We ’ re not a non-alcoholic beer or a non-alcoholic spirit . We want to create a delicious and enjoyable experience for our customers that keeps them coming back .”
RAISE A GLASS
This Holiday Season , as you stock your fridge , be sure to include TÖST , the non-alcoholic sparkling refresher perfect for every occasion .
As the holiday season arrives , the spirit of joy and wonder is alive and well throughout the Green Mountain State . Friends and families come from far and wide to gather and raise their glasses together . “ I believe everyone should be able to enjoy a high-quality celebratory beverage at any occasion , big or small ,” says Brooks Addington . Addington is the CEO of TÖST , a premium non-alcoholic sparkling beverage company based in Manchester , Vermont . Addington has spent the past several years working to build and promote TÖST ’ s refreshing line of non-alcoholic sparkling beverages . By doing so , he has played a role in shaping the development of the rapidly growing non-alcoholic beverage industry . Today , TÖST stands as a product that provides everyone with the opportunity to celebrate their best moments with a delicious beverage , regardless of whether or not they choose to consume alcohol .
Addington says that from the moment he first tasted TÖST , he was “ immediately smitten .” “ I just felt there was something special about it ,” says Addington . “ The branding was great , and the drink inside the bottle was just as good as the branding .” Although the original idea behind TÖST came out of the desire to build a product that could be consumed by people that are living alcohol-free lifestyles , Addington insists that TÖST is more than just an alternative beverage for people living a chemically-abstinent life . “ Although TÖST is certainly a wonderful alcohol-free option for people who are entirely sober , I see it as much more than that . To me , TÖST is a true occasion-based beverage . It ’ s a wonderful option for anyone who wants to enjoy a beverage that is both meaningful and sophisticated , but doesn ’ t have any alcohol in it . It may be because they ’ ve chosen to be sober , or because they ’ re taking a break from drinking , or because they just want to enjoy a great tasting non-alcoholic beverage .”
Over the course of the past several years , TÖST has received a series of awards and glowing high-profile write ups from food and beverage critics . “ In 2018 , we won a SOFI award from the Specialty Food Association for Best New Product Cold Beverage ,” says Addington . “ When The Washington Post mentioned us in an article in 2019 about the ‘ Top Seven Trends to Follow ,’ it really got the momentum going in terms of public awareness . That was a real turning point for both us and the whole zero-alcohol and low alcohol-by-volume beverage market segment . People started to see us in a different light than already-established sparkling cider brands . They started to see TÖST as a truly nuanced and meaningful adult non-alcoholic beverage , which was what we were going for .”
Today , TÖST is available in both “ Original ” and “ Rosé ” flavor options . Addington says that from the onset of the flavor creation process , the primary goal was to create a full-bodied and flavorful refresher that had all of the distinction of a traditional adult beverage , without any of the alcohol . “ Here at TÖST , we approach the beverage creation process in a different way than other companies have traditionally approached building non-alcoholic beverages in the past . We didn ’ t want to limit ourselves to any particular base ingredients or try to create a non-alcoholic beer or sparkling wine . We just wanted to focus on taste and experience that resulted from combining the right ingredients , which we created through extensive research and development and multiple tastings . At the end of the day , we ’ re not a non-alcoholic champagne imitator .
Addington is delighted to witness TÖST ’ s success play out on a large-market scale and see people around the world enjoy his products firsthand . He adds that a recent experience at a small gathering speaks to the evolving attitudes of consumers in regards to non-alcoholic beverages . “ I had a small gathering a few weeks ago , and I served both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages . We had some alcoholic beers and nice wines on ice . We also had a large cooler of non-alcoholic beverages , with five different brands , including TÖST . I packed a ton of bottles and cans in there , and the cooler was completely decimated at the end of the night . There wasn ’ t a single bottle or can left in that cooler , but I still had alcoholic beer and wine left over . I knew that about 10 % of the people at the party no longer drank alcohol , but there was still a significant group of people who are not entirely sober that opted to enjoy a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage instead of a traditional alcoholic one . Some chose to switch to a non-alcoholic beverage after enjoying an alcoholic drink , and others opted to not drink alcohol as they had commitments the following day . I experienced the entire spectrum of TÖST ’ s potential consumer base at that party . It really showed me that our products are doing exactly what they ’ re supposed to do : they ’ re allowing people to connect and share moments of celebration with one another no matter what their personal preferences are regarding alcohol . TÖST gets its name from a ‘ toast ,’ as raising a glass for a toast is a universal symbol of hospitality . It feels good to be able to play a part in creating a healthier , more universally hospitable , and more inclusive beverage culture . We ’ re looking forward to having more people around the world celebrate their moments with TÖST .”
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