Being Sober Curious Never Looked This Good
Courtesy of Aplós
Being Sober Curious Never Looked This Good
With Lily Geiger, Dorothy Munholland and Emily Onkey
By HURS Team
Not drinking at a social outing used to raise some eyebrows. A lot has changed since then. Consumer’s heightened interest in wellbeing has led to many reconsidering their relationship with alcohol. Drinking moderately or not drinking at all has become cool and somewhat aspirational. And the numbers tell a similar story. In 2022, sales of no- and low-alcohol beverages surpassed $11 billion in market value – up from $8 billion in 2018 – growing by more than 7 percent across 10 key global markets, IWSR Drinks Market Analysis reported. And the trend isn’t just led by the sober community. 78% of consumers of no- or low-alcohol products also drink standard alcohol.
What has helped the popularity of the sector is delivering the right product. Where non-alcoholic beverages used to taste like fruit juice or lack a sense of maturity, the new vanguard of booze-free brands have cracked the code on delivering on flavor, well-sourced ingredients as well as great branding. From alcohol-free wines to phony Negroni’s, there’s an endless offering of more creative substitutes for your favorite spirit. Brands like Ghia create sophisticated drinks you want to be seen with. Offering a more inclusive choice over opting for soda or water. It’s an essential part of creating an experience that mirrors the one you have when drinking its traditional alcoholic counterpart.
LILY GEIGER
Lily Geiger is the founder behind mission-driven non-alcoholic aperitivo company Figlia. After watching her father battle with alcoholism and eventually losing him to disease, Geiger wanted to create a way to have more honest and inclusive conversations around alcohol consumption. This desire led to the launch of Figlia. An ode to the spritz, Figlia has been crafted from all natural ingredients with a floral, bitter and aromatic taste. Today, the brand is stocked in over 500 stockists across the US.
DOROTHY MUNHOLLAND
Dorothy Munholland is the co-founder of non-alcoholic wine brand STUDIO NULL. After a decade of experience in product development and brand innovation in luxury beauty— and with a palate developed while working with some of the world’s top perfume-makers— Munholland adapted a “less but better” approach to health and wellness. With an emphasis on transparency, quality and sustainability, STUDIO NULL aims to challenge the conventions around drinking.
EMILY ONKEY
Emily Onkey is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Aplós, a functional non-alcoholic spirits brand. Onkey’s vision for Aplós is to build the bar of the future and reimagine the cocktail occasion for a new era. Prior to starting Aplós, Emily led marketing and brand strategy for Estee Lauder, CB2 and Bonobos. Emily aspires to live by Aplós' philosophy to savor those moments in life that should be sipped slowly.
We wanted to know more about the booming non-alcoholic beverage market and asked three industry insiders for their take.