Once the alcohol-free lifestyle was just for teetotallers and pregnant women, but that is proving to no longer be the case. In the post-pandemic world, many are re-thinking the attention they pay to their physical and mental health - leading a large number of people to consider cutting back on the booze.
The ‘sober-curious’ movement is gaining traction worldwide, and Singapore is catching onto the trend. Free Spirit, Singapore’s largest alcohol-free bottle shop is supplying Singaporeans with tasty alcohol-free drinks to make the change easier.
Is going alcohol-free the next big trend for expats?
More and more people around the world want to cut down or eliminate their alcohol consumption. In fact, the number of 18-24 year olds who don’t drink alcohol has doubled in the past two decades. More and more consumers across all age groups are choosing non-alcoholic drinks, with an increase of more than 40% in alcohol-free drink sales in the United States last year.
Cutting back on alcohol can seem like a daunting prospect, especially for expats - for whom so many social and work connections are made over drinks. Two expat entrepreneurs, bored with the lack of alcohol-free drink options in Singapore, decided to tackle this issue and offer a new and welcome solution.
Rebecca Forwood and Emma Pike, founders of Free Spirit said, “We found we were always faced with the same problem: where were the decent alcohol-free options?”
Rebecca and Emma are both successful entrepreneurs in their own right and competitors in the food retail space. Rebecca runs The Fishwives, a food retail business with an online store and brick and mortar shop in Singapore. Meanwhile, Emma owns and operates Farmer’s Market, one of Asia’s leading online butchers. They both know the local market and how boozy brunches and wine mixers play a significant role in the Singapore social scene.
They’ve combined their entrepreneurial skills and experience to bring Singapore consumers a carefully selected range of alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits that taste just like the real thing.
You don’t have to be a teetotaller to look for alcohol-free options from time to time. “Free Spirit is not about giving up alcohol completely,“ says Emma. “But giving your body a break now and again from alcohol is never a bad thing. If you find it hard to go completely dry, try to go drier."
As Rebecca says, “Consumers should be free to choose a sophisticated adult drinking experience and not be relegated to sweet sodas and mocktails. Asia is lagging behind other parts of the world when it comes to alcohol-free options, and we’re on a mission to put that right.”
Free Spirit is giving Singaporeans the option of healthier ‘grown up’ drinks. Neither founder is completely alcohol-free but both use alcohol-free drinks as part of their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle.
Options for everyone
When faced with social situations where booze is at the centre, it can be difficult to choose alcohol-free options. High-calorie sodas quickly lose their appeal, and juice can be just as sugary, leaving consumers with little in the way of options. However, now you have the option to show up at a dinner party with a really nice craft beer or a high-end bottle of wine with no booze.
“Our products are higher-end and lower in sugar and additives,” Rebecca explains. “The range of alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits we offer has grown exponentially since we launched in late 2020.”
As the largest alcohol-free bottle shop in Singapore, Free Spirit offers plenty of options for those who want to have an occasional alcohol-free evening. People are finding it’s much easier to cut back when they can keep their drink of choice but lose the alcohol. You won’t have to worry about missing out on anything, as there’s such an amazing range of choices available. Bring along a nice bottle of beer, wine or cider to your next social event and no one will know you’re abstaining from alcohol.
“There’s so much to choose from, including traditionally-brewed craft beers and exceptionally good wines and botanical spirits,” says Emma. “We’ve both sampled incredible zero-alcohol sparkling wines that had all the flavour we were craving, minus the headache the next day.”
The benefits of cutting down on booze
A few decades ago, many of today’s wellness trends seemed out of reach to the average person. For example, vegan and gluten-free options are plentiful in restaurants and food shops, whereas both lifestyle choices were more difficult to manage just a few years ago. Perhaps alcohol-free drinks are the next big trend to catch on?
“It’s totally normal now to cater to vegetarians and vegans, and we believe that it should also be normal that sophisticated alcohol-free choices are on the menu wherever we eat and drink,” says Emma.
There are a wide range of benefits to giving up or lessening your alcohol intake: you’ll sleep better, you’ll be more hydrated, your skin will be clearer and you’re sure to feel better overall.
“Even if you can cut back a few days a week or have just a few less drinks on a night out, you’ll be doing your body a favour,” says Rebecca. “But Free Spirit is not about sobriety, we're about options. We're not pushing abstinence; it's more about choices to easily take a break and reset.
As an added benefit of going alcohol-free, most alcohol-free products are much lower in calories than their alcoholic counterparts. This is great for those who are looking to lose weight - plus the drinks really do taste like the real thing, so you’ll get to keep the experience that you enjoy.
“Everything in our store is tried and tested and hand-selected by us, so we can vouch that you won’t be missing the sugar — or the booze,” stresses Emma.
Free Spirit has made it easy for you to get alcohol-free drinks delivered to you at home in Singapore via the Free Spirit Online Store. They are also partnering with restaurants and food shops around Singapore to make their products more available when you are out and about around town.
Free Spirit founders said, “We’re determined to get Singapore’s bar and restaurant industry on board to give a better choice of alcohol-free options to their customers. It's our dream to put alcohol-free beverages on the menus of at least 50% of bars and restaurants across Singapore in the next two years.”
This goal certainly seems possible since they stock Singapore’s largest collection of great-tasting alcohol-free drinks from all around the world.
Interested in cutting back on the alcohol?
Shop Singapore’s largest collection of alcohol-free beverages at freespirit.com.sg
If you are new to the range, one of Free Spirit’s alcohol-free packs is a great way to try the different options available. Free Spirit offers delivery throughout Singapore 6 days a week with no delivery charge for orders over $120.
Website: www.freespirit.com.sg
