S8 Ep23: Sips to Lips— Get Gruvi in Your Next Night Out With Award-Winning Non-Alcoholic Options with Anika Sawni
“Choosing a non-alcoholic option isn't a less than choice.” —Anika Sawni
The lines between drinkers and non-drinkers are beginning to blur as new options emerge. Where social events were once defined by their alcohol consumption, people now gather for deeper connections unbound by beverage choices.
Gruvi, co-founder, Anika Sawni’s vision celebrates the joy of community while empowering individuals to make choices that align with their health, values, and mood. Their growing range of sophisticated yet accessible zero-proof options ensures no one ever feels left out or like a third wheel due to their drinking habits alone.
Listen in as Anika shares her journey launching Gruvi and their focus on taste, variety, and accessibility when crafting their award-winning non-alcoholic bevies. Justine and Anika also discuss the growing interest in reducing alcohol consumption, what mindful drinking means, and how we can help build an inclusive drinking culture.
Connect with Anika:
Anika Sawni is the co-founder and Director of Marketing at Grüvi, a company that produces alcohol-free beverages. She studied neuroscience at McGill University before teaming up with her brother, Niki Sawni, to launch Grüvi.
Anika’s journey with Grüvi began when she noticed the lack of non-alcoholic options at social gatherings. This observation led her to create a healthier alternative that could complement social experiences without adding inebriation.
Grüvi started with a focus on the cannabis community in Denver, and it quickly gained popularity. Today, Grüvi’s products, which include alcohol-free wine and beer, are sold across more than 1,500 stores, including Whole Foods, Total Wine, Target, and the Canadian grocery chain, Sobeys.
In addition to her work with Grüvi, Anika has also served as the VP of Events for McGill Students for DueNORTH from 2016 to 2019. She was named to Forbes’s 30 Under 30 list in its food and beverage category in 2021. Anika’s future aspirations include founding a company focused on brain-based interventions.
Anika Sawni’s work with Grüvi exemplifies her commitment to promoting healthier lifestyle choices and her innovative approach to addressing gaps in the beverage market.
Episode Highlights:
01:42 Building a Non-Alcoholic Brand
08:49 Working with Family
11:58 Addressing Consumer Barriers
18:45 Shifting Societal Attitude Toward Drinking
22:36 Mindful Drinking Habits
28:02 Focusing on Taste and Accessibility
Tweets:
Redefine social culture! This week on the Conscious Drinking Series, @jreichman and @get_gruvi Founder, Anika Sawni talk about empowering conscious choices through delicious non-alcoholic options. #podcast #entrepreneurship #socialgood #inspiration #impactmatters #NextGenChef #EssentialIngredients #Season8 #Gruvi #mocktails #nonalcoholicbevies #zeroproof #healthysociallife #mindfuldrinking #inclusiveculture #socialculture
Inspirational Quotes:
04:03 “Choosing a non-alcoholic option isn't a less than choice.” —Anika Sawni
06:54 “Employees, while they can be passionate and committed, it's not the same as being part of a family-run business.” —Justine Reichman
08:06 “Creating that space between work and life takes a lot more intention.” —Anika Sawni
11:52 “There might be a point where it is no longer a fit, so it's important to keep talking about it.” —Anika Sawni
19:21 “We're not going to get away from social occasions because that's innate to who we are as human beings and it brings happiness to our life. But, alcohol doesn't have to be the means to that end.” —Anika Sawni
22:23 “Sometimes, the social pressures are a little bit stronger. You don't want to sit there with a glass of water. It's not equally as enjoyable or as elevated.” —Anika Sawni
27:56 “The hardest piece is when you feel judged. There's a negative stigma around not drinking.” —Anika Sawni
Transcriptions:
Justine Reichman: Good morning, and welcome to Essential Ingredients. I'm your host, Justine Reichman. With me today is Anika Sawni.
Welcome, Anika.
Anika Sawni: Thank you. I'm excited to be here in chat with you today.
Justine Reichman: So, Anika, could you just introduce yourself, your title, what you do, and the name of your company?
Anika Sawni: Yeah. I'm Anika Sawni. I'm originally from Toronto, and I'm the Co-Founder of Gruvi, which is a line of non-alcoholic beers and wines.
Justine Reichman: So you're the Co-Founder Gruvi. Is that correct?
Anika Sawni: Yes. Along with my brother Niki.
Justine Reichman: A family business. I love that. Yes. When I was doing my due diligence, I read this article about 30 Under 30, which I always find quite impressive. Whether it's 30 Under 30, 40 Under 40, or 50 over 50. What was it like, because you're an entrepreneur, you're young, you haven't run any other startups have you?
Anika Sawni: Jumped headfirst into Gruvi, literally after graduating university. So we launched about five years ago now. So I was 23 when we actually launched the company.
Justine Reichman: Wow. And when did you get this award?
Anika Sawni: I got that in 2021. And so that was when I was 25 years old, about two and a half years into the business. And yeah, to this day, when people bring it up, it feels honestly surreal. I'm like, wait a second. Did that actually happen?
Justine Reichman: What I know so far is that you started this right out of college. You started out with your brother. Is he older, or younger?
Anika Sawni: My brother is five years older. He had already been into the workforce a little bit. He'd actually taken a year off figuring out what he wanted to do. I actually thought that I was heading into the medical field for a while. I studied neuroscience and psychology. And as we did that, we started to question that relationship with alcohol a little bit on our own. And as we wanted to transition to drinking a little bit less, we found that there was this big barrier and having an exciting option to reach for.
Justine Reichman: I would agree, and it's so great for people to have that. Because I know oftentimes, we go out to drink and people feel pressured, whether it's social, or self inflicted, etcetera. And I'm not a huge drinker mostly because it makes me tired. So I'm no fun to hang out with. I'm tired. So that being said, what was your brother's background before he had any experience in this field, or as an entrepreneur being a few years ahead of you?
Anika Sawni: So he had worked actually at Salesforce previously, but he's always been very entrepreneurial since he was a young boy selling cookies to neighbors, and always finding an opportunity to start a side hustle or business. And he studied business in university as well. This was really the first big one. But he'd also done an app that he started in Canada. And so he was a little bit more familiar on the side of what it takes to be an entrepreneur to get something off the ground. So I'm lucky that I was able to lean on him a little bit more from that standpoint.
Justine Reichman: It must have been scary coming out of college, deciding to do a start up versus having a job. What gave you the courage to do that?
Anika Sawni: I think that maybe it was even just my brain as a young female, but I didn't overthink it. I think that I was figuring out what I was going to do. And like I said, this personal need, an opportunity to fill this gap of having an option of realizing all the benefits that came with drinking less alcohol. And as we started to just dive headfirst or to look at what was available in the market, understand what brand we could really build from ground zero that could be different within the space that could be fun and energetic, and make you feel like choosing a non alcoholic option wasn't a lesser choice. And so I think we didn't really overthink it, but we knew that this opportunity existed for us. And you can always go back to plan B. So for me, thinking that I was gonna go to medical school, that option will exist down the line. But starting this company right here right now with my brother is a once in a lifetime opportunity that comes up, and so we just dove headfirst into it.
“Choosing a non-alcoholic option isn't a less than choice.”
Justine Reichman: You're diving in headfirst with him, you haven't started a startup before. He has a little bit of experience being in the work world, and you have a background in science. So what brought you guys together? And how did you divvy up those roles so that you can each play to your strengths and build a successful business?
Anika Sawni: I think that's a great question. Actually, my parents are part of the business as well. So we brought them in much at day one, pulled them out of retirement to come help us start the business. And so my brother, like I said, he studied business. He's always had the entrepreneurial spirit, and so he really learned it. He loves sales, like sales is his bread and butter. Convincing someone to take the product on the shelf. That's where he really gets his energy rush. And for me, although yes, I did study science and neuroscience, I've also had a really big creative side to me. And so growing up, I've had a passion for photography for graphic design and art, and just really understanding how you even build a brand aesthetically and stuff. So from that side, I've really taken off on the creative side of the business. Everything from who our brand is, what the identity of our brand is, how do we build community? How do we show up online? Differentiate ourselves in a category that has been so stagnant for so long, and make it feel cool. There's this negative stigma that's been around for a non alcoholic beer. How do we make that exciting for someone? And so we've been really good because my forte is not his forte, and vice versa. And then my parents, my dad has his training as a CPA. So he was able to come on and help us out from a financial side. My mom, she's like the sweetest and kindest. She's been doing a lot of our customer support. So she gets an email, and she's literally like, oh, my God, this person did this. And she knows their whole story and likes to really just give that extra community feel, I guess, to the brand.
“Employees, while they can be passionate and committed, it's not the same as being part of a family-run business.” —Justine Reichman
Justine Reichman: Amazing. I worked for our family business for years. It was just me and my mom, and it's a different kind of way to work, right? Everybody is invested and participatory. And it's very different from starting the business on your own, and then hiring employees. Those employees, while they can be passionate, and while they can be committed, are not the same as being part of a family run business. So what are some of the greatest challenges of being part of a family run business?
Anika Sawni: It's so funny because I feel like this often comes up because people go, I could never start a business with my family. How do you do it? And one, I'm so grateful for just me and my brother. We were five years apart, and so we were never at school at the same time. And so starting this business together really did allow us to build a stronger relationship as siblings. And if I were to look at a world before Gruvi started, we wouldn't have nearly as strong of a relationship as we do now. But I think one of the hardest things is being able to actually disconnect from your business in some ways. Because for me, it's my boyfriend, my mom, my dad, and my brother all involved in the business. And so sometimes, as an entrepreneur, it's so important to find those moments of balance and times where you do disconnect so that you can show up as your best self. And when it's family dinner around, you then end up talking about Gruvi. It's breakfast, and you're talking about Gruvi. And so just creating that space sometimes between work and life takes a lot more intention, I guess. But overall, I feel like I can't imagine it any other way. Like you said, the amount of trust that I have in my brother Niki and my family, and to be able to just be really vulnerable with them when things are hard. When I am struggling, if I have a mental breakdown, I have that comfort level with them to just really be real and raw, and know that they're kind of going to be able to step up to the plate when needed. And vice versa as well. So for me, it's really been a blessing too. 10 years ago if you asked me, I would have never thought that I'd be in business with my family. But I am really grateful for him.
Justine Reichman: It sounds like it's not only rewarding for you as building a business. But also, being able to do this with your family adds another dimension. Which I think is sometimes scary for people. So it's really nice to be able to share your story with others so that they can hear you, it's really great. There's more trust, it's easier to get things done. You're all in it together.
Anika Sawni: And even with my partner, my boyfriend who I've been with for seven years. For us to be able to show up in the relationship and understand also what we're doing in our day to day work life. Him and I work in different parts of the business as well. So he's also kind of on the sales side. I'm not his direct boss so it's always been like, you need to do this, and do that. But at the end of the day, we're able to really help each other solve problems that we might have within the business, and really have just a lot more compassion. And I think about what we're doing at work as well.
Justine Reichman: You mentioned something, and to me, I would assume, or my takeaway would be, wow, that's a little bit scary. I don't know if I want to work for my partner. And then if you mess up, or you make a mistake, or I don't know, it can go both ways. You're like, oh, she's gonna be okay. She'll understand because people make mistakes. Or I don't want to make a mistake because this is my partner, her brother, her parents. I don't want to look stupid in front of them. All those things go through their mind, and I'm sure you've had a conversation with your boyfriend or your partner. Do you know what his thoughts are on that set of curiosity?
Anika Sawni: It happened all very organically. So we actually all moved out to Denver. Like I said, we're originally from Toronto, and we moved out to Denver to first launch Gruvi. And so that first summer, my boyfriend wasn't yet fully involved in Gruvi. But again, we just graduated. He was like, okay, I'll come out for the summer, I'll help you out. I'll hang out with you. And of course, if he's out there, well, here's Gruvi. Start knocking on doors and doing, farmers markets with us and all the things. And so it happened really organically because he joined in. He really started to develop the passion for what we were doing as well. And I don't think that we had this very hard intentional conversation. But then at the same time, he was living with my family on one house for that first summer. And so I think it's this piece where you sometimes have to just put that ego aside, and put that fear of judgment aside, and kind of see the bigger picture of what we're doing and what we're building together. And I think ultimately, my entire Gruvi team and family is just so behind and so passionate about what we are doing, that that's what is the driving force for the decisions. It's not about questioning, or the relationship. Or if I'm going to, something that I do at work affects that, it's just about having the open communication and making sure of coming back at the same time. Making sure, hey, are we aligned right now? Are you still happy with your role in working for Gruvi? Just those kind of organic conversations on a regular basis is important because things change as well. And there might be a point where it's no longer a fit. So I think it's just important to keep talking about it.
Justine Reichman: Yeah. Checking in whether it's your family or not, I think you need to check in with the team, find out how they're doing, how they're evolving, where they want to go? Because I think that a lot of times, people take jobs because they either need a job or that's what's right for them at that moment. But then they get curious. And one thing that I really pride myself on is making sure that I know what's interesting to my team so that I can go to them before I go to somebody else to say, hey, do you want to get involved in this? Because you mentioned that this was of interest. So I think it's a new paradigm and a new way that we're talking about business often. So now that you guys have built this company and you're moving along, and you're doing all these things. When you first started the company, this was a newer market. People were getting into it. There were some curious elixirs and different ones that are out there. Where do you feel like you came into this space, and what do you feel like you're doing differently?
Anika Sawni: That's a great question. And so again, six years ago, there really weren't many options to choose from. And so Gruvi is built on three core pillars. And what we did is a ton of research and just understanding what were the barriers to entry for consumers. What was making it difficult to make this transition to a less alcohol centric or switching to no alcohol? And what was the consumer really looking for? And it came down to three core barriers in a way. The first was taste. So non alcoholic beer like, again, it's been around for a long time since the prohibition days. But it's always been an afterthought, and so it's kind of been lackluster in taste and flavor. So from day one, we have continuously iterated on our products as well. The amount of change that we've had over the five years in business, I'm proud to say now that we have gold medals. We got a gold medal for a non alcoholic lager, which is at the World Beer Cup, the most prestigious beer awards out of 135 non alcoholic beers. And for the wine, same thing. Last year, we just got a gold medal for sangria as one of the highest rated wines. And so yeah, it's my favorite right now. And that was the other piece.
So we are unique in that. We do beers, wines, sangria and ready to drink options. Typically, either you make beer or you're a winemaker, you do one or the other. But we really saw this opportunity to be a bit more of a player within the whole category. And that was informed by making it as easy as possible for people to make this transition. Whenever you have the craving whether you're going to a game and you want to have a beer or have brunch with the ladies, or you have a nice steak dinner that you want a glass of red wine for the non alcoholic option is equally as exciting to reach for and you just kind of empowering people that make that decision for themselves. So taste and variety. And then the last piece is making it as accessible as possible. And so we've really done a lot of work. And of course, just having it in stores like Whole Foods, Total Wine & More, as well as online. But all of our wines also come in these single serve options, for the sparkling wines come in the bottles, the Sangria comes in a can. And again, this is educated based on making it as easy in that moment to reach for the glass that you want. So sometimes, the 750 ML, and it's just you wanting a glass of wine for yourself, just you might be like, oh, well, I'm not gonna open the whole bottle for myself tonight. And then you kind of have this barrier to entry versus let's help people make that habit, make that ritual. So we've done all the single serve. And then we've also priced it in what we kind of call sip for every day. And so as I've noticed that the more conversations that I've had with people, it's this direct replacement for alcohol. When you're going to end the day, pour yourself a glass of wine, start making dinner. And so still having this direct replacement option that is easy and accessible for people. It sounds
Justine Reichman: It's quite robust. And that does make you stand out as opposed to people that focus on a little niche. And I'm curious as you're talking about all these flavors and all these different palettes. So with your experience in neuroscience, and your brother's experience in business, I'm wondering how you learn to put together these combinations to create such a robust, flavorful fear that won gold medals and create this brand?
Anika Sawni: Two things. One, that was not our background. We didn't have education in brewing beer or making wine, let alone great tasting beer or wine. And so we really had to find partners that had that background that had the education, different technologies that we could use as well. There's different ways that you can make non-alcoholic products. And that's also evolved over this period of five years. And so we really had to work with different partners on both beers, wine, some of our sparkling wines, and getting it to exactly where we wanted it. But also, taste is so subjective. And so I was like, who are we? Niki and I are like, this is the best tasting wine that we want to put out there. And so we embrace this vulnerability aspect, and we opened it up to our consumers to actually become a part of our innovation pipeline. And so you'll see some of our cans actually have a big QR code on the front of the cans. And so we would brew this small batch, maybe our mocha nitro stout, for example, the first time we were doing a nitro stout on the market. And we put it out there and people could scan this QR code into a direct feedback loop like, what did you like? What did you dislike? What would you change about this product? When we're able to really quickly iterate and improve, and re-launch the product. And so instead of just being like, okay, I think this is good. And I'm gonna put it out in the market, open that conversation with the community who is looking for this product. And so every day on our Slack channel, we get input into, here's the rating that the Sangria got. Here's what someone didn't like. Here's what they did like. And we are always iterating on our products to this day. Even if it's got a gold medal, we're going to improve it as much as we can. So I think it's a little bit of not thinking or getting out of our own way with that ego, and leaning into understanding our customer, their needs and their wants, and being able to deliver on them.
Justine Reichman: As you build this brand, I'm listening to your passion and interest in really being top in this niche, and really growing it. What are you most hopeful for?
“We're not going to get away from social occasions because that's innate to who we are as human beings and it brings happiness to our life. But, alcohol doesn't have to be the means to that end.” —Anika Sawni
Anika Sawni: I imagine essentially this world where there is no difference between the non alcoholic and alcoholic worlds. I think that for so long, alcohol has been very glamorized in society in many ways. And so when I think of drinking, we automatically think of alcohol. Those two words are synonymous to each other. And I think it's about reframing how we drink. What does it mean to have a social beverage and getting into more of these occasions where you can go out to a bar, but you don't have to drink at the bar. Or you might go to a bar that's completely alcohol free. And ultimately, we're not going to get away from social occasions because that's innate to who we are as human beings and to bring happiness to our life. So we're still going to want to be social, we're still gonna want to have those connections, but alcohol doesn't have to be the means to that end. And so I see us actually celebrating non alcoholic options choices, switching to an alcohol free lifestyle, or whatever you want to call it. And I think dry January, I'll bring that up because that's obviously a hot month where people try non alcoholic options maybe for the first time. Try cutting out alcohol for the first time. But I truly see us actually moving away from just this one month, and we're showing this a bit more of this overall lifestyle switch. And I think it just makes sense, right? We're so intentional about what we eat and put in our bodies in so many other ways. And I think for a long time, alcohol was kind of its own separate segment to that. So it just makes sense for us to be like, if I am drinking alcohol, what is it? Is it a healthier option if I'm not going to drink tonight? So ask those same questions as well, what's in it? This inclusion of how we socialize in alcohol or not, everyone feels empowered to make that choice for themselves.
Justine Reichman: Do you think that we're gonna see bars that solely focus on non alcoholic options, the same way you go to a mixologist, where you go to a specific mixologist at a bar and they make these amazing mocktails? Or cocktails? Do you think we're going to see places that will feature mocktails the same way?
Anika Sawni: Yeah, 100%, I think so. We're starting to see it already happen slowly in some of the hubs. We're starting to see full non alcoholic bottle shops come up. There's one right here in San Francisco called The New Bar, and they have a shop in LA. It's completely non alcoholic. You have everything. You have your spirits, your wines, your beers, you're ready to drink, your mixers, all of that. And then again, we're starting to see some actual full bars that no booze offered. And I think ultimately, what you're gonna see is you're gonna see both extremes, but you're going to see this diverse menu that's going to show you options. You might have your cocktail and it might be 0% ABV, low ABV, full ABV. And that's how your menus are gonna look potentially.
Justine Reichman: I already see that in some of the bars here in Marin. There's a new opening in San Anselmo that only sells low ABV cocktails.
Anika Sawni: Exactly. And I think people are just gonna become more intentional about that and request options. And I think that's a big piece five years ago when we were starting to sell into bars and restaurants. We sometimes were laughed out of the store. They were like, no one wants this. People come here to drink alcohol, no one wants the non alcoholic option. And now vice versa. You have them reaching out to us being like, we want to have options. We want to serve groupies at our bar or our restaurant. And we're also trying to make a bit more of an expansion into like venues, concert venues. These things where you go and you are socializing. Maybe sometimes, the social pressures are a little bit stronger. You don't want to sit there with a glass of water, it's not equally as enjoyable or as elevated. And so I think we'll start to see way more options across the board.
Justine Reichman: So I'm curious, because when I think of mocktails and the non alcoholic beers, what a great fit for many people whether you don't like the taste of it. Whether you're like me, and I just get super tired, and then I'm not fun. Up until these were available, I would generally go. And I put bitters in my water and sparkling water, and I felt like I was festive. That was my version. But I do wonder what role health and wellness also plays in this. And if there are any statistics that you're seeing as a result of why people are making the choice to choose to get Gruvi.
Anika Sawni: I think there's a few pieces. I think, one, there's more and more research. I don't have one to quote off the top of my head. But we're seeing, especially the government actually kind of backing some of that research. And so I think for the longest time, we were told, hey, a drink a day, that's fine. Or even a glass of wine keeps the doctor away. Some of these kinds of old school myths. And now, there's a lot more research linking the effects of alcohol to bodily function, cancer, right? Your gut, your gut microbiome, your liver. I think a big piece is mental health as well. I think in my background, I'm studying the brain a little bit. And actually, the impact of alcohol is that when you drink, it releases dopamine, which is that happy chemical that makes you feel good. And that's why you're enjoying the glass of wine, and then you stop drinking, and those chemicals are actually depleted. And so then you feel almost more anxious or sad, or than you did before you started drinking, and it creates this bit of a vicious cycle. Because then you go, well, let me reach for the glass of wine so I can feel good and feel happy again, and kind of get that increase of dopamine. And so we start to see that circle, and it's hard to get out of that. But I think like I said, we're becoming a lot more intentional in what we're consuming in many different facets.
And even starting to see with Gen Z, they're the first generation that's drinking less than any other generation before. And I think it's a lot of these factors of just being a little bit more aware of some of the glamorization of alcohol. That barrier coming down a little bit and being like, well, what actually is this? How does it actually make me feel? And I think a big piece is, what's coined the term of sober curiosity? And so I think for a long time, it was so black and white. It's either I'm sober, or I drink. But what if it's like, hey, I don't drink that often. But maybe once in a while, I will have a drink. Or I'm just questioning that relationship with alcohol and understanding how it makes me feel when I reach for a glass of wine. Is it because I had a really stressful day at work? And now I feel like I deserve the glass of wine. Or is it because everyone else is drinking at the restaurant, and I don't want to feel left out. And that's just becoming what's called curious to that relationship a little bit more. So I think there's a few different facets of health and wellness that have pushed this category forward. And I don't think of it as a trend. I really think of it as this lifestyle change that people are going to start to make.
Justine Reichman: So I'm curious, do you feel like, because this is part of our conscious drinking series. I was having this conversation with somebody the other day who really felt like when they drink wine or alcohol, they're making a conscious choice. But I wonder what percentage of those people are not actually making a conscious choice and just joining the party having a glass of wine, and while they're making the choice to go out to be social and they're getting that. What kind of conscious choice are they making? Or is this a new conversation?
Anika Sawni: I think that's a great question, because I think that's part of the reason why we launched Gruvi. And for me at university, it was like, I never had the permission to even question that. So if I was going out and everyone's like, we're going for dinner. It just wasn't like, oh, am I going to drink? Am I not going to drink? Do I want to? But it was just part of what was happening. It was mindless. And so I think this conscious, or what can also be deemed as mindful drinking is the intention to ask yourself, hey, do I want to have a drink today? Why do I want to have a drink today? And hey, sometimes the answer might be, yeah, I do. I actually want the alcohol today, and I want that in my wine. Or I might be like, oh, I actually just want a glass of wine. I want the occasion. I want the ritual and the feeling. But it's not the alcohol that I'm looking for right now. And for me, that's what happened. It kind of was this transition that happened slowly. It wasn't like cold turkey. Oh, my God, I stopped drinking. But slowly, it was like, okay, the more I asked myself this question, the more the answer starts being now. And there were a few occasions where I was at a restaurant, and there were no options. So the cocktail sounded interesting. And then I ordered it, and then I had a few sips. And I was like, okay, the curiosity of the taste is over. I don't really want the alcohol so I would like to pass it to my boyfriend. And he's like, stop ordering two drinks. I'm not ordering two drinks. If you don't want it, don't order it. And I was like, okay. But I had to make that decision a few times, and be like, actually, it's not serving me that much anymore. And so I think it was a slow progression versus this, oh, my God, I stopped drinking today or tomorrow. And I think it's just having those conversations where people feel comfortable to make those decisions. I think the hardest piece is when you feel judged, there's a negative stigma around not drinking.
Justine Reichman: And I think because you now have a new option on your menu, or a new option in the refrigerator. You get to make that choice yourself, and it feels like it's part of that special category. That category is like, oh, let's make some mocktails the same way. Oh, let's make a cocktail. When people make a special cocktail for an event or something, you can make a special mocktail for events. Or really want to have a beer to a hockey game or whatever game, you can get Gruvi.
Anika Sawni: Exactly. And it's elevated. It's not the sweet sugar juice option. It's an adult option. In Gruvi, the goal is to taste exactly like your favorite beer, wine. If I blindfold you, you don't know the difference. And so again, you sometimes even have a placebo effect from that because it really fills the need that you were looking for. And sometimes, we aren't actually looking for the alcohol, we're looking for many other pieces or rituals that come and there have now been for so long associated with alcohol. But sometimes, it's the occasion.
Justine Reichman: I love how passionate about this you are, and how you really embrace the conversation around conscious drinking because I think it's super important. And really, I love your story that you did this so organically with your family. And I just want to ask you a couple things, because I think that so many of our listeners and our viewers want to know a little bit more. They want to know when you built this company, it's a big thing to build a beverage company, and you're doing this just out of college. You need to go raise money, was that scary? What did you do?
Anika Sawni: We bootstrapped it for about two and a half years to get us off the ground. Since then, we've had to raise money. So we actually just closed a seed round, we've raised about $5 million, which is like a full time job in itself. But yes, it's definitely been really exciting. And we, again, had countless memories. It's not easy. I'm not going to sugarcoat and be like, we raised $5 million, and it just came like that. It was tons and tons of work and presentations. And ultimately, the markets were a little funky as well until we actually opened up the opportunity to invest who are Gruvi customers. And so we sent out some emails to our biggest fans because we're like, you guys are there, you love the product already, you love the brand, maybe there's an opportunity for you to be involved in that next level. And we were overwhelmed with the response. So we have over 100 Gruvi customers that have now become investors into the brand. And I think it's amazing because we were a small team. We're only like 10. But now, we've expanded that team to 110 by having these customers that always have their eyes open. They're seeing you on the shelf, they're finding new bars and restaurants for you and sending us a message. So that was kind of a pivot that we had to make as we were raising money, and it was deemed more difficult than we expected. And so we made this pivot in the long run. It's an advantage. I'm so grateful that we have these customers as investors into our business.
Justine Reichman: It's amazing, because then they're invested in your future too every time they go by Gruvi. They're showing their investment again, and sharing with their friends. And there's nothing better than a third party pitch. People love your brands, they are talking about your brand. That's great. The best recommendation is when somebody says, I've had this, you have to try it.
Anika Sawni: Exactly. It's true. And it's real to them, and so they're gonna keep advocating for the brand to their own groups in their own communities. And you get the actual word of mouth marketing that comes to life as well.
Justine Reichman: So as we wrap up here, I'm curious, you have a bunch of different things. What's your plan going forward? Are you hoping to expand your skews and get more beers, more wines? What are you hoping to do in the next three to five years?
Anika Sawni: Ultimately, our vision is really, like I said, to normalize the consumption of non alcoholic options and bring it mainstream. And so right now, we have that great variety. We have four wines, we have four beers, we're continuing to iterate on those and improve those products as they are as well as some a few new ones in the pipeline. But really, a lot of time is spent on that last pillar of accessibility. So getting into more bars and restaurants, getting into what we like to call making more Gruvi moments, and gleaming Gruvi pine that we've been talking about. So what makes a moment more Gruvi is any occasion that you're in, you feel like you have that option to choose. And so we just launched at Ball arena, Mile High Stadium in Colorado, as well as a few of the bigger concert venues. So a lot of the summer is going to be focused on getting into those. But ultimately getting as many sips to lips. I think that there's still this negative perception of what a non alcoholic option can taste like. And so I think taste really speaks for itself in just getting it out there and having people try it. And then I think you find that aha moment of how it does fit into your life. It's different for everyone. For someone, it might be all occasions. For someone else that might be, I'd like to have my alcoholic glass of wine and switch over to myGruvi afterwards. So yeah, ultimately getting to that point where it really does feel normalized to choose Gruvi.
Justine Reichman: And so for those folks that maybe haven't seen it on the shelves or unfamiliar, where to go get this? Where can they go to get Gruvi?
Anika Sawni: So we do have an online website, it's getgruvi.com. And so we ship everywhere in the US from that site. You could also find us in Whole Foods, Total Wine & More and Fresh Thyme across the country. And then we have a Finder on our website. So there's a lot of local bars, restaurants and independent grocery stores. So the easiest way is just to put your zip code in. And if we're not somewhere that you want to see us, we're so open and accepting to that. I think what I've spoken about so far in the community is we want to listen to you. So if there's a place you want to see like the Caribbean, send us an Instagram message, send an email. My mom will answer, and we would love to kind of pick it up from there.
Justine Reichman: Awesome, thank you so much.
Anika Sawni: Thank you so much for having me.
