BORG: Is this new Columbus hard beverage company the next national craze?

Step into any Columbus grocery store, and you’ll find an abundance of hard seltzers in probably any flavor you could imagine. The market for alcoholic seltzers may seem oversaturated, but Columbus’ newest addition, BORG Vodka Water, is disrupting the seltzer industry with their non-carbonated, canned adult beverages.

On June 20th, BORG Vodka Water mentioned on their Instagram that their cans containing just filtered water, vodka, and natural flavorings can now be purchased at Arena Wine & Spirits, located at 492 Armstrong St. They’ll soon be available at other Ohio stores, too, and their intention is to expand nationally.

Flavors include Raspberry, Peach Apple, Grape, and Lemon Lime. Each can is vegan, gluten free, and contains 6% alcohol. The company claims a can of BORG is a “perfect alternative to all the hard seltzers out there.”

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BORG Vodka Water collaborates with local company Heidelberg for all distribution, and their marketing photos on their social media all center around Columbus, specifically students at The Ohio State University drinking BORG and wearing BORG merchandise at frat parties.

This new company represents Columbus’ Gen Z at its core. The founders of BORG are all Columbus natives who are inspired by The Ohio State University’s campus life. “OSU may be the best test market for BORG — the vibrancy, the diversity, and free way of living in the OSU community exactly aligns with BORG’s message,” explained co-founder Fadi Michael.

College students have made the acronym “BORG” widely popular, which stands for BlackOut Rage Gallon. Students fill gallon sized jugs with water, vodka (usually), and then some type of sweetened hangover elixir, like Liquid I.V. or Pedialyte, and bring it to parties as their personal drink. BORG Vodka Water may appear to be inspired by this Gen Z trend, even including an illustration of a jug on their label, but according to Fadi Michael, BORG Vodka Water represents “a fresh, diverse, free lifestyle that brings out the best in all of us.”

While some of us may seem years past bringing jugs of alcohol to parties, a canned adult beverage with an intentional amount of water to keep us hydrated seems like something we could get behind. 

Want to read more? Check out our print publication, (614) Magazine. Learn where you can find a free copy of our new June issue here!

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