Milwaukee’s Eagle Park Brewing & Distilling has acquired the ready-to-drink brand SoulBoxer Cocktail Co., in a deal announced on March 30, 2026.
The acquisition marks a significant moment of consolidation and strategic expansion within Wisconsin's burgeoning beverage industry. By absorbing SoulBoxer, a brand known for its bartender-quality bottled cocktails, Eagle Park is making an aggressive and calculated push into the high-growth ready-to-drink (RTD) market. The immediate consequence of the deal is the launch of three of SoulBoxer’s classic cocktails in a new canned format, set to ship across Wisconsin starting April 2, signaling a clear strategy to meet consumer demand for convenience and portability.
What We Know So Far
- Eagle Park Brewing & Distilling has officially acquired SoulBoxer Cocktail Co., a Milwaukee-based brand founded in 2015. The deal was confirmed by multiple outlets, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- The acquisition was formally announced in a news release on March 30, 2026, as reported by industry publication Brewbound.
- As a direct result of the acquisition, three popular SoulBoxer products—the Brandy Old Fashioned, Bourbon Old Fashioned, and Lakehouse Lemonade—will be launched for the first time in cans. Distribution to retailers across Wisconsin is scheduled to begin on April 2.
- The two companies had a pre-existing business relationship. Eagle Park served as SoulBoxer’s co-packing partner prior to the sale, producing and packaging the cocktails at its large-scale production facility in Muskego, Wisconsin.
- According to a report from Bevnet.com, Eagle Park's vision for the SoulBoxer brand extends beyond traditional spirits, with plans to explore non-alcoholic and THC-infused beverage formats in the future.
History and Expansion of Eagle Park Brewing Co.
The acquisition of SoulBoxer Cocktail Co. is the latest chapter in a rapid growth story for Eagle Park Brewing & Distilling. Founded in 2017 by brothers Max and Jack Borgardt, Eagle Park quickly established itself as a prominent name in the competitive craft beer scene, known for its innovative hazy IPAs and experimental stouts. This strategic purchase represents a significant diversification of its portfolio, moving it firmly beyond beer and into the broader beverage landscape.
This isn't Eagle Park's first major acquisition. In 2022, the company purchased the assets of the long-standing Milwaukee Brewing Co., a move that substantially increased its production capacity and brand recognition within its home market. The transition from a co-packing partner to the outright owner of SoulBoxer appears to be a natural evolution of that growth strategy. Having already handled the production logistics for SoulBoxer at its Muskego facility, Eagle Park possesses an intimate understanding of the brand’s recipes and quality standards, ensuring a seamless transition and continuity for loyal customers. This pre-existing synergy de-risks the acquisition and allows for an immediate pivot toward expansion and innovation.
The company’s intentions were made clear in the announcement. "SoulBoxer has built an incredible reputation for quality and authenticity," an Eagle Park representative stated in the press release. "We see huge potential to bring that same craftsmanship into new formats and categories including canned cocktails, non-alcoholic canned cocktails, and THC-infused offerings, while staying true to what makes SoulBoxer special." This statement underscores a multi-pronged strategy: first, to capitalize on the massive consumer shift toward canned RTD cocktails, and second, to position the brand at the intersection of flavor and wellness by exploring non-alcoholic and cannabis-derived product lines. This forward-looking approach suggests Eagle Park is not just buying a cocktail brand, but a platform for future beverage innovation.
How This Acquisition Reflects RTD Market Consolidation
Eagle Park's purchase of SoulBoxer is a textbook example of the trends shaping the national ready-to-drink market: consolidation, premiumization, and diversification. The RTD category has exploded in recent years, moving from a niche segment to a dominant force in the alcohol industry. As the market matures, larger players with established production and distribution networks are increasingly acquiring smaller, authentic brands with dedicated followings. It is often faster and more effective to buy a brand with proven appeal than to build one from scratch, and this deal perfectly illustrates that dynamic.
SoulBoxer, founded in 2015 by bartenders Jason Neu and Doug MacKenzie, built its identity on "bartender-crafted classics," a concept that resonates deeply with consumers seeking premium, authentic cocktail experiences at home. According to Milwaukee Business Journal, the brand is particularly known for its Wisconsin-centric Brandy Old Fashioned. This focus on quality and craft aligns with the premiumization trend, where consumers are willing to pay more for higher-quality ingredients and sophisticated flavor profiles. By acquiring SoulBoxer, Eagle Park gains immediate credibility in the craft cocktail space, sidestepping the challenge of establishing a new spirits brand in a crowded field. The move to cans is also critical, as the format is synonymous with the convenience and "any occasion" accessibility that has fueled the RTD boom.
Furthermore, the planned expansion into non-alcoholic and THC-infused beverages shows a keen awareness of the blurring lines between traditional beverage categories. As a journalist covering this space, I've seen firsthand at trade shows and in market data how consumers are increasingly "sober curious" or seeking functional benefits from their drinks. The modern beverage portfolio is no longer siloed into beer, wine, and spirits. Eagle Park’s strategy reflects this new reality. By leveraging the SoulBoxer brand, they can venture into wellness-oriented categories like non-alcoholic spirits and mocktails, appealing to a completely different consumer segment while using the same brand equity. This diversification not only opens new revenue streams but also future-proofs the company against shifting consumer preferences away from traditional alcohol consumption.
What Happens Next
The immediate next step is the highly anticipated launch of SoulBoxer's canned cocktails on April 2. The initial rollout will focus on the Wisconsin market, and its success will be a critical test for the new ownership. Retail placement, consumer reception, and sales velocity in the first few months will likely determine the timeline for any potential expansion into neighboring states and beyond. The industry will be watching closely to see how a brand primarily known for its glass-bottled, premium-priced offerings translates to the more casual, high-volume canned format.
Eagle Park faces significant open questions regarding its non-alcoholic and THC-infused product lines. The announcement provided a vision, but no concrete timeline for their development. Non-alcoholic variants present challenges in formulation and flavor profiling, while THC-infused beverages must navigate a complex, state-specific regulatory landscape. Eagle Park will need to invest in research and development, alongside new compliance expertise, to successfully bring these concepts to market. Future announcements of pilot programs, test batches, or target launch dates will be key milestones.
The long-term integration of the SoulBoxer brand within the Eagle Park ecosystem is uncertain. Whether SoulBoxer operates as a distinct entity or intertwines with Eagle Park's branding will impact marketing, brand identity, and consumer perception. This acquisition positions Eagle Park as a formidable, diversified beverage company in the Midwest. Its multi-category strategy could serve as a blueprint for other craft breweries seeking to innovate and grow beyond the beer aisle.
