Drinks Buyer 2025

12 @specialityfood of high-end hotels and bars, so it’s been a wild ride for the Wild Life team since day one. A dream team With prior experience in the luxury hospitality industry, and having co-founded the Cornish Sea Salt Company, founder Ellie Bradshaw knows all the tricks of the trade to make a moment feel extra special and has added touches throughout the product to ensure that non- drinkers feel not only catered for but cared for. This attention to detail was brought to fruition by a dream team of Wild Life supporters – including from renowned chefs Mark Hix andMichael Caines – and experts at the helm of the business, such as the former head of innovation S ince its launch in September 2019, Wild Life Botanicals has been delighting non- drinking shoppers with its luxurious sparkling no-alcohol wine rich with health benefits – and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. The award-winning 0.5% ABV non-alcoholic fizz, available in Nude and Blush variants, is made extra special with the addition of a health- giving elixir packed with botanicals, vitamins andminerals, meaning that not only do non-drinkers no longer have to feel left out at celebratory gatherings –making do with soft drinks or sparkling water – but they feel indulged and enlivened, too. Early stockists included the likes of Daylesford Organic, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, as well as a number of Innocent Drinks, a wine expert hailing fromCalifornia’s Beringer Wines, a master brewer, a food scientist, and a leading naturopath andmedical herbalist. In a world where not drinking is becoming increasingly popular – and consumers becoming more discerning than ever – the Wild Life teamhad their work cut out for themwhen it came to the taste and overall experience of Wild Life’s customers. Every detail was carefully considered, all the way down to the bubbles in the glass. “When you remove alcohol from any beverage it loses its viscosity and mouthfeel,” says Ellie. “So we needed to create what I call speed bumps so that people would sipWild Life like a Champagne or Prosecco rather than drink it a soft drink. BUBBLESWITH BENEFITS Thanks to award-winningWild Life Botanicals, non-drinkers can now indulge in extra special moments when they live the wild life Awide and loyal audience The inspiration to create a non- alcoholic beverage came fromEllie’s own lifestyle. “When I worked in hospitality it was almost easier to pour a glass of wine than it was to make a cup of tea, but living in Cornwall and permanently being on speed dial as a mum– there’s no Uber in Cornwall! –meant that I wanted something I could enjoy as an adult without the alcohol, calories or slow-down.” Wild Life’s appeal extends across age groups, encompassing 20-year-olds who are health- driven up to consumers in their eighties who don’t necessarily