CEO & Founder, Ben Witte shares how Recess taps venue and festival partnerships from Soho House to Coachella to meet the demand for zero-proof options and the strategy behind becoming The Surf Lodge’s Official Mocktail.
- Recess has partnerships with both local venues and larger music festivals. What have you learned from working with venue partners like Soho House, Webster Hall, and major festivals like Coachella?
Expanding our on-premise distribution has been a key focus to our growth this year, and we’ve solidified very strong partnerships with venues like Surf Lodge, several Bowery venues (i.e., Webster Hall, Terminal 5), and have shown up at festivals like Stagecoach, Coachella, and Lollapalooza.
The key learning we’ve taken away is something that we’ve thought for a while now – that no matter the event (from concerts to clubs), consumers’ standards for non-alcoholic menu options are at an all-time high. The demand is there for delicious, on-menu mocktails.
How do you explain the difference between Recess and soft drinks to your consumers?
The key difference between Recess and traditional soft drinks is the use of our functional blend of ingredients, with each line designed for a specific usage occasion and benefit. For the Zero Proof line specifically, we formulated this recipe to be a direct replacement for alcohol in social settings, thanks to the functional nootropic, guayasa, and a light boost of natural caffeine. Our Mood collection leverages a powerful form of magnesium (Magnesium L-Threonate) to calm the mind and lift the mood.
When consumers, especially at events like concerts, want a non-alc alternative, soft drinks are no longer sufficient. Our Zero Proof collection even looks and tastes similar to its canned cocktail counterparts (i.e. Cosmopolitan, Paloma, Margarita, etc). By mimicking the experience of drinking alcohol, Recess helps consumers make the non-alcoholic swap more seamlessly.
