With March being Food Month here at TechRound, we wanted to feature some up-and-coming companies set to make headway within their sector in 2022. With the impacts of the pandemic still prevalent for so many businesses and startups, it’s more important than ever to recognise the companies bringing new and innovative ideas to the table. We’ve already brought you Health Food & Drink, CBD, Sweet Treats, Meat Alternatives, Alcohol, Vegan Snacks and Food Subscription & Delivery Services – check them out!
From Sea & Ts and botanical beverages, to mocktails that taste like the real thing, these companies all have a unique offering that the team at TechRound wants to showcase!
No & Low Alcohol Companies Included:
- Mocktails, founded by Bill Gamelli
- ZeroZilchZip, founded by Tim Pethick
- Bemuse Drinks, founded by Anna Chalov & Nataliya Peretrutova
- Saicho, founded by Charlie Winkworth-Smith & Natalie Chiu
- Endorphin Dealer Institute, founded by Jean-Éric Vergne & Alexander Jakobi
- Feragaia, founded by Jamie Wild & Bill Garnock
- Drynks Unlimited, founded by Richard Clark
- Sea Arch Drinks, founded by Sarah & Geoff Yates
- Hipster Hamper Co., Founded by Sian Thomas
For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.
Mocktails
Website: www.drinkmocktails.co.uk
Founder: Bill Gamelli
Mocktails™, the award-winning, alcohol-free, ready-to-drink cocktail brand, was founded by Bill Gamelli and launched in the UK in 2018 – but the brand has had a very exciting start to 2022 with a new product launch, award wins, and the announcement of a three year partnership with Alcohol Change UK as The Official Cocktails of Dry January.
Mocktails produces a range of four alcohol-free cocktails: Mockarita, Mockapolitan, Mockscow Mule and Sansgria. The talented team behind the brand has made it its mission to scour the world for the most flavourful fruits and flowers at the peak of each season in order to create these perfectly balanced, premium drinks. As well as their great taste, Mocktails are also 100% natural, sustainable, and ethically sourced. They are also vegan, gluten-free and low in sugar and calories. They’re designed to be served with as much care as you would do a classic cocktail, shaken with ice, in proper glassware.
Until the beginning of 2022, Mocktails were available in 200ml bottles only, but January saw the launch of the new 200ml nitro-charged slim cans – a world’s first in the non-alcoholic drinks market. These cans are non carbonated but contain a clever widget that allows nitrogen bubbles to be released on opening, which disrupt the molecular structure of the drink and help to create a light foam, much like the effect achieved after a cocktail shake.
The Mocktails cans have already been awarded medals for each of the four flavours in this year’s The Spirits Business Low & No Masters – It’s the second year that Mocktails™ has taken home medals, with the previous year recognising the flavour profiles in the bottles.
Mocktails 200ml bottles and nitro-charged cans are available to purchase now from www.drinkmocktails.co.uk
ZeroZilchZip
Website: https://zerozilchzip.co.uk/
Founder: Tim Pethick
Founded in December 2021, ZeroZilchZip seeks to address the problems in the alcohol-free drinks market: there’s too much choice and not a lot of it is good.
With a growing shift to mindful drinking as people start to prioritise their mental and physical health, the first port of call for alcohol-free drinks is often the supermarket. But too often supermarket stock is based on profit and existing brand partnerships rather than taste.
Online shopping can be even more of a shot in the dark, so ZZZ was set up to be the guiding light. The world’s first (and only) Zerologists have tried hundreds of products, to take the guesswork out of alcohol-free. Curating a handpicked collection of just 62, featuring beers, wines, ciders, spirit alternatives and kombucha. With taste explanations, pairing suggestions, and even interesting facts about the brewers – because finding the perfect drink should be simple.
ZeroZilchZip demystifies the world of alcohol-free, explaining how the process works (and why it’s sometimes more expensive!); that bread does in fact have a higher ABV than many non-alcoholic drinks, and all the weird and wonderful benefits of an AF lifestyle: improved hearing, anyone?
ZeroZilchZip is an inclusive movement. It’s not about sobriety or religion. It’s about the choice to prioritise your health being easy rather than overwhelming. It’s about not feeling like an outsider in social situations. And most importantly, it’s about delicious alcohol-free drinks.
Bemuse Drinks
Website: https://www.bemusedrinks.com/
Founders: Anna Chalov & Nataliya Peretrutova
Bemuse launched a range of four sophisticated full-flavoured, sparkling low-alcohol craft meads in June 2021 with a vision for people to ‘Bee inspired to drink differently.
The brand has revived mead – an ancient honey-based drink that people may have heard of but don’t necessarily know much about – and presented it in a modern and appealing way. Bemuse meads provide an enjoyable sparkling, low-alcohol drink that is also low in sugar for a contemporary audience and also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the country’s dwindling bee population, our climate and environment.
Made from natural ingredients, Bemuse is the only product of its kind, therefore creating a new drinks category through innovation. The range provides a complex, great tasting, unique drink experience that is a refreshing alternative to low-alcohol wine, cider or beer.
Founders Anna Chalov and Nataliya Peretrutova had an ambition to make mead a drink for a contemporary audience by creating an inclusive product that appealed to everyone. Unusual tastes, such as tarragon and cardamom, are paired with the more familiar to construct a universal range that generates appeal driven by personality not age, gender or other profile characteristics.
A key brand objective is to play an active part in driving change in society; a change towards more inclusivity and choice that empowers consumers to take control of their lifestyle. Bemuse mead supports a healthy lifestyle, but also helps the environment so consumers can achieve inner balance and know that they are making a positive contribution to the natural world.
Bemuse has received recognition through a series of awards successes, been sampled at many events and created a loyal customer base. A European export agreement has already been signed with others in negotiation for worldwide distribution, so is certainly one to watch in 2022.
For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.
Saicho
Website: https://www.saichodrinks.com/
Founders: Charlie Winkworth-Smith & Natalie Chiu
Luxurious sparkling tea brand, Saicho, has launched their most exclusive Eight Immortals (£32.99/750ml) edition, available now. As the first tea in Saicho’s latest Rare Tea Collection, the new sparkling tea pays homage to the legendary Eight Immortals, revered in Chinese art and literature spanning back to the Ming dynasty, lending itself perfectly to gifting and toasts for memorable occasions. Like the brand’s three signature flavours, the new release displays Saicho’s unparalleled flavour which elevates every dining and drinking occasion without the need for alcohol.
This new launch features the world-famous Dan Cong Oolong Tea – with its namesake deriving from the ancient Daoist parable – grown 1000 metres above sea-level in Tian Liao village, atop Phoenix Mountain in Guangdong province. The surrounding rocky terrain, foggy climate, mineral-rich soil, the decades-old towering trees on which they grow, as well as the painstaking harvesting process lend the tea its unparalleled flavour complexity.
A true labour of love, from harvesting, withering, roasting, rolling to packaging, every step is meticulously overseen by a qualified tea master to ensure this world-famous tea maintains its unmistakable fragrance and complexity.
On the nose, the tea boasts notes of nectarine, ginger, sweet baking spices and confit peach with an underlying earthiness. The palate reveals further flavours of ginger, mango, tangerine, marigold and cantaloupe melon. A bitterness, reminiscent of blood orange, is followed by herbal characters of anise, fennel and tarragon. The tea’s subtle savouriness and lightly tannic finish make it ideal for pairing with soft cheeses.
Saicho’s non-alcoholic sparkling teas are a perfect drink to toast with family. With only 400 bottles available in the United Kingdom, the Eight Immortals edition, along with Saicho’s three signature flavours – Darjeeling, Hojicha and Jasmine – can be purchased from Saicho’s website and select stockists.
Endorphin Dealer Institute
Website: https://edispirits.com/
Founders: Jean-Éric Vergne & Alexander Jakobi
Jean-Éric Vergne is a two-time Formula E champion & Alexander Jakobi is a sports visionary and entrepreneur.
“A conversation by a pool in sunny Santiago started everything; we asked ourselves, why is it that if you want a drink to give you a bit of a release, you need alcohol? Surely, we could find some form of drink that can help us relax but also fit with our healthy lifestyles and remain sharp for the race ahead?”
“We realised we need a new kind of spirit. As we were both involved in Formula E, we’d seen first-hand how racing without petrol can break conventions. Therefore, we knew it’s possible to disrupt and create enjoyment without the negative effects of alcohol.”
“A new drink, in harmony with our wellbeing – this is how our race began! We needed a great team; a Master Blender supported by a global team of liquid developers and innovators set to work crafting and breaking boundaries.”
“We were on a quest for the ultimate new drinking experience. After months of hard work, we established the Endorphin Dealer Institute in January 2020, to produce endorphin-led alternatives to alcohol.”
“Our signature release, Spirited Euphoria, is distilled from real hemp, andtriggers feelings of pleasure, without the downsides of alcohol.It won’t intoxicate you, but will help you unwind after a busy day.All thanks to its molecular blend of naturally uplifting active ingredients, including hemp, CBD, nootropics and adaptogens.Don’t be afraid to enjoy Spirited Euphoriamost evenings. You’ll slowly build up the endorphin-boosting effects of our ‘nootranical’ blend in your body. There’s no morning after, and everyone experiences it their own way.We call it the Edi Effect. We think you’ll like it.”
Feragaia
Website: https://feragaia.com/
Founders: Jamie Wild & Bill Garnock
True to its name, meaning “Wild Earth” in Latin and Greek, Feragaia is a small batch alcohol-free sprit that is distilled using age-old techniques in the far reaches of the Scottish Lowlands. Amber in colour with a winey, vermouth-type quality, Feragaia is inspired by windswept coastlines and brings together 14 land and sea botanicals.
Based in Fife, Scotland, Feragaia was founded in 2019 by Jamie Wild (ex Pernod Ricard) and Bill Garnock (ex Edrington Americas). Their vision was to challenge negative preconceptions around alcohol-free drinks. with a truly authentic and confident alcohol-free spirit. Strong values around community, earth’s wild places and local sourcing sit at the heart of Feragaia’s unique distillation process. The result is a category-defining depth of flavour, a wild expression of Land – Sea – Spice that comes from the 14 carefully selected land & sea botanicals.
In the last two years distribution has grown to 350 off and on trade outlets across the UK, including Harrods, Daylesford, The Dorchester and Ocado with strong DTC sales via feragaia.com building quickly during the pandemic. Feragaia is internationally available in Canada and Australia with further markets coming online this year
Feragaia has also recently announced its new B Corporation accreditation gaining recognition for its dedication to pursuing profit with integrity. The B Corp accreditation is a true reflection of this purpose-driven brand in its continuing aim to nurture the wellbeing of the internal and external communities it serves. Addressing concerns of both people and planet, Feragaia inspires its drinkers to reconnect, respect and read further into the earth and its resources with every sip.
How to drink Feragaia
- Feragaia’s versatile taste works whether mixing at home or creating cocktails behind the bar.
- Feragaia Earth Serve – 50ml Feragaia, mixed with ginger ale and garnished with a slice lime
- Feragaia Bramble – 50ml Feragaia, 4 Muddled blackberries, 15ml Lemon, topped with ginger ale and garnished with 2 blackberries
For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.
Drynks Unlimited
Website: https://drynks.store/
Founder: Richard Clark
Drynks Unlimited is a British alcohol-free brand which produces Smashed, the UK’s only range of 0% beer, lagers and ciders. The business was founded in 2017 by ex-Halewood marketing director and drinks industry expert, Richard Clark.
Determined to carve a space in the market for an innovative alcohol free drink that makes flexing your drinking all the more easy, the business has invested over £1 million into a pioneering alcohol free brewery in Manchester.
It is this which sets its Smashed range apart from its competitors; it is the only British drinks business that have invested in this state-of-the-art cool vacuumed distillation plant which gently removes alcohol from fully alcoholic (around 5% abv) British craft beer, lager and ciders. Beginning life as real alcoholic drinks, this process gently lifts out the alcohol whilst making sure all the flavours and aromas are kept locked in. Treating its drinks with respect throughout the whole distillery process is what results in such a delicious multi-award winning product.
Drynks has won numerous awards for its range; its Smashed Apple Cider won gold supreme champion at World Cider Awards 2021 and gold in the International Beer and Cider 2021 challenge, along with winning a Product of the Year Award for its Smashed Pale ale in 2021 and Smasher Berry Cider in 2022.
Drynks stand for being ethical, authentic and natural. Leading the way with a range of products that support the movement to rethink our drinking; its collection of alcohol-free drinks are so good that drinkers forget that they aren’t even drinking the hard stuff.
Its first alcohol-free brand, Smashed, has five drinks in its portfolio; Smashed Lager, Smashed Apple Cider, Smashed Citrus, Smashed Berry Cider and Smashed Pale Ale are available in 300ml bottles and cans for both the on and off trade. All Smashed drinks are vegan, gluten free (where possible) and contain less than 100 calories per 330ml.
Smashed is available in selected Sainsbury’s stores (Smashed Lager and Smashed Pale ale 4 pack box) and the full range is in Booths supermarket. It is also available online at www.drynks.co.uk, Amazon, Zeroholic.co.uk, Drydrinker.com, and a range of local independent retailers, restaurants and bars across the UK.
Sea Arch Drinks
Website: https://seaarchdrinks.com/
Founders: Sarah and Geoff Yates
Sea Arch Drinks was founded in 2018 by Sarah and Geoff Yates following their quest to find a sippable, sessionable drink that was alcohol-free but still felt like a ‘grown-up’ treat.
Bursting with seaside botanicals, their Sea Arch Coastal Juniper blend is made using hand-harvested sugar kelp and samphire, both of which are native to the South Devon coastline where Sarah and Geoff live. These are distilled alongside nine other all-natural botanicals to include juniper, cardamom, coriander and blood orange to create a deliciously crisp, complex non-alcoholic spirit.
Sea Arch is not only alcohol-free but it is also free from sugar, sweeteners and calories, contains none of the top 14 allergens and is vegan friendly too.
Perfect served over ice as a refreshing Sea & T with a squeeze of citrus and a premium tonic, or in a range of non-alcoholic cocktails, Sea Arch is ideal for those wanting to make healthier choices without compromising on taste or experience.
In addition, their Sea & T RTD cans, pre-mixed with tonic, offer a refreshing alcohol-free alternative to a G & T that you can simply snap open and serve, making them ideal for parties, picnics and those lazier days.
Living by the sea, Sarah and Geoff are enormously aware of the importance of protecting the natural world. They have built sustainable practices into their business to make sure it has the lowest possible impact on the environment. They never use single-use plastic and their eco-friendly packaging is all recyclable or compostable. They use recycled cardboard for their boxes and even the paint on their beautiful marine blue bottles is solvent free.
A sophisticated alternative for days when people don’t want to drink alcohol, Sea Arch is the perfect mindful tipple and definitely one to watch in 2022.
Hipster Hamper Co.
Website: https://www.hipsterhamperco.com/
Founder: Sian Thomas
Hipster Hamper was born in lockdown and since now supplies UK with the best new alternative hampers! With supporting 45+ suppliers through Hipster Hamper, it looks to bring Hipster brands to the masses. Along with craft beer and coffee, Hipster Hamper specialises in vegan and zero ABV products. They have a great range of zero alcohol cocktails, CBD drinks and Kombucha.
“I’ve always had a passion for food; some of my earliest memories are visiting Surrey Street Market in Croydon with my Grandpa on a Saturday morning, taking in the smells, the towering mounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, wandering between the stalls and getting lost in the buzz of the busy market – I loved it!” said founder Sian.
“It was always clear I was going to have a career in the food and beverage industry and with over a decade of experience working in bars, cafes, restaurants, breweries, markets and pop-ups all over the world, it’s safe to say I’ve just about done it all!” continued Sian.
“Over the years I’ve developed a keen eye for spotting upcoming trends and discovering exciting new brands. I’ve got to work with some amazing suppliers – watching them grow and bag some well deserved Great Taste awards along the way – and I always wanted to find a way to combine my passion and experience while championing the very best independent food and drink brands. In the midst of lockdown, I decided to do just that, and thus, Hipster Hamper was born!“
“We’re passionate about who we work with and all our partners have been handpicked for their business values, their focus on environmental impact and because they deliver the very best high-quality products (it helps they’re all lovely people too!). You know you’re getting the very best when you order with us.“
“We believe in giving back to an industry that brings so much joy to others, which is why we’re proud to support the charity Hospitality Action, with 5% of our profits going to their Invisible Chips campaign.“
For any questions, comments or features, please contact us directly.
