Functional non-alc brand Aplós secures $5m
Florida-based alcohol-free brand Aplós has raised US$5 million in a funding round to scale production and expand its footprint.
Founded in 2020 by Emily Onkey and David Fudge, Aplós produces alcohol-free ‘spirits’ and canned cocktails using functional ingredients such as lion’s mane and hemp. The range was created in partnership with American bartender and Speed Rack founder Lynnette Marrero.
The latest investment will enable Aplós to scale production, expand its hospitality and retail footprint, and accelerate innovation across spirits and ready-to-drink (RTD) formats.
The brand said the US$5m funding round followed a year of triple-digit growth across wholesale and retail channels.
In 2025, Aplós expanded into 2,000-plus stores. The brand also now appears on more than 1,000 menus in the US, including Michelin-starred restaurants, top bars, and luxury hotels such as Cote Korean Steakhouse, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Atelier Crenn, Edition Hotels, Soho House, Superbueno, and Noho Hospitality Group.
“We’re entering a new era of drinking,” said Fudge, CEO of Aplós. “Now more than ever, people are questioning the role alcohol plays in their lives out of a desire to feel better, live intentionally, and still enjoy the rituals they love.
“They want sophistication, functionality, and experience, without the trade-offs. Aplós was created to meet that moment and to help shape the bar of the future. This next chapter positions us to bring our zero-proof, zero-compromise mindset to an even broader audience.”
The Aplós range includes three zero-ABV ‘spirits’ – Calme, Ease and Arise – alongside a line of RTD alcohol-free cocktails.
The RTD range includes the Ume Spritz, Mandora Negroni, Chili Margarita, and Kola Fashioned.
In early 2026, Aplós will release the Dragon Fruit Martini, the brand’s non-alcoholic take on 2024’s most-searched cocktail on Google, the Pornstar Martini.
The US and Brazil are expected to drive future growth of the no-alcohol category.
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