JOMO at Mind Body Spirit and the BBC Good Food Show 2023
In the last month, JOMO has had the chance to attend two large exhibitions in the UK. These were the Mind Body Spirit Festival and the BBC Good Food show. At both events, we brought a selection of different alcohol-free drinks to introduce people to the the world of alcohol-free.
We love taking JOMO to these events because it means we get to meet, interact and chat with you all. We talked to mindful drinkers, sober curious people, and also people who have never heard of alcohol-free.
Mind Body Spirit
The Mind Body Spirit festival is all about embracing wellness and cultivating the mind, body and spirit. Exhibitors from all over the world come to connect over all things wellness and health. From artists to yogis, vegan chefs to motivational speakers, the Mind Body Spirit Festival has it all.
The response to JOMO and our alcohol-free subscription boxes, non-alcoholic spirits and mocktails was overwhelming. We spoke to more sober and sober curious people at this event than at any other event before. And because of that people were incredibly excited to see the many different alcohol-free options available. This event was filled with lovely, interested and open people.
The BBC Good Food Show
The BBC Good Food Show is a bit more well-known. This is the food event of the year. It is filled with top chefs, cooking workshops, artisanal food and drink creators and much more. This is the place to go for food and drink lovers.
The audience here was less familiar with alcohol-free drinks, with many complaining about the limited options. So it was great to introduce them to the world of over 500 different delicious non-alcoholic spirits.
Which Alcohol-Free Spirits Did We Serve?
With such a huge selection of different alcohol-free spirits and drinks available deciding which drinks to bring and sample at an exhibition can be a challenge.
At the Mind Body Spirit Festival, we served up a Sentia Mood Enhancing spirit. This was so popular that it sold out on day one. Next to that, we served New London Lights Midnight Sun and Atopia Spiced Citrus. These were paired with tonic, grapefruit soda or water kefir.
These went down well with different groups. For those who are sober but really miss the buzz of alcohol the Sentia mood-enhancing alcohol-free spirit was very exciting. For bitter gin lovers, Atopia Spirits Spiced Citrus really hit the spot. And many people, going in unsure of what to expect, loved New London Lights Midnight Sun.
At the BBC Good Food show we served alcohol-free Mojitos made using Marie Laveau non-alcoholic rum, Lyre’s Pink alcohol-free G&Ts and Mahala Amber with blood orange. A delicious selection of drinks for a warm few days. These are great alcohol-free spirits to really introduce the smaller, lesser-known alcohol-free distilleries to a wider, foodie audience.
What Did People Say To Us?
Our favourite part of exhibiting and events like these is the amazing conversations that we have with our audience. We spoke to so many different people who were sober or mindful drinkers for a whole range of different reasons. For example, we spoke to many ladies who were going through or had gone through menopause and found that alcohol no longer agreed with them. So the prospect of delicious alcohol-free drinks was very exciting.
“There aren’t many options”
This is something we heard from many different people, particularly at the Good Food Show. People would tell us that they have tried Gordon’s 0.0% and not enjoyed it. From that, they assumed that alcohol-free drinks are just not that good.
The reality is that there are over 500 different alcohol-free spirits alone. And many of these are delicious. But supermarkets tend to only showcase well-known brands, such as Gordons. People are familiar with these names so will pick them up to test them. But they are by no means the best alcohol-free drinks out there.
What you will discover if you sign up for a JOMO subscription is that many of the best alcohol-free spirits and drinks out there are made by smaller, less well-known brands. These are created by people who are truly passionate about alcohol-free drinks. From that passion, they create a delicious product but sadly remain undiscovered by the mainstream shops.
“What is This Spirit Meant to be Like?”
This was a common question we got and is something we love to chat with people about. More often than not alcohol-free spirits are not meant to be like anything specific. Often times they are intended to be delicious, sophisticated and adult-tasting drinks, but not necessarily a specific replacement for alcoholic spirits.
For example, New London Light Midnight Sun is technically an alcohol-free aperitif - similar to the likes of Campari or Aperol. But with the pine, kelp and Nordic berries, the flavour profile is truly unique.
We encourage people to try out alcohol-free spirits with an open mind as opposed to looking for an exact replacement for specific alcoholic drinks. This will really help widen the alcohol-free drinks you can love and enjoy.
The Appearance
Something we noticed when serving the Bermondsey tonic is that people tended to reach for drinks based on appearance. Bermondsey tonic is brown in colour because, unlike most tonic water, it has not been artificially bleached. But many people would reach for the clear liquid as they found the brown liquid less appealing.
However, when we explained the story behind the difference between the clear and brown tonic water many people were shocked and actively reached for the brown liquid.
This shows how we really do all make choices based on appearance. It reminded us why telling a story is so important. With more information about products people’s decisions change!
Sign Up for JOMO
Are you excited to dive into a world of alcohol-free drinks beyond those that you might find in the supermarket? Sign up for a JOMO alcohol-free subscription box. With a JOMO subscription, you will regularly receive a box filled to the brim with alcohol-free goodies, directly to your front door.
Each box contains a mindfully chosen selection of products. Our products are chosen based on their taste, quality and the ethics of the company, so you know that you will only receive the best of the best.
Each alcohol-free hamper contains:
One full-sized bottle of an alcohol-free spirit
Paired mixers, garnishes and alcohol-free cocktail recipes
A range of ready-to-drink alcohol-free beverages
A selection of tasty snacks
A magazine all about the alcohol-free world and your new alcohol-free goodies.
So sign up for a JOMO alcohol-free subscription now and find the joy of missing out.