Kiwi alcohol-free cocktail brand Elta Ego has added ‘feel good adaptogens’ into its range of drink offerings.
Paul Duncan, a former mechanical engineer who founded Elta Ego, has added bioactive adaptogens maca, ginseng and L-theanine into its existing four flavours, Passionfruit Margarita, Mojito, Raspberry + Yuzu Gin and Tonic, and Negroni.
Duncan said he worked with food scientists to come up with the right blend for his non-alcoholic cocktail range.
“To help work out what health-conscious consumers wanted in a non-alcoholic cocktail, I also headed down to Auckland’s Viaduct over several weekends to talk to patrons on a night out, asking them what they were drinking, what flavours they liked, and what they wanted out of a non-alcoholic drink,” said Duncan.
“What I wanted to achieve was creating a drink that tasted, looked and felt like customers were drinking a classy cocktail but that didn’t have the same downsides that can come with drinking alcohol.”
Duncan said that through the Foodstuffs Emerge program, he learned the basics of selling at supermarkets. He also received initial support to sell around 11 New World stores in the North Island.
Duncan also partnered with Massey University MBA programme Free Brains to help him research on which market to expand into.
