Club Soda’s pop-up shop offers over 60 alcohol-free brands
Monday 13 December 2021 – Sunday 30 January 2022
New online training launched to support venues to improve sales of low and no alcohol drinks.
Launching just in time for the most indulgent month of the year and running throughout Dry January, Mindful Drinking Festival creator, Club Soda, is opening the UK’s first alcohol-free off-licence in London’s West End. The pop-up store, which launches on 13 December, will give trade and consumers the chance to discover the wide range of alcohol-free drinks available in the UK.
For pubs, bars and restaurants, this provides a perfect opportunity to see the range of alcohol-free drinks on the market in context. The Club Soda team is on hand to offer samples, and you can find out more about each brand’s perfect serve. Ideal if you are planning to review your store or venue’s alcohol-free selection or looking for ideas and inspiration.
To celebrate the opening day, the off-licence is hosting a Bottle Swap, where the first 50 people who visit the pop-up with a unopened bottle or can of alcoholic drink will be able to swap for a non-alcoholic equivalent, whether that’s a spirit, fizz or even a beer!
The many brands you can try in-store include Everleaf, Lyre’s, Thomson and Scott, Big Drop, Lucky Saint, and Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5%. Among the 100 brands, there’ll be old favourites, new launches, UK and International brands, and several beers on draught.
The shop will also be hosting trade focused masterclasses for mixologists, sommeliers and beer experts with trade professionals Camille Vidal from La Maison Wellness, beer sommelier Emma Inch and wine expert Christine Parkinson. Trade support for the shop has been supported by Wisebartrader, the UK’s only dedicated alcohol-free trade e-store. No minimum spend and delivery anywhere in the UK.
Trade are able to book in for a VIP tour and tasting here – all details are on the Club Soda website: joinclubsoda.com/alcohol-free-
The boom in low and no alcohol drinks are fuelled by the 25 million people cutting down their drinking [2]. Not happy to put up with a compromise when at home or going out, mindful drinkers of all kinds are reaching for the new wave of alcohol-free beers, spirits, wines and craft sodas. Last year the sale of low and no beer, wine and spirits grew by £22.4m[2].
Laura Willoughby MBE, Club Soda Founder, said: “Whether they are staying at home or going out, high quality alcohol-free drinks are becoming a non-negotiable part of many people’s lives. People still want to go to their local but they don’t want to compromise their health goals, or be stuck with a glass of pop if they are driving. Customers want to prioritise time in places they love, and the amount they spend is not determined by the drink’s strength in their glass. We hope we can help all retailers and venues find the alcohol-free products that fit their brand. “
Tom Ward from Wise Bartrader (the wholesale arm of the popular alcohol-free consumer e-store Wise Bartender) said: “This is a unique opportunity to introduce your team to the best of what is available in the alcohol-free category and find products you like to recommend to your customers to help diversify and expand your drinks offer. We have no minimum spend so you can order a pack of samples to trial with your customers this January. ”
If you want to attend a trade masterclass or visit the shop , you can book online at joinclubsoda.com/alcohol-free-
To celebrate the launch of the shop Club Soda has also launched their online venue training course – How to Create a Mindful Drinking Venue. The course has a managers and staff edition and has been developed with funding from 44 brands in the low and no drinks sector and can be accessed for free if you stock any of their brands. Just drop them a note and get a code.
ENDS
Media are welcome at the shop anytime, where Club Soda founder Laura Willoughby will give you a VIP tour of the shop. Please book here to arrange a tour and tasting.
NOTES:
-
The shop can be found at: 59 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7LJ
Sunday: 11am-6pm
Monday – Weds: 11am-6pm
Thurs and Friday: 11am-9pm
Saturday: 10am – 7pm
-
Half of UK adults (49%) are either not drinking any alcohol or are planning to cut down soon – a potential market of 25 million people. A media pack and data about the low and no drinks market can be seen here: joinclubsoda.com/media-pack-
offy -
You can see more about the online course for venues here: https://joinclubsoda.com/
creating-mindful-drinking- venues/ -
Club Soda is a mindful drinking movement that helps people change their drinking, whether they want to do a sober sprint, drink more mindfully, or go alcohol-free. Visit joinclubsoda.com – we are available for quotes, case studies, information and advice for your articles all year round.
-
You can find Wisebartrader at https://wisebartrader.co.uk/
-
Pictures of Laura and Club Soda’s previous Events and Festivals can be found here
Press release from Club Soda
Contact: laura@joinclubsoda.co.uk