Alcoholic tea brand Noveltea has launched the company's first booze-free spirit after one of its founders embarked on a lockdown health kick.
The tipsy tea business, set up by Vincent Effroth and Lukas Passia, has stirred up the drinks sector with its tea-infused spirits, including The Tale of Earl Grey, which is distilled with gin; The Tale Of Moroccan Mint; and The Tale of Oolong, which infused with Scotch whisky.
During lockdown, however, Mr Passia has joined thousands of others in switching to a vegan diet while also cutting down on alcohol, which has inspired the team to craft what it describes as the best possible G&Tea with none of the alcohol.
0% London Dry, featuring overtones of juniper and a hint of Earl Grey, is designed to be enjoyed as a non-alcoholic G&T with a premium tonic, gently warmed with hot water and a little honey or as an ingredient in a non-alcoholic cocktail.
The firm said the exciting new innovation was born out of extensive research and experimentation through removing the alcohol from the brand’s The Tale of Earl Grey blend and combining 12 different botanicals.
Noveltea said it is trialling the new product to understand potential demand within the rapidly growing no and low alcohol category.
Mr Passia said: “We’re extremely excited to be bringing our new 0% ABV spirit to the UK drinks market.
“This has been a long time in the making as the new blend was developed during my quest to achieve more balance in my life when the pandemic first hit.
“Exercising more, moving to a plant-based diet as well as a desire to drink less alcohol were all part of helping to achieve my goals.
“During this time I was tasting the non-alcoholic offerings on the market, but none were matching up to the taste and quality I would expect, which is what inspired me to create a product that not only caters to the increasing demand from consumers, but doesn’t compromise on taste.
“We’re very proud of our new drink and we can’t wait for our customers to try it whether that be teetotalers or drinkers who want something a little different on occasions.”
The firm’s drinks are already popular with customers in the UK, Germany and China and last December the firm secured £1.4m from the North East Venture Fund (NEVF) to allow it to target new overseas markets, expand their product range and create 20 new jobs at the company’s base in Newcastle.
The investment followed two other fundraises on Crowdcube and a €450,000 investment with ‘Lioness’ Dagmar Wöhrl on Die Höhle der Löwen, the German version of Dragons’ Den.
