Lululemon Beer: Where To Buy And What To Know

Lululemon, the wildly popular athleisure company best known for its yoga pants, has entered the craft beer market with a limited-edition run of 80,000-88,000 cans of Curiosity Lager. The beer was brewed in partnership with Vancouver-based Stanley Park Brewing and sold in liquor stores in British Columbia, Canada, and at the brand's Seawheeze Half Marathon's after-party, the Sunset Festival. The launch of the beer was part of Lululemon's strategy to appeal to more male consumers, although the company faced some criticism for the campaign, with some deeming it culturally insensitive. The beer received mixed reviews, with some drinkers describing it as light, hoppy, and lemony, while others dismissed it as bacterial garbage. Following the launch of Curiosity Lager, Lululemon released another beer in 2016, called Courageous Blonde.

Lululemon's Curiosity Lager

The can design, by illustrator Karston Smith, features a cartoon whale leaping out of the water, with a colourful polka dot background. The design was deemed by some to be more feminine than masculine, with the inclusion of a cartoon totem pole considered culturally insensitive by some Twitter and Instagram users.

The lager itself is described by beer expert Lucy Burningham as "beautifully yellow" with a "white, foamy head". It has a floral, grainy aroma and a crisp, fresh taste with a hint of lemon. Highly carbonated and light-bodied, Burningham characterises it as a refreshing post-workout beer. With an ABV of 4.6%, it falls into the "session" category, meaning it's light enough to have a few without losing your coherence.

The limited-release lager was sold only in select Canadian liquor stores and was not available in the US. The company hinted at more beverages to come, suggesting that the Curiosity Lager may be the first of many alcoholic ventures for the brand.

Lululemon's limited-edition run of 88,000 cans

Lululemon, the yoga pants retailer, has entered the craft beer market with a limited-edition run of 88,000 cans of Curiosity Lager. The beer is a product of a partnership with Vancouver-based company, Stanley Park Brewing. The cans were sold in liquor stores in British Columbia and at the Sunset Festival, the after-party for Lululemon's annual SeaWheeze half-marathon event. The event was held in Vancouver on 15 August, and the cans were also available at the on-site beer garden.

The beer is described as a "crisp, bold session lager" with a "citrus hop nose" and 4.6% alcohol by volume. It is said to be highly carbonated with a light body, a refreshing taste, and a hint of lemon. The cans feature a colourful, cartoon-style design by illustrator Karston Smith, inspired by Vancouver and Stanley Park, where the SeaWheeze event takes place.

The partnership between Lululemon and Stanley Park Brewing is not the first of its kind. The two companies previously collaborated to create a wheat beer for the Sunset Festival in 2014. Lululemon's foray into the craft beer market is seen as a strategy to appeal to more male consumers, although the company has stated that the focus is on bringing the SeaWheeze event mantra—yoga.run.party—to life. Partial proceeds from the sales of the beer went to the Stanley Park Ecology Society.

Lululemon's partnership with Stanley Park Brewing

Lululemon partnered with Vancouver-based company Stanley Park Brewing to create a limited-edition beer called "Curiosity Lager." The lager was brewed in partnership with the Vancouver-based company as part of Lululemon's attempt to attract more male consumers. The beer was available in a limited run of 80,000 to 88,000 cans and was sold in liquor stores in British Columbia and Alberta, as well as at the Sunset Festival, the after-party for Lululemon's annual "SeaWheeze" half-marathon event held in Vancouver.

The Curiosity Lager is a craft lager with 4.6% alcohol by volume (ABV), which classifies it as a session beer. It is made with chinook and lemon drop hops, giving it a crisp taste with slight bitterness. The can design features cityscape illustrations by Karston Smith, inspired by Vancouver and Stanley Park, where the SeaWheeze event takes place.

The partnership between Lululemon and Stanley Park Brewing began when the brewery approached Lululemon with the idea of creating a new beer to celebrate their ongoing collaboration at the SeaWheeze Half Marathon. Stanley Park Brewing had previously crafted a special Strawberry Wit Beer for the event in 2014. The result of their collaboration, the Curiosity Lager, was intended to be a crisp, refreshing lager with a hint of something different—in this case, the Lemondrop hop, providing a unique lemon-citrus character.

The focus of the partnership was to bring the SeaWheeze event mantra of "yoga.run.party." to life and to celebrate and support the Sunset Festival location through partial sale proceeds going to the Stanley Park Ecology Society. The partnership also aimed to create a unique and different product for consumers by bringing together the respective expertise of both brands.

Lululemon's target consumers

Lululemon has a history of marketing primarily to women, with its signature yoga pants and other athletic apparel. The company has had a hit-or-miss relationship with male consumers, with men generally disliking their recent incarnation of underwear but loving the company's signature ABC (anti-ball crushing) pants. By releasing a beer, Lululemon is attempting to tap into a more male-dominated market and expand its customer base.

The company's press representative stated that the focus of the beer collaboration was to "bring the SeaWheeze event mantra—yoga.run.party.—to life" and that partial sale proceeds would go to the Stanley Park Ecology Society. The beer was sold at the SeaWheeze half-marathon, an annual event hosted by Lululemon, and at the post-race Sunset Festival. The limited-edition run of 80,000-88,000 cans was also available in liquor stores in British Columbia.

The target consumers for this beer are likely those who participate in the SeaWheeze event, which includes both men and women, and those who are health-conscious but also enjoy a post-workout drink. The light and refreshing nature of the beer, as described by Burningham, aligns with Lululemon's target market of health-conscious individuals. The low alcohol content and crisp, refreshing taste make it a good option for those who want to unwind after a yoga class or workout without consuming a heavy, high-calorie drink.

In conclusion, Lululemon's target consumers for their craft beer are likely health-conscious individuals who participate in the SeaWheeze event and are looking for a refreshing, post-workout drink. The company's attempt to attract more male consumers by releasing a beer shows their desire to expand their customer base and tap into a new market.

Lululemon's attempt to attract more male consumers

Lululemon, the iconic women's yogawear brand, has identified menswear as a potentially huge growth lever. The company has realized that just adding new store locations is not a sustainable growth strategy, and so it has begun to target male shoppers, attempting to tap into two of the largest growth segments in apparel: activewear and menswear.

Lululemon's first line of men's wear, introduced in 2014, had a lot of people scratching their heads. At the time, the brand was seen as very pro-female, and this was considered intimidating to men. However, pivoting to the men's athletic market was a logical step as its core women's market was starting to plateau.

Lululemon has since attempted to attract more male consumers with its ABC line of pants and men's underwear, as well as with freestanding menswear stores. The company has also recruited "manly men" to champion its products through its number one marketing tool, the Ambassador Program. In addition, Lululemon has signed a lease for a location in SoHo for its first men's-only store.

The retailer is also attempting to break down the barriers of its feminine image through rebranding and repositioning. This includes showcasing the positive experiences of male consumers with their products in advertisements, promotional materials, and on social media platforms, emphasizing their health and vitality. Collaborations with male sports stars, athletes, or fitness trainers can also increase male consumers' identification with the brand.

Lululemon has faced challenges in its attempt to attract more male consumers, including its lack of male-specific product designs and limited size options. The company's product designs mostly reflect female consumers' aesthetic preferences, emphasizing softness, skin-friendly materials, and narrow fits. This fails to fully resonate with male consumers' preferences and needs. In addition, the color palettes chosen by Lululemon tend to lean towards bright, soft, and feminine tones, which may be perceived as too flashy or lacking in masculinity by male consumers.

Despite these challenges, Lululemon's menswear business is on track. In 2016, the company announced plans for the men's business: $1 billion by 2020. By the end of 2018, it reported $671 million for men's. With third-quarter 2019 completed, the company announced that men's revenues were up 38%.

Lululemon's challenge in menswear is to connect with men beyond its urban, metrosexual base to a wider audience. The brand must move away from the feminine associations tied to it and unlock the influence that women have on the men in their lives.

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