At the helm is Scout Brisson, who’s just been named on Forbes’ 2025 ’30 Under 30’ list. Under her leadership, the brand has raised $13m in funding and grown nationally across retail.
This January, she sits down with BeverageDaily to chart out the brand’s growth trajectory.
BD: Introduce us to De Soi!
SB: De Soi (pronounced ‘de swa’) is a line of sparkling non-alcoholic apéritifs co-founded in 2022 by Katy Perry and Morgan McLachlan, an award-winning master distiller. Katy and Morgan met in early 2020 when they were both pregnant for the first time and obviously couldn’t drink alcohol.
They saw a gap in the market for an elevated non-alc version of their favorite end of day rituals, and voilà, De Soi was born.
De Soi is your favorite cocktail, sans the alcohol and with better-for-you ingredients. We layer culinary botanical ingredients like yuzu, rosemary and lemongrass with adaptogens like reishi mushroom and l-theanine for the buzz without the booze. Our 5 flavors are available in 8oz cans nationwide at retailers like Target, Sprouts, Publix, and Total Wine, as well as direct-to-consumer at DrinkDeSoi.com.
Where did the name ‘De Soi’ come from?
The name De Soi comes from the french phrase, maîtrise de soi, which translates literally to self control. It’s this very elegant French way of saying “composed”. De Soi reflects the ethos of embracing pleasure with restraint—not as a limitation, but as an act of empowerment.
I’m personally not a big believer in restriction and to us, self-control is about the beauty of what is gained in the absence of – more presence, more joy, more opportunities to celebrate on your own terms.
Who’s your target market?
Nearly a third of Americans plan to participate in some form of Dry January this month (per The New Consumer).
If you look at just Gen Z and millennial drinkers who are the most active in redefining their relationship with alcohol, that number is 49%!
De Soi was created for the modern millennial drinker— they are not sober, but they are drinking less during the week, or participating in Dry January, or even just taking a round off one night.
Our consumers value intentionality and balance in their lives, and want great-tasting, sophisticated options that don’t make you feel like you’re missing out.
What does De Soi taste like?
Our flavors are inspired by classic cocktails or wine, and each have a distinct personality with a De Soi twist.
St. Moritz Mule is our limited edition wintry spin on a Moscow Mule with pomegranate, cranberry and rosemary layered on top of your classic gingery bite.
Très Rosé and Spritz Italiano are top sellers. Très Rosé is like your traditional rosé’s funky sister, with notes of tart raspberry & earthy rooibos, and Spritz Italiano is the perfect Amalfi-inspired spritz – with crisp citrus, & just the right amount of bitter gentian.
All of our drinks are lightly carbonated and have a multi-faceted flavor profile—sophisticated, layered, and perfectly balanced. The flavor profiles are definitely not too sweet; no one likes a sugary mocktail!
De Soi uses natural adaptogens including reishi mushroom, lion’s mane, and L-theanine. Tell us about your choice of ingredients - and what can we expect from the experience of drinking De Soi?
Our proprietary blend of three adaptogens—reishi mushroom, lion’s mane, and L-theanine—was carefully chosen to mimic the unwind effect your evening glass of wine has at the end of the day. While I wouldn’t say De Soi replicates alcohol, it does help promote a sense of calmness and ease, making it a perfect way to relax and feel good without the booze.
As the alcohol alternatives category becomes more crowded, do you think offering functionality like this will become a necessity?
No, I don’t actually – what I love the most about this movement is how much it is predicated on optionality.
Don’t get me wrong, we can’t ignore the use case for alcohol. People are going to look for non-alc options that make them feel something without the consequences the next day more and more.
But I still believe that delicious tasting non-alc options without function will always be an important part of the NA category landscape for consumers.
What does Katy Perry bring to the brand?
Katy brings creative vision and meticulous attention to detail as a co-founder, from perfecting product names like Spritz Italiano so that it rolls off the tongue to refining flavors – we did 50+ iterations of Purple Lune (her fave flavor) to nail the black pepper finish.
Of course, Katy plays a pivotal role in amplifying the brand and her global platform helps educate millions about non-alcoholic alternatives.
One of my favorite analogies for Katy’s influence is to compare De Soi to a jet: Katy is the jet fuel, and we still have to build the jet + fly it, so having a strong brand story, world-class product and team behind it, is paramount.
De Soi launched in January 2022. Tell us about your growth to date
Since launching in January 2022, we’ve scaled from retailers asking “Where would we even put this?” to over 6,000 doors nationwide. I smile looking back at those early buyer conversations where it felt at times like we were speaking a different language.
But consumer demand is king, and it wasn’t long until major chains were creating entire dedicated sets for non-alc brands.
While retail growth has been our primary focus, we’ve landed some incredible strategic partnerships in on-prem accounts. We featured a Purple Lune cocktail during Katy’s Las Vegas residency at Resorts World, partnered with goop Kitchen on the launch of Spritz Italiano, and most recently secured menu placement for Purple Lune on Soho House’s national menu.
The numbers speak for themselves – the non-alc category is now growing 30% year over year and ranks as the third fastest-growing consumer packaged goods category. We have an exciting roadmap ahead: product innovation in the pipeline, new account launches and expansion plans.
While I can’t share all the details just yet, there’s plenty more to come!
De Soi is available in more than 6,000 retail locations, including Target, Sprouts, Publix and more. How did you get there?
Oh I love this question - such a mix. In some instances, they reached out to us, in others we spent 12+ months working on getting accepted & launched. In true scrappy startup fashion, you look for whatever foot in the door you can get. You get feedback from buyers, iterate, and come back again (and again and again).
Where do you want to be stocked – with alcohol, or with soft drinks?
Our favorite place for De Soi to be stocked is alongside other great non-alc brands (rising tides lift all boats) in the adult beverage section as we know consumers are a) cross shopping the category and b) looking for it in place of alc. It was very cool; just last week I was in a Stop & Shop by my grandparents in Rhode Island and saw non-alc beer was its own header in one of the aisles. That is the future!!!
What does January look like for De Soi?
Our business ALWAYS spikes in January… how could it not with a third of adults in the US participating in Dry (or dryish) Jan. We’ve already had our biggest week of sales ever at Target.
This year’s campaign is Social Reset—a reminder that opting out of drinking doesn’t mean being a hermit at home. As part of that, we’re throwing a game night for our community in LA which will feature heated rounds of 2000s inspired Trivia, DIY pop tart making and of course, De Soi. We’re also partnering with wellness-focused studios like Barry’s Bootcamp, exclusive spaces like Soho House, and hotel chains and other like-minded brands to provide De Soi for their guests throughout the month.
It’s all about getting “liquid to lips” at a time when people are most curious and open to trying new alternatives. Whether through these partnerships or online campaigns, we’re making it easy for people to discover De Soi and rethink their social rituals.
What are your predictions for the US alcohol-free category, as a whole, in 2025?
I don’t like to be a fear monger, but with the recent news from the Surgeon General advisory [on cancer risk of alcohol], I am a strong believer that 2025 will continue to spike people’s awareness of the negative effects of alcohol and spark desire for lifestyle changes and substitutes that make those changes seamless.
What’s your favorite De Soi product and why?
I do indeed have a favorite child and she is Spritz Italiano! I like - but don’t love - an Aperol Spritz because they are often too sweet, but I LOVE how balanced Spritz Italiano is.
What inspires you on your journey in the alcohol-free alternatives category?
I feel incredibly lucky to get personal messages from people sharing how De Soi has impacted their drinking journey. Old college teammates, even my high school crush – they’ve come out of the woodwork to tell me how good it feels to be sober or “sober-ish” and the role De Soi has played in feeling that way.
Seeing close friends and family members dramatically change their relationship with alcohol these past few years hits close to home. Maybe it sounds cheesy, but these messages remind me we’re doing something bigger than just making drinks. We’re giving people a way to still be part of the moment and keep their rituals, without the alcohol. Win win!
