The Zero Proof
In this Q&A, you’ll hear from Sean Goldsmith, co-founder & CEO of The Zero Proof, a nonalcoholic beverage ecommerce platform. Sean shares how quitting alcohol led to becoming a leader in the NA wellness movement, retailing top NA products while launching the company’s own wholesale brands.
Introduce us to The Zero Proof.
Sean Goldsmith: The Zero Proof is the leading nonalcoholic beverage online retailer, with over 30+ brands to enjoy.
With a commitment to quality, the site showcases a diverse array of alcohol-free options, from top-tier NA wine to whiskey alternatives and Swedish amaros.
In addition to being the exclusive importer of esteemed brands from around the world, The Zero Proof also wholesales its own brands, Saint Viviana and Lapo’s, selling to companies like Soho House, Delta, Trader Joe’s, and Ritz-Carlton.
The Zero Proof extends its passion for premium NA offerings to a wider audience by enriching the landscape of alcohol-free enjoyment with curated content and guides of NA-friendly bars and restaurants, tourist hot spots, and booze-free activities around the world.
What led you to pursue this opportunity?
SG: I woke up one morning while living in New York and decided I didn’t want to drink that day. One day turned into one week… and, now, about five years.
My best friend from high school similarly took a break from booze around the same time, and we regularly discussed how great we were feeling — getting better sleep, losing weight, and dealing with stress better.
But, even though we didn’t want to drink alcohol, we still wanted to go out to nice dinners and socialize without compromising on experience. That’s when we discovered the adult NA category and started a blog.
We’re now one of the leading companies in the space, and our mission goes beyond just offering alternatives; it’s about creating a space where everyone can find premium, satisfying options without sacrificing taste or experience.
How did you turn your idea into a company?
SG: When we first started blogging, it was just a passion project. Trevor (my co-founder) and I just wanted to learn more about this category and meet some of the players involved, but more and more people were coming to the site to read reviews… and they actually found them useful!
We bought a few products and set up a web shop to see if anyone would buy, and, again, they did. We had our first sale in December 2020 — shoutout to customer no. 1, Jody Brazil.
How big can this get?
SG: The market today is around $13B, but the adult NA category is still only about 1% of the size of the alcohol market.
We’re one of the fastest-growing categories in the beverage industry, and it’s still very early on. With many major alcohol CEOs indicating no- and low-alcohol will make up 20–25% of their businesses in this decade, I think the category could easily reach $100B in short order.
We’re in a great position to capture a lot of this market. We have the leading website in the space, which we’re continuing to optimize and improve for new sober-curious customers to discover.
We also have a great distribution network around the US and fantastic retail partners. As the category grows and we start to see more shelf space being made for NA, we’ll be right there to help them fill those shelves.
How do you reach your core customer?
SG: The core customer is someone who is looking to drink less for wellness reasons. As people get older, it turns out they like hangovers less and less. We’re all busy with work, kids, and social obligations, and more folks are waking up to the fact that alcohol just isn’t serving them.
Our customer today skews toward millennial women looking to replace that Monday-through-Thursday drink at home. But what’s really exciting is Gen Z — nearly two-thirds of legal-drinking-age Gen Z doesn’t drink alcohol, so there’s a tidal wave of demand coming for the category.
What’s next on the roadmap?
SG: We’ve been growing at 2–3x every year and are on track to continue at that pace. With large retail chains expanding their shelf space for adult NA, our big focus is on partnerships for the wholesale side of the business.
To streamline our DTC retail experience and make it easier to find a new favorite NA beverage, we’re currently working on a website relaunch, expected later this year.
We’re also in the middle of discussions on some exciting brand partnerships while exploring potential collaborations with food, beverage, and wellness companies. If any readers are interested, please get in touch!
If you’re interested in having your company featured in our Q&A series, send an email to team@fitt.co.
