Get Grüvi – Not Hungover

-But how can it be beer be without alcohol? That’s so confusing. It’s beer? It’s wine? But not alcohol? Can the two things coexist? Anika Sawni Co-Founder, and Chief Brand Officer of Grüvi, says, “100 percent they can” and they can also taste good. If you try a Grüvi nonalcoholic beer blindfolded, you cannot tell the difference. But what you won’t get is the harsh side effect that accompanies a mighty fine-tasting beverage. Want to see yourself?

Come to the 1st Thursday Art Walk in Santa Barbara at Kiva Coworking on May 2, 2024, from 5 to 8. “Because life is an adventure and we refuse to miss a sip,” says Grüvi.

Anika shares the genesis of Grüvi, carving its niche as the best non-alcoholic craft of beer & wine on the planet. The beverage company stemmed from personal experiences and a desire for a vibrant, non-alcoholic option in social settings. Despite initial challenges and skepticism from the big beverage gurus, Grüvi has become a trailblazer in the industry, offering high-quality, flavorful alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages. Grüvi aims to make every moment more enjoyable for consumers seeking healthier drinking options.

But in the beginning, Anika just wanted to cut back, “The hardest part was finding exciting non-alcoholic options, so we decided to create our own.” Setting out on a grand and brand new plateau from Neuroscience, Anika and her brother Niki, their animals, and their parents set off to do as all good startups do, get rid of all belongings, set up shop in their garage in Colorado, and go door to door with a dream. The idea was burning to develop something that did not exist that would make the world better. At all costs. All risk. Despite all the pushbacks. The Grüvi team had to bring this idea to life.  

Grüvi acts as a traditional craft beer and winemaker. They procure, extract, and produce, but then the magic happens. Anika says, “We brew a full-strength beer or wine and then use a process to gently remove the alcohol, followed by adding back flavors (with wine). We focus on maintaining taste and quality similar to their alcoholic counterparts.”

Now it’s hard to envision the first NA companies in 2019 pre-pandemic telling people that yes, they needed an offering in this category. NA was a new concept completely for the beverage industry. Grüvi had hurdles. The doubts were soaring. What would someone want to spend their money on a craft beverage that did not have alcohol? And is it just a new gross-flavored sweet water? These are ideals they have to combat. 

Grüvi’s first barrier – taste. Have you had the one NA beverage that existed? There were only a few way back when. Now the category has grown and Anika claims they are constantly working and iterating on the process over and over. “All of the products that we have, not once have they just been launched and then left the market. All of them have been iterated on, improved on, on time and time again.”

The second barrier – accessibility. Each of Grüvi’s offerings is single-serve, not denying the opportunity to celebrate or relax, making a mark on the day in a more mindful way.

The single serve options make non-alcoholic more accessible. Because in any moment that you’re craving, a nice glass of wine for yourself, you don’t have to wait to pop it open with a group of friends or, you know, drink a whole bottle to yourself. You can just pour yourself a glass in that moment and start to create those rituals and habits around a healthful drinking relationship.” Anika says, “It’s about  helping people make that transition to less alcohol. Alcohol at the end of the day is one of the leading causes of death in North America and it’s impacted a lot of families.” 

The third barrier Grüvi set out to do something that no brand has ever done from Golden Lagers, to Rosé to Sangria, there is truly something for everyone and every moment, without skimping on taste, or being an afterthought. It’s a for thought beverage where every aspect was considered as being a part of a whole wide world of different people with different needs and preferences.

Grüvi’s is environmentally conscious, using 100% recyclable packaging and pre-recycled (PCR) in all their packaging.

Grüvi is in its fifth year and growing. The first account they got was Argonauts in Colorado. They were worried when they couldn’t find their product on the shelf, but it turned out it had sold out over the weekend. Now, as an award-winning beverage, they have achieved their goals. What Grüvi did in five years revolutionized the beverage industry and supported feeling good and drinking craft beer and wine can co-exist.

Grüvi set out to do something that no brand has ever done and offer a wide variety of options in both NA beer & Wine. From Golden Lagers, to Rosé to Sangria, there is truly something for everyone and every moment. 

Find this drink at Whole Foods, Total Wine, Mishawaka, Ball Arena, Llama Dog and KIVA Art Walks in Santa Barbara, or directly from the website, shipping nationwide.

Beyond the grocer- expanding into bars, restaurants, and venues to make their products more accessible to social settings in California, Colorado, NM, AZ, and more.