million prescriptions.

Manufacturers both domestically and abroad are eyeing our market closely. British cannabis products maker Dragonfly Biosciences recently signalled another attempt to list on the Australian stock exchange, which already lists roughly 20 cannabis companies.

Meanwhile, Miller said his team is continuing to push the boundaries of how non-alcoholic beer can be positioned in the market. Heaps Normal recently released a coffee stout, an alcohol-free dark beer brewed with Newcastle’s Floozy Coffee, aimed at blurring the lines between a morning coffee and happy hour.

“It challenges the assumption that beer is not for breakfast,” he said. “If you take the alcohol out, then there’s a whole kind of different way of looking at it as a beverage and all the occasions that it’s associated with.”

Closer to home, Miller is keen to show off the brand’s growth. Despite cost of living pressures, the company has seen revenue grow by 50 per cent in the past 12 months; Heaps Normal now accounts for roughly 40 per cent of all growth in the non-alcoholic beer category. Consumption of alcohol-free products has more than doubled during the pandemic, from 15 per cent in 2020 to 32 per cent in 2022.

But the beer brand, while valued at $63 million, is yet to turn a profit. “We’re really close to profitability. We’re anticipating being profitable in the next six months,” Miller said.

And in the chief executive’s new home city, there’s still a bit of work to do. The Thai brewing industry has been historically dominated by two major producers, Boon Rawd Brewery and Thai Beverages, with craft brewing regulation only loosening within the last 12 months.

“It’s still very early days in Thailand for the non-alcoholic beer market. It’s similar to what we saw in Australia a few years ago, where there’s a growing consumer demand, but there aren’t many options for non-alcoholic beer here at the moment.”

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