Katy Perry’s zero alcohol apértif brand De Soi nabs $4m in seed funding
It’s a ‘teenage dream’: alcohol-free options continue to expand for those seeking sobriety in a social world. The latest, Katy Perry and Morgan McLachlan’s De Soi, recently closed a $4m seed round to propagate the brand’s health-conscious sparkling drinks nationwide.
De Soi’s co-founders Katy Perry and Morgan McLachlan / De Soi
As the “sober-curious movement” surges in popularity, another virgin drink has appeared on the scene. De Soi, a new line of non-alcoholic aperitifs from pop star Katy Perry and award-winning distiller Morgan McLachlan, has today announced the closing of $4m in seed funding.
The round, led by Willow Growth with participation from entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), will help the brand expand across the country, according to a statement shared with The Drum.
De Soi was born when Perry and McLachlan met in 2020. At the time, both women were pregnant and looking for ways to unwind sans booze. The low-calorie sparkling drink currently comes in three flavors – Golden Hour, Purple Lune and Champignon Dreams – and is targeted toward “a discerning millennial woman who is looking for a mindful adult beverage with an elegant flavor profile,” according to officials. “De Soi is all about balance – being able to enjoy the evening and the next morning,” Perry said in a statement. “It allows busy toddler moms like [McLachlan] and me, or anyone who might want a drink without the hangover, to enjoy the social ritual of a drink with friends and still be the life of the party.”
At the time of De Soi’s inception, the non-alcoholic drinks category was booming, reaching an $820bn valuation in 2020, per Digital Journal data, as brands such as Athletic Brewing’s alcohol-free craft beer and Betty Buzz, Blake Lively’s guilt-free fizzy drink, emerged to seize the “sober-curious” consumer opportunity.
However, De Soi’s ingredients separate it from the rest of the many non-alcoholic offerings on the shelf, according to McLachlan. “Unlike our competitors, De Soi is not a simple proxy to existing alcoholic spirits,” said McLachlan, who won Food & Wine’s Drinks Innovators of the Year award this year. “Instead, we blend culinary botanicals like yuzu, blackcurrant and rose with relaxing adaptogens, like reishi mushroom and ashwagandha, to achieve three unique, nuanced sparkling aperitifs that are intended to be enjoyed just as you would a fine glass of wine.”
De Soi has since garnered the fandom of celebs including Kris Jenner, Amy Schumer and Chelsea Handler. While currently available in retail locations such as Foxtrot, Boisson and Total Wine in California, the brand plans to open new retail doors across the country.