Benno Nelson is the Co-founder of Five Corners Beverage Co., a Chicago-based company that crafts unique, globally inspired non-alcoholic beverages. Five Corners is available on about 75-80 shelves across Chicago and is known for bold flavors such as Salted Lemonade, Sangrita, and Pickleback. Benno's background spans theater and tech, and along with his wife and co-founder Shelby, he brings a passion for cultural storytelling and community-building to the beverage world. Their mission is to celebrate global drink traditions and provide complex, satisfying non-alcoholic options for curious and discerning palates.

In this episode…

Non-alcoholic drinks are no longer just an alternative for people avoiding alcohol. They can carry ritual, complexity, culture, and a sense of occasion when crafted with intention. So what does it take to build a beverage that feels just as satisfying as a cocktail without trying to imitate one?

The answer starts with treating non-alcoholic beverages as their own rich category, not a compromise. Benno Nelson, a beverage founder focused on globally inspired non-alcoholic drinks, shares how flavor, story, and specificity can create a more meaningful drinking experience. He explains that Five Corners was built around drinking traditions from "north, south, east, west, and home," with each flavor inspired by real beverages from around the world rather than focus-grouped sameness. That perspective turns a can into more than a drink, inviting people to experience culture, texture, aroma, and ritual without needing alcohol.

On this episode of the Firebelly Social Show, Duncan Alney talks with Benno Nelson, Co-founder of Five Corners Beverage Co., about building a non-alcoholic beverage brand rooted in global drinking traditions. They discuss the meaning behind Five Corners, creating complex drinks with a cocktail-like pace, and growing intentionally in Chicago. Benno also talks about storytelling, community, and working with his wife and co-founder, Shelby.