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Funkin founder moves into zero-alcohol ‘spirits’

The founder of Funkin cocktail mixers has launched the first two products in his new range of zero-alcohol distilled ‘spirits’: Stryyk Not Rum and Stryyk Not Gin.

Funkin’s Alex Carlton has founded the alcohol-free Stryyk distilled ‘spirit’ brand

The Stryyk range is the brainchild of Alex Carlton and targets 18-35-year-olds who “choose not to drink alcohol, are having a night off or mixing up their night”.

Both Stryyk Not Rum and Stryyk Not Gin are distilled and bottled in the UK.

Stryyk Not Rum is made using clove, oakwood and grapefruit, while Stryyk Not Gin combines juniper, rosemary and basil. Neither contain sugar, fat, carbs or artificial flavours and are described as “100% natural”.

“Stryyk is making sobriety acceptable, simple and not anti-social,” said Carlton. “With the new generation of party-goers choosing to drink less alcohol and sometimes none at all, Stryyk offers a zero-proof spirit which enables them to enjoy the drinks they love and stay in the moment, without compromising on taste, experience or calories. As we like to say, Stryyk has all of the spirit, none of the alcohol.”

According to Carlton, Stryyk is a “credible non-alcohol alternative to spirits” and offers the trade “higher margins” than traditional soft drinks.

Carlton teamed up with Tom Soden, owner of Nine Lives, The Gunmakers and The Lion & Lamb, on the new project. Soden will act as brand ambassador for Strykk and has created a number of signature serves.

“Previously, dry and tannic flavour profiles have been neglected within the non-alcohol sector and this is where Stryyk shines,” Soden said. “The ability to provide intense flavours in shorter serve styles opens up exciting options for non-alcoholic drinks. Personally I also enjoy Stryyk neat over ice with a lemon twist.”

The alcohol-free ‘spirit’ trend was kickstarted by Seedlip in 2015. Since then, consumer interest in the low- and no-alcohol space has continued to grow, and its potential has not gone unnoticed by the world’s biggest spirits players.

In 2016, Diageo confirmed it had acquired a stake in Seedlip through its investment and growth accelerator scheme Distill Ventures.

Earlier this month, Pernod Ricard’s UK business entered the realm of alcohol-free spirits after agreeing a distribution deal with Ceder’s, which is made in Sweden.

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