Improved Health, Weight Loss and Savings Prime Canadians' Appetites for Alcohol Alternatives Heading in to 2019

Survey finds 1 in 7 Canadian drinkers does so excessively and names their motivations for abstaining in the New Year

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 2, 2019) -  Improved health, weight loss and savings are chief among the reasons that more than 40% of Canadians are considering not drinking this month.

Respondents to a recent online survey that considered Canadians' drinking habits name these benefits as central to why they'd consider abstaining from alcohol: health reasons (50%), weight loss (40%), saving money (44%).

Other survey findings:

● One in seven Canadian drinkers meets the Center for Disease Control's definition of 'excessive drinker'

● 41% of Canadians are open to idea of abstaining from alcohol

● 1 in 5 are open to drinking non-alcoholic beverages to abstain from alcohol

● Millennials most likely to go alcohol-free

The results, released Wednesday, were compiled from a December 2018 survey of more than 1,475 randomly selected Canadians. They're considered accurate to within 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

These findings bolster an inclination more and more Canadians are having to curb their alcohol consumption - particularly after the holiday season, says David Pullara, CMO of a Toronto-based alcohol-free beer and wine producer, Hill Street Beverage Company.

"With Hill Street products, you can celebrate the New Year, while also honouring any resolutions and kick starting a habit of not drinking - or drinking less," he says.

In support of such goals, the company today launched its inaugural Hill Street Challenge.

Participants who abstain from alcohol for 30 days and share their intentions on social media, using the #HillStreetChallenge hashtag, can help one of Hill Street's charity partners - the Arthritis Society of Canada or Prostate Cancer Canada - win a $10,000 donation.

"Hill Street is excited to begin 2019 as the host of ever-expanding community for consumers interested in healthy living,"Pullara says.

Record Hill Street sales through 2018 confirm a global trend: the popularity of non-alcohol wines and beers is increasing worldwide. In November, Hill Street announced it had sold 1 million bottles of alcohol-free wine since the company's founding in 2008.

A Hill Street research paper, released in December 2018, outlines the negative health impacts of alcohol.

For additional survey results and to arrange an interview with Hill Street CMO David Pullara, please contact: Kevin Morrison, Felicity PR | [email protected] | (416) 856-9807

About Hill Street Beverage Company Inc. (TSXV: BEER)

Hill Street Beverage Company is the world's most award-winning company exclusively focused on alcohol-free beer, wine, and adult format beverages. Hill Street's great-tasting products include Hill Street Craft Brewed Lager, Designated Draft alcohol-free beer, Vin(Zero) wines, and Vintense wines, and have won numerous medals and accolades including three Gold, two Silver, and two Bronze Medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championships, the Retail Council of Canada's Grand Prix award, and a prestigious Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco International Wine Challenge. Hill Street will also produce and sell cannabis-infused adult beverages as soon as the sale of cannabis edibles becomes legal in Canada, expected to occur by October 17, 2019. Check out Hill Street's award-winning line-up and order product to be delivered straight to your home at www.hillstreetbeverages.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this press release may contain forward-looking information. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances, such as future availability of capital on favourable terms, may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by securities law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.