Top 10 Non-Alcoholic Beverage Startups

There are plenty of reasons why people choose to abstain from alcohol while socialising. Some people do it for health reasons – whether they’re struggling with addiction or are going through a pregnancy – while others may be driving or wanting to feel fresh the next morning. Of course, it’s also totally plausible that some people just don’t enjoy drinking alcohol.

Whatever the reasons, the market for non-alcoholic beverages has boomed recently, resulting in plenty of startups popping up and receiving significant amounts of venture capital to fund their endeavours.

Some of these companies create beverage options that mimic the flavours of alcohol, like on-alcoholic beer that really tastes like beer, alcohol-free cocktails and aperitifs and non-alcoholic wine alternatives that are still made from high-quality grapes.

The increasing popularity of non-alcoholic beverages has resulted in an apparent surge in venture capital being directed at these companies, resulting in a fairly significant disruption of the beverage industry as a whole.

Here is our list of the top 10 non-alcoholic beverage startups.

1. Aplós

 

 

Based in Miami, Aplós was founded in 2020 and was the recipient of a significant yet undisclosed amount of venture capital in 2021.

Aplós Produces on-alcoholic “spirits” that are functional and vegan-friendly. Their two primary products, Calme and Arise, are intended to contribute to relaxation.

To this end, Calme is made using broad-spectrum hemp, among other things, and Unwind includes a combination of adaptogens that supposedly help stimulate brain function while elevating mood and providing a boost of energy.

 

2. Athletic Brewing Co.

 

 

Athletic Brewing Co. is all about brewing top-quality non-alcoholic beer alternatives that achieve a crafty, hope-infused flavour.

Founded by Bill Shuffelt and John Walker in 2017, Athletic Brewing Co. has become a leading force in the non-alcoholic beer industry producing products akin to IPAs, sours and lite beers, among other things. Earlier this year, the self-proclaimed largest on-alcoholic beer brewery in the USA announced that they’d received $500 million in venture capital.

 

3. Lyre’s Spirit Co.

 

 

Founded in London in 2019, Lyre’s Spirt Company aims to replicate the world’s most popular spirits in non-alcoholic form, including gin, liqueurs, cocktails and more.

All their products are as close as possible to being premium volume spirits. Lyre’s has been particularly successful, having brought in about $33 million in venture capital in 2021.

 

4. Kin Euphorics

 

Kin Euophorics is based in New York City and was founded by model, Bella Hadid, and Jen Batchelor in 2017.

By means of adaptogenic ingredients and technologies, Kin Euphorics creates beverages that are promoted as being able to help elevate moods without the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The company received nearly $14 million in venture capital in its early stages and now has stores in various parts of the United States.

 

 

5. Le Petit Béret

 

 

Headquartered in Béziers, France, Le Petit Béret produces alcohol and pesticide-free wine made from high-quality grapes grown in the south of France. This includes products like zero-alcohol versions of Blanc De Blanc, Sweet Muscat and a Rose.

The company was launched in 2015 and received an injection of $7 million in venture capital towards the end of 2022.

 

6. Drink Monday

 

 

Drink Monday was founded in 2019 in Carlsbad in the USA, and since then, this Californian-based startup received a revenue-based loan from Decathlon Capital Partners towards the end of 2022 which helped keep the business afloat.

The company aims to provide non-alcoholic beverages to customers who choose not to drink based on a variety of reasons, ranging from addiction or pregnancy to being the designated driver. No matter what the reason for one’s decision to abstain from alcohol, whether it’s permanently or just for the night, Drink Monday has non-alcoholic gin and whiskey for all occasions.

 

7. Rightside Brewing

 

 

Founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Emree Woods, Rightside Brewing is based in Atlanta. Her desire for a top-quality, authentic-tasting non-alcoholic beer option arose when she fell pregnant and couldn’t find a non-alcoholic option that really tasted like beer.

The issue Woods identified was that most non-alcoholic beers undergo a process that uses heat to remove alcohol, but this also leads to changes in flavour. Thus, Rightside Brewing worked to find an alternative method, leading to their use of advanced filtration processes that don’t affect the flavour of the beverage.

 

8. Ghia

 

 

Ghia manufactures a non-alcoholic aperitif made from Yuzu juice, produced from Riesling grape juice, and several other extracts to contribute to the flavour, including elderflower and orange peel.

Founded in 2019, the idea behind Ghia is to provide non-alcoholic drinkers with a tasty alternative that is more exciting than regular sodas or juices.

 

9. Monceau Co.

 

 

Monceau is committed to using real ingredients to achieve complex, delicious flavours in non-alcoholic beverages. This startup makes use of low-intervention, natural fermentation and natural carbonation methods to create beverages that are tasty and include non-artificial sweeteners.

This Australian-based startup was founded in 2019 and produces its products in conjunction with wine farms and makers across the country.

 

10. Hiyo

 

 

More than just a non-alcoholic alternative, Hiyo produces tasty tonics made from adaptogens, natural nootropics and botanicals that are intended to help elevate your mood. Hiyo’s beverages are said to be able to help relieve stress, reduce inflammation and improve digestion too.

The company was founded in 2021 and is based in Los Angeles, and in 2020, it received $40,000 prize money from a UCLA-organised startup competition.