Naked Life non-alcoholic drinks targeting $13 million Coles and Woolworths deal

A Melbourne man is giving people the full drinking experience without the hangover as Aussies become more “sober curious” – and it’s paying off.

A Melbourne man has landed a deal for his non-alcoholic canned cocktails to be stocked in both Woolworths and Coles as the “sober curious movement” starts to gear up in Australia.

With up to 11 alcohol-free beverages to be featured across the supermarket giants, the group is now eyeing off $13 million in revenue across the portfolio for the next financial year for David Andrew’s business Naked Life Non-Alcoholic Spirits.

The range includes a non-alcoholic margarita, negroni, yuzu sake, Italian spritz, gin and tonic, and even Canadian rye dry and lime, with a pack of four selling for $15.

Mr Andrew said people are looking for the taste of a cocktail but without the hangover, particularly as giving up booze becomes more socially acceptable.

The Wimbledon Spritz is part of the alcohol-free range. Picture: Supplied

The Yuzu Sake is popular with customers. Picture: Supplied

That ‘alcohol burn’

Made with a bunch of botanicals, the range took over a year to develop as the brand explored making the drinks as complex in flavour as possible.

For example, the negroni required testing with 15 different types of cherry flavour to find a luxurious but subtle taste, Mr Andrew said.

Flavour was key as while most drinks are about hydration and refreshment, a non-alcoholic cocktail has to be about the experience, he added.

The goal even went so far as to create that “alcohol burn” in some of the drinks to ensure the sensation of drinking a boozy beverage, he said.

“The first thing to get right when developing it was it needed to have some restraint and be moreish. When you’re developing a non-alcoholic drink, no one wants to take big gulps quickly – the experience is to sit there and take sips and you savour it and enjoy it,” he told news.com.au.

“It complements your conversation and it’s not like a soft drink that you knock back. What we wanted to do is have it grow on you. With the first sip, you think, do I like this? After sip two you think you like it and keep going back and once you finish it you realise you love it. It’s very different to other drinks where you instantly love it.”

People want the cocktail without the hangover, he said. Picture: Supplied

The negroni took testing 15 different cherry flavours to get it right. Picture: Supplied

Sober is the new black

There is an increasing demand for non-alcoholic, healthier alternatives in Australia with 66 per cent of 24 to 35-year-olds drinking less, according to recent studies.

In fact, demand is skyrocketing. Endeavour Group, Australia’s largest liquor retailer business, reported sales of non-alcoholic drinks at BWS and Dan Murphy’s increased by more than 83 per cent in the past year.

“Non-alcoholic beverages are a fast-growing category in the drinks industry in Australia,” said Woolworths beverage category manager Anthony Pipikios.

“This is a reflection of a broader trend, where one in four consumers are moderating their alcohol consumption, and we expect this trend to continue.”

Eleven of the products will be stocked in Woolworths and between two and six at Coles depending on the store location. Picture: Supplied

Mr Andrews believes the “sober curious” are the most exciting part of this movement, rather than the younger generation drinking less.

“Australians have an interesting relationship with alcohol. If you didn’t drink, you didn’t necessarily fit in as you didn’t want to go to a barbecue with a soft drink as you got asked questions,” he said.

“For females of a certain age you get asked if you’re pregnant and with guys you get asked what is wrong with you? Now there are better options available that fit the occasion and you’ve got the ability to have an answer as you can say, ‘I’ve got something else here that is non-alcoholic that I prefer.’

“The sober curious movement that is coming out is much larger than groups that are just not drinking. A lot of people want to consume alcohol in ways that suit them. A lot of people might have a beer and then have a non-alcoholic drink and then have another beer, so they have managed to socialise for much longer while consuming not as much alcohol. The choice is theirs now.”

The Canadian Rye is one of Mr Andrew’s favourite drinks. Picture: Supplied

New beverages

Next up, the company is creating a range of nine non-alcoholic spirits that will come in 700ml bottles “with crafted botanicals” that are launching later on this year.

“There are a number of exciting projects. We are trying to reinvent low-calorie beer but make sure it still has that refreshing, bitter, hoppy taste and that it is something not too heavy,” the 37-year-old said.

“We are also looking at sparking wines and exploring upcycling in the wine space. One of the largest sources of waste in Australian food comes from the wine industry with pressed grapes. We are looking at how to provide an upcyled solution that still gives the complexity of flavour from the pressed grapes that the winery would otherwise throw away.”

Naked Life is part of The No Nasties Company, which has also found success with it sugar-free soft drinks and iced teas.