The zero-alcohol beverage space continues to grow, driven by health-conscious consumption, and moderation. As a result, there are a number of opportunities for innovation in the retail space.
Odette Jordan is the owner and founder of Purely Zero, a 100 per cent non-alcohol bottle shop that opened last month in Mandurah, Western Australia.
A local in the town just south of Perth, Jordan was diagnosed with an illness and 18 months ago was prescribed medication that meant she was unable to drink alcohol. As a result, she began experimenting with alcohol free alternatives.
“I just found I wasn’t getting anything decent from the supermarket or smaller bottle shops. So, I started getting it online myself and it was really good quality stuff,” she said.
But eventually sourcing the products became a chore.
“I was getting a bit frustrated waiting weeks for it to arrive. Sometimes I would have to order a minimum of six bottles, and if I didn’t like it, I’d just wasted $120 on the stuff.”
It was this frustration that inspired Purely Zero.
“I thought that if this is annoying me, it must annoy other people. We opened the shop as a place where people can just come in, grab a bottle of wine on their way to a barbecue or home, and have the same sort of freedom of choice that people drinking alcohol do.”
The store stocks all the categories one might expect to find in a traditional liquor store – red and white wines, bubbles, beers, cider, spirits and even RTDs.
“I’ve got pretty much everything that you would need in the real alcoholic world. Red wine and beer are selling most because of the season, followed closely by Prosecco.”
Jordan told National Liquor News, the community response to the store and its range of products has been overwhelming.
“It’s far exceeded any expectations I had. Someone posted on Facebook about the store a few months ago while we were still developing and there was a lot of negative comments. At that point I thought, ‘What have we done here?’.
“But since opening our doors I’ve had none of that. My shelves are almost empty because people are coming in to support the store and the concept. It’s been really incredible.”
With a focus on supporting local, Jordan said majority of her product range is Australian.
“I’ve got one French wine and a couple of South African products but otherwise we are staying close to home. I’m trying to go as local to Perth as I can. I think a lot of people like Australian made products, so that’s what I’m trying to stick to.”
A big part of Jordan’s job since opening has been collecting feedback from her community.
“For a small community, there’s no point me deciding everything on the shelves. I think it’s about what people want and don’t want. Every time someone comes in with a suggestion, I take a note. I’m taking product recommendations because I’m learning with people too. It’s been a nice interaction between me and my customers.”
Proud of how the business is doing so far, Jordan also reflected on the opportunities for growth in the zero-alcohol space.
“I think there’s a big need for these products. More and more people want the ritual over the alcohol. In the past, what has stopped that was the quality of the products. Thirty years ago, I could have never imagined looking for something to replace red wine. But the quality is getting better, which means opportunities are limitless.”
“I’m not about pushing no alcohol and I’m not on a crusade. My store is about choice for those that want or need it.”
Odette Jordan
Focusing on educating customers on their choice, Jordan has been hosting weekly tastings and posting regularly on Instagram and Facebook, with plans to expand her marketing opportunities.
“In summer we hope to do cocktail afternoons where people can taste and share mocktail recipes. We’d like to have regular polls on Instagram. The idea is to involve people and let them try before they buy.”
