After building up a career in equity brokerage, Brooks Addington pivoted to CPG and saw an opportunity in the alcohol-free sector, launching TÖST in 2017.
In 2022, Constellation Brands acquired a minority stake in the brand via its venture capital group, attracted by the ‘elegant and sophisticated beverage that happens to be alcohol-free’.
TÖST is sold in an impressive array of national retailers across the US, including Whole Foods, Sprouts and Total Wine.
We ask Brooks what the key is to standing out in a growing category, how to attract new consumers, and what’s coming up for the brand in 2025…
Introduce us to TÖST!
Launched in 2017, the TÖST mission is to meet that moment when the consumer is looking for a meaningful and elevated beverage but doesn’t want to drink alcohol.
Created by a team of culinary experts, TÖST’s unique blend of white tea, ginger, citrus and botanicals, pairs well with food and is excellent on its own or elevated into a cocktail.
We started selling out of the back of our car in the Northeast, then quickly caught the attention of chefs and retailers, expanding throughout the region.
Our two expressions (Original and Rosé) are now available for purchase nationwide in over 8000 locations including leading retailers such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, Total Wine, Bevmo, Publix and more.
TÖST can also be purchased on the brand’s website and is sold in 9 countries around the globe.
What can we expect from the drinking experience?
TÖST was created to have many of the attributes of an alcoholic beverage without the alcohol. Refreshingly dry and not too sweet, TÖST and TÖST Rose have a nose, mouthfeel and finish and their own unique flavor profiles highlighting notes of ginger, cranberry and in the case of Rose, elderberry.
Who’s your target market?
TÖST is perfect for any occasion where the consumer is looking for an elevated beverage. We’re proud to see our products widely enjoyed across the globe by a diverse consumer base. This high level of acceptability from a flavor profile perspective makes it an ideal option for hosts to have on hand!
What’s the biggest challenge been to your brand as you grow and develop – and how are you tackling this?
CPG is a crowded and noisy space! Just getting our brand out there and in the hands of consumers, just being heard, is always a challenge.
We are firm believers in sips to lips as the best place to trial our products so we have been very focused on getting TÖST on the table at events and other venues where people can try our products.
This has proven a successful strategy for the brand. In 2024 alone we participated in over 320 events!
TÖST has been around a lot longer than many other alcohol alternatives. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the category since you launched?
When TÖST first launched there really weren’t many options in the market and the culture was still skeptical surrounding the moderation movement that we’re witnessing today.
Today, there are now over 800 different NA products available and we’re seeing wide adoption of moderation drinking and the acceptance of NA alternatives across all generations.
In the hospitality industry alone everyone either has or seemingly is developing an NA menu for their guests. It’s an exciting time to be in the category!
Your social media presence is led by Instagram, where you’ve got 39k followers. How have you built up your presence on this platform?
Our social efforts have been almost entirely organic. Word of mouth, engagement, and some great brand partners along the way sharing each other’s stories have been successful for us!
What does January look like for TÖST?
Dry January is of course an important kick off to the year for us. We are launching canned versions of TÖST and TÖST Rose via direct to consumer. We’ve been quietly serving the can formats at experiential events and in large format venues like T-Mobile in Las Vegas over the last several months and now are going to be making them available to a wider market in 2025. The canned format provides access to so many occasions where glass isn’t ideal; beaches, boats, bars, tailgating, there are so many opportunities to enjoy our beverages!
What’s coming up for TÖST in 2025?
In addition to our new can format, we are also launching a new flavor in 2025. Stay tuned!
What’s your favorite TÖST product and why?
That’s a tough question! I really enjoy both, and in fact we sell the two flavors almost exactly 50/50 in the market. Half of consumers like the original and the other half, Rose.
I flip back and forth but our house seems to be pouring more Rose these days. Although I do love the original TÖST with a splash of Orange juice for a mid-day Mimosa.
What inspires you on your journey in the alcohol-free alternatives category?
When we first started, we knew there was a big gap in offerings. We didn’t know that seven years later we’d be a leader in a booming category participating in a real cultural movement. This keeps me interested.
Seeing not only the growth in the category, which is engaging and exciting, but being a part of something that in its own small way is providing people with positive optionality is something all of us at TÖST are inspired by.
