Socially conscious cocktails?
Issue #35
Sipping the latest batch of ‘healthy’ liquors
By Toni V Martin
Published: March 1st, 2008 | 1:44pm
With eco-consciousness everywhere, it's no surprise that the trend has made its way to liquor. Featuring an “it” food distillation process and organic production, these niche spirits are not only a way for consumers to maintain their integrity but also for taste-savvy female entrepreneurs to make their mark in the male-dominated liquor industry.
Time will tell whether fad beverages are here to stay. Whether it’s the guarana in P.I.N.K. Vodka, green tea in Zen Liqueur, or pomegranate in Pama Liqueur, any of-the-moment ingredient is sure to find a home in an alcoholic beverage. Some products like VeeV (veevlife.com), a spirit that contains the “superfruit” acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee), combine their health claims with social responsibility. One dollar of each bottle of Veev sold goes to replenishing the Amazonian rainforest, where the acai berries grow. Containing antioxidants, vitamins C and E, fiber and protein, the acai is thought to give the beverage positive effects and help to reduce the standard hangover.
Other organic liquors make no such claims to hangover-avoidance, opting instead to dare consumers to compare their products to their non-organic competitors. Square One Vodka (squareonevodka.com) is distilled from organically grown and fermented rye. Founded by Allison Evanow, Square One positions its vodka as a way to combine socializing and social consciousness. With products that are certified organic, the USDA maintains strict regulations to ensure at least 95% of the ingredients are produced using ecologically based practices.
While it's not easy to start a spirits brand, it's even more difficult to do so organically. "The hardest part was finding a distillery that was certified organic," says Lisa Averbuch, co-founder of Loft Liqueurs (loftliqueurs.com). The line of three unique flavors (Spicy Ginger, Lavender, and Lemongrass) Averbuch created with business partner Sabrina Moreno-Dolan extends their green-chic sensibilities to the recycled paper packaging and tree-free bamboo boxes the drinks come in. Since women buy more organic and are typically the primary decision makers when it comes to liquor purchases for the home, Averbuch and Moreno-Dolan admit that women are a key target market for them.
Look for female-focused branding in the Modmix (modmixbeverages.com) line of organic mixers as well. Also a majority woman-owned biz, Modmix was created by Gretchen Nix, Joni Ryan and Tricia McCraken, who seek to add a splash of fun to conscious drinking. While it's not a spirits company, their product dovetails with organic liquors and liqueurs to create the perfectly organic cocktail.
So should consumers jump on the eco-hol bandwagon? "Spirits are an area where consumers feel guilty buying and consuming," says Dr. Michal Ann Strahilevitz, a marketing professor at Golden Gate University in California. "Organic is a label that makes us feel less guilty, as it is better for us and better for the earth to buy organic — we hope." We'll drink to that.
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