Coldstream Clear Distillery
Coldstream Clear Distillery is a family-owned Nova Scotia craft distillery producing spirits, RTD coolers and beer, distributed across Canadian provincial liquor authorities, four company-owned retail stores and licensee channels, with its Chilly Pop brand holding the #1 RTD position in Atlantic Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersStewiacke, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Coldstream Clear Distillery does
Coldstream Clear Distillery is a family-owned craft distillery founded in 2015 in Coldstream, Nova Scotia, by the Giffen family. The company produces a portfolio spanning spirits, ready-to-drink (RTD) coolers and beer, with its flagship Chilly Pop brand achieving #1 RTD product status in Atlantic Canada in 2025 and best-selling RTD status in Nova Scotia. Production is centered at the Coldstream facility, and the portfolio has been extended into adjacent categories including Nova Scotia Lager (2023) to broaden the addressable consumer base.
The business operates a multi-channel Canadian go-to-market. Distribution flows through five provincial liquor authorities (NSLC in Nova Scotia, LCBO in Ontario, ANBL in New Brunswick, NLLiquor in Newfoundland and Labrador, Liquor PEI in Prince Edward Island), four company-owned retail locations in Nova Scotia, an e-commerce storefront, licensee/B2B partnerships and a planned grocery and convenience channel entry in summer 2026. The company has approximately 100+ team members and is geographically anchored in Atlantic Canada while expanding into Ontario via LCBO, with a province-wide Ontario launch of Chilly Pop scheduled for April 2026.
The revenue model is a hybrid of wholesale (provincial liquor authority and licensee/B2B), DTC retail (company-owned stores and e-commerce) and emerging grocery/convenience volume. Pricing follows standard Canadian beverage alcohol structures set within provincial liquor authority frameworks, with on-premise, grocery and DTC channels providing incremental margin layers. Geographic concentration remains weighted toward Atlantic Canada, which is the explicit rationale for the Ontario LCBO province-wide expansion and the broader push into grocery and convenience.
Coldstream Clear Distillery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coldstream Clear Distillery
- Legal name
- Coldstream Clear Distillery
- Website
- https://coldstreamclear.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Coldstream Clear Distillery is a family-owned Nova Scotia craft distillery producing spirits, RTD coolers and beer, distributed across Canadian provincial liquor authorities, four company-owned retail stores and licensee channels, with its Chilly Pop brand holding the #1 RTD position in Atlantic Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Coldstream Clear Distillery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Distilled Spirits & Ready-to-Drink Beverages
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Breweries (312120)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Malt Beverages (2082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Alcoholic Beverage Production (Canned Cocktails, Hard Seltzer) (AFAFAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic) (CRADAIAH), Cocktail Mixes & Alcoholic Beverage Bases (non-alcoholic mixers, RTD spirit bases) (AFAFAGAH), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)
Keywords
Where Coldstream Clear Distillery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stewiacke
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Coldstream Clear Distillery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Retail: Company operates four retail locations in Nova Scotia (Stewiacke, Antigonish, Dartmouth Crossing, Truro) where customers can purchase products directly. Also sells through e-commerce shop with online ordering and shipping.
- Provincial Liquor Distribution: Products sold through provincial liquor authorities including NSLC (Nova Scotia), LCBO (Ontario), ANBL (New Brunswick), NLLiquor (Newfoundland & Labrador), and Liquor PEI (Prince Edward Island).
- Grocery and Convenience Channels: Coldstream Chilly Pop expanding into grocery and convenience channels through summer 2026, complementing liquor store distribution.
- Licensee/B2B Sales: Products sold to bars and restaurants (licensees) with competitive pricing, agile delivery times, and marketing support.
- Event Bar Services: On-site and off-site bar services for private events including weddings, staff parties, and special occasions. Company provides customized menus, tastings, and pop-up retail locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chilly Pop Ready-to-Drink Cooler 4-pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cooler Flats (Holiday Pricing) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Beer 3x12-packs (Holiday Pricing) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Nova Scotia Lager |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Coldstream Clear Distillery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coldstream Clear Distillery produces and sells a portfolio of alcoholic beverages including ready-to-drink coolers (vodka sodas, gin sodas, vodka waters, iced teas, lemonades, and the Chilly Pop line), premium spirits (vodka, rum, gin, and flavored liqueurs), and beer (Nova Scotia Lager and Light). The company operates four retail locations in Nova Scotia and distributes products through provincial liquor authorities across Atlantic Canada and Ontario, with planned expansion into grocery and convenience channels.
Product overview
Coldstream Clear Distillery is a Nova Scotia-based family-owned beverage company offering a diverse portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The core product offerings include: (1) Coolers – a comprehensive line of ready-to-drink beverages spanning iced teas, sodas (vodka sodas, gin sodas), lemonades, vodka waters, and traditional coolers, including the popular Chilly Pop line (zero-sugar, 5% alcohol ice pop-inspired beverages); (2) Spirits – premium distilled spirits including gin, vodka, rum (dark, white, spiced, single barrel), and liqueurs (flavored varieties like salted caramel, peppermint pattie, holiday candy cane, coffee, coconut, apple pie), plus rum creams (coffee, cookies and cream, eggnog, gingerbread); (3) Beer – Nova Scotia Lager and Nova Scotia Light beers brewed with local ingredients. The company also offers gift sets for various occasions. Founded in 2015, Coldstream has grown to become the best-selling ready-to-drink brand in Nova Scotia, with distribution across Atlantic Canada and Ontario.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chilly Pop Ready-to-Drink Coolers A zero-sugar, 5% alcohol, lightly carbonated ready-to-drink cooler line inspired by classic ice pops, available in multiple flavors (Blue Blast, Red Rush, Wild White, Mixer). Targeted at adult consumers seeking premium low-sugar RTD beverages.
- Vodka Sodas & Gin Sodas Flavored vodka and gin soda coolers (Lime Vodka Soda, Cranberry Vodka Soda, Grape Vodka Soda, Peach Mango Vodka Soda, Raspberry Vodka Soda, Strawberry Kiwi Vodka Soda, Lemon Gin Soda, and mixer packs). For adult consumers seeking convenient mixed drinks.
- Iced Tea Coolers
- Lemonade Coolers
- Vodka Water Coolers
- Traditional Coolers
- Premium Vodka Premium quality unflavored vodka and flavored vodkas (Peach Vodka, Sour Cherry Lemonade Vodka, Twister Sour Berry Vodka, Vanilla Bean Vodka) for retail consumers and licensee partners.
- Rum Spirits Premium rums including Dark Rum, White Rum, Spiced Rum, and Single Barrel Rum, for retail consumers and licensee partners in bars and restaurants.
- Premium Gin
- Flavored Liqueurs Flavored liqueurs including Cinnamon Hot Shots, Classic Coffee, Crazy for Coconut, Homemade Apple Pie, Holiday Candy Cane, Peppermint Pattie, Salted Caramel. Targeted at retail consumers for home cocktail-making and gifting.
- Rum Creams
- Spirit Gift Sets
- Nova Scotia Lager A 355ml lager brewed using local ingredients and traditional techniques for retail consumers.
- Nova Scotia Light
- Private Event Bar Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Best-selling RTD brand in Nova Scotia
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Coldstream Clear Distillery
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Coldstream Clear Distillery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Coldstream Clear Distillery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves16 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Coldstream Clear Distillery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Moosehead Breweries: Atlantic Canada-headquartered brewery producing lagers and other beers distributed across Canadian provincial liquor boards; competes with Coldstream's Nova Scotia Lager in the regional beer category and shares similar Atlantic Canada retail and licensee channels.
- Bulwark Cider: Nova Scotia-based craft cider producer distributed across Atlantic Canada and selected provincial liquor boards; a fellow Nova Scotia craft beverage brand with overlapping regional distribution and similar production scale.
Broad incumbents
- Mark Anthony Brands (White Claw): Owner of White Claw, the dominant North American hard seltzer brand, and a portfolio of RTD and spirit brands; competes head-to-head with Coldstream Chilly Pop in the RTD/zero-sugar cooler category at the provincial liquor board and grocery level.
- Diageo Canada: Global spirits and RTD giant (Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray) operating in Canada through provincial liquor boards; broadly overlaps Coldstream's vodka, rum, gin, and pre-mixed cocktail categories and competes for the same shelf and licensee relationships.
- Pernod Ricard Canada: Global spirits and RTD major (Absolut, Jameson, Beefeater, Malibu) operating across Canadian provincial liquor boards; broadly competes with Coldstream across vodka, rum, gin, and pre-mixed categories and on licensee relationships.
Direct peers
- Nude Beverages: Canadian low-calorie, low-sugar canned vodka soda and sparkling cocktail brand; direct competitor to Coldstream's vodka water and vodka soda coolers with a comparable better-for-you positioning.
- Spirited Brands (Ace Beverage): Canadian producer of Ace cider and pre-mixed coolers distributed nationally through provincial liquor boards; similar multi-category craft beverage strategy competing for the same Atlantic Canada and Ontario shelf space.
- Cottage Springs Beverage Co. Canadian RTD cooler/sparkling water brand with similar vodka soda and iced tea product lines distributed nationally through provincial liquor boards; directly comparable in product format, channel strategy, and target consumer to Coldstream's Chilly Pop and vodka soda range.
- Sweetie Hard Iced Tea: Canadian hard iced tea brand distributed through provincial liquor boards and grocery channels; directly comparable to Coldstream's iced tea cooler range and competes in the same ready-to-drink flavored malt/spirit segment.
- Georgian Bay Spirit Co. Canadian craft distillery producing vodka, gin, and pre-mixed cocktails distributed through LCBO and other provincial boards; comparable craft-to-national growth trajectory and product overlap with Coldstream's spirits and cooler lines.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coldstream Clear Distillery social profiles
Digital presenceColdstream Clear Distillery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coldstream Clear Distillery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Coldstream Clear Distillery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coldstream Clear Distillery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coldstream Clear Distillery
What does Coldstream Clear Distillery do?
Coldstream Clear Distillery produces and sells a portfolio of alcoholic beverages including ready-to-drink coolers (vodka sodas, gin sodas, vodka waters, iced teas, lemonades, and the Chilly Pop line), premium spirits (vodka, rum, gin, and flavored liqueurs), and beer (Nova Scotia Lager and Light). The company operates four retail locations in Nova Scotia and distributes products through provincial liquor authorities across Atlantic Canada and Ontario, with planned expansion into grocery and convenience channels.
Is Coldstream Clear Distillery a public or private company?
Coldstream Clear Distillery is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Coldstream Clear Distillery founded?
Coldstream Clear Distillery was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Coldstream Clear Distillery based?
Coldstream Clear Distillery is headquartered in Stewiacke, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Coldstream Clear Distillery make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Retail is the primary driver. The others are provincial Liquor Distribution, grocery and Convenience Channels, licensee/B2B Sales and event Bar Services.
Who are Coldstream Clear Distillery's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Moosehead Breweries and Bulwark Cider. Broad incumbents are Mark Anthony Brands (White Claw), Diageo Canada and Pernod Ricard Canada. Direct peers are Nude Beverages, Spirited Brands (Ace Beverage), Cottage Springs Beverage Co., Sweetie Hard Iced Tea and Georgian Bay Spirit Co..
Does Coldstream Clear Distillery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coldstream Clear Distillery.
What industry is Coldstream Clear Distillery in?
Coldstream Clear Distillery's product category is Distilled Spirits & Ready-to-Drink Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAE, Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Alcoholic Beverage Production (Canned Cocktails, Hard Seltzer), with a secondary code of CRADAIAH, Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic). Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.