discover the next wave of beverage formulation
We provide end-to-end beverage development for alcoholic and non-alcoholic markets, guiding products from initial concept through analysis to retail launch.
OUR industries.
Bad Ideas, LLC transforms beverage concepts into market-ready products for alcohol, spirits, sports, health, wellness, and non-alcohol functional beverage industries.
OUR services.
We offer end-to-end services from ideation to distribution, specializing in spirits, carbonated alcohol, hard seltzers, RTDs formulations, functional beverages, sports drinks, cold brew coffee, health drinks, and more. Our expertise covers flavor innovation, problem-solving, quality optimization, analytical testing, and market analysis, making us your ideal partner in bringing innovative beverages to market.
Whether you're looking to create a new line of flavored spirits or revolutionize the sports drink market, Bad Ideas, LLC has the expertise to guide your project from concept to shelf.
Beverage expertise.
Bad Ideas LLC specializes in unconventional beverage formulations all the way to beverage manufacturing, pushing the boundaries of flavor and ingredient combinations.
40+
Years of Combined CPG Expertise
100
Product Awards
40+
Products Launched
2 hr
Idea to Rapid Prototype
ABOUT BAD IDEAS, LLC.
At Bad Ideas, LLC, we pride ourselves on pushing the boundaries of beverage formulation across a diverse range of products. Our team is dedicated to creating unique and unforgettable drinking experiences for our clients and their consumers, whether we're crafting innovative alcohol spirits, developing cutting-edge sports drinks, or perfecting the latest hard seltzer recipes.
We blend expertise with agility to deliver exceptional beverages with unmatched speed, from complex liquor flavoring projects to refreshing water flavoring solutions. Our commitment to quality and efficiency sets us apart in the beverage industry, enabling us to excel in the rapidly evolving world of RTD beverages and carbonated spirits.
Through our innovative approach, we redefine what's possible in the world of beverages.
Whether we're experimenting with new flavoring techniques for traditional spirits or pioneering the next generation of functional sports drinks, Bad Ideas, LLC is at the forefront of beverage innovation, constantly pushing the envelope to create exciting new products that captivate consumers and drive market trends.
Our History.
Brian Makela started Formulated Ethanol Solutions LLC in 2019 after a storied career working for Campbell’s Soup Company, Nestle, Diageo (15 years), and Flavors of North America (now McCormick). After 20 years in corporate America, he created FES LLC to deliver exceptional product development and commercialization, delivering breakthrough innovation in the beverage RTD / RTS space:
-
Via Carota Craft Cocktails (regional) –> IG: @drinkviacarota
-
Bluebird Hardwater (national) –> IG: @bluebirdhardwater
-
Bahnbrecker (regional) –> IG: @bahnbrecker
-
Saltwater Woody (national) –> IG: @saltwaterwoody
-
Babam Wheaton (local) –> IG: @babam.wheaton
In 2022, Brian had the vision and hustle to scale FES LLC into a fully turn-key beverage innovation company Bad Ideas.
The Bad Ideas team takes an idea and turns it into reality faster than any other company in the beverage Industry.