2022 Power 50: Ralph Crowley Jr.
Ralph D. Crowley Jr., president & CEO of Polar Beverages
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In standings alone, Polar Beverages is a defining force in Worcester. The 140-year-old company is Worcester’s second-largest manufacturer at 800 employees, and the largest independent bottling company in the United States, with 2,000 workers worldwide.
Its competitors are giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, but Ralph Crowley Jr. has unfalteringly pushed his family’s business forward, releasing seasonal flavors and partnering with Boston brewery Harpoon to launch hard seltzer Arctic Chill. The hard seltzer industry holds tremendous promise for Polar, as the industry surpassed $14 billion in February, a 17% annual increase in revenues.
Crowley is a part-owner of the Worcester Red Sox, and he was the first Worcester-based investor in the minor league baseball team after it announced in 2018 its plans to move from Pawtucket to the Canal District. As current WooSox ownership has openly discussed selling the team to a new entity, Crowley could play an important role in keeping a local connection in the WooSox owners’ box. Crowley also owns, with his four siblings, the Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in Princeton, giving him a vital role in three of Central Massachusetts’ biggest brand names.
What sets the Central Mass. business community apart from the rest of the world? Worcester is a very livable city. The best workforce we have anywhere in the country. The central location allows us to ship Polar products efficiently in the Northeast. That is the business aspects. There are a lot of social, cultural, and sports assets around Worcester, including the great skiing at Wachusett.
Ralph recommends: Polar Orange Dry and Grapefruit Seltzer are my favorites.
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