CARLINVILLE – There’s a new vodka soda brand on the market, and its founders are proud to start up in their local hometown.
Greenhead, a premium vodka soda brand, got its start in Carlinville with business partner Josh Carnduff and Alec Benting. The drinks have a “clean, crisp taste” with no artificial sweeteners, and they’re inspired by Carnduff and Benting’s shared love for the outdoors. As the brand gains popularity, Carnduff said they hope to give back and spread the word about their new product.
“We’re big into the community. We really try to put that human aspect into it,” he said. “We’re just a couple of normal guys who wanted to do something a little different and wanted to really show that, hey, if you have a thought process and you want to put in the time and effort, then you can develop something that people really enjoy.”
The two Greenhead flavors are lemon lime and blackberry, with plans to introduce a third in the next few months.
Carnduff noted that, with no artificial sweeteners, there’s no “TV static aftertaste” or headache that people might experience when drinking other seltzers. It’s important to him that they use premium ingredients.
“It’s all because we have a good liquid,” he said. “Let’s be honest. We’re not just throwing junk in a can. We’ve got a good liquid that people like to drink and like to taste.”
Greenhead, named after a greenhead mallard duck, also has an aesthetic attached to it. Carnduff loves the outdoors, and the brand pays homage to this. While it’s marketed towards everyone, it has been especially popular among outdoorsy men who want to try something new.
“Here’s the thing about Greenhead. It’s a beverage company, yes, but we also want to project a little bit of a lifestyle,” Carnduff said. “It’s not just something you drink. It’s kind of bringing that outdoor lifestyle back. Hey, we’re going to own being outdoors guys, being out and about, whether it’s camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, anything like that. It’s kind of like an outdoor type of brand.”
The Greenhead drinks can be found in 60–80 stores across the Metro East, including local Schnucks stores and Top Shelf Liquor in Godfrey and Effingham. To see where Greenhead is available in your area, click here.
Carnduff noted his excitement to expand, but he is glad they are starting in his hometown. He likes the idea of “own[ing] your zip code.”
As part of that, he also wants to give back to the Metro East community. Now living in St. Louis, Carnduff grew up in Carlinville, and he recently helped establish the Carlinville chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. As the brand expands, he wants to do more to help the region.
“One of my biggest things in life, and you could talk to anyone who knows me, is putting the human in humanity. That’s a big part of what we want to do,” he explained. “With expansion also comes being able to give back a little and being more involved with some giving back. To be perfectly transparent, that was a big reason why Alec and I started this. We wanted to really focus on being able to give back in different aspects.”
Greenhead will continue to grow, and Carnduff hopes many people enjoy the drinks. You can learn more about Greenhead at their official website at GreenheadUSA.com or their official Facebook page.
“What I tell people is, I appreciate you even trying it,” Carnduff added. “Being a small brand, no one is going to know about it unless we get people trying it. So all I can ask is that you do.”
