JOMO Club x REBELS: Inside the Launch of ROSSO, the New Alcohol-Free Spirit Shaping the Future of Drinks

JOMO Club first featured REBELS a year ago when showcasing their Amaretti to JOMO Club members in a monthly discovery box. We won’t lie, we were a little nervous. We didn't know if our members would prefer Gin or Spritzes than Amaretti, so we were worried when curating the box that members wouldn’t enjoy it or it would be too different from their usual bar orders or at home tipple.

Nothing about the flavour or the drink itself - the REBELS Amaretti is to die for, it just felt a little.. daring. When the box landed we held our breath, but it wasn’t long before we had floods of emails saying how much members loved it. In fact, I think it was the most talked about spirit of that year. 

This is one of many examples to show the significant waves we have made in the alcohol-free world and that is a testament to the quality of alcohol-free drinks available and your willingness to experiment and discover away from the norms of what you might ordinarily choose. We then featured their Dolce Spritz in the Spring which members also loved and enjoyed all Summer long.

So, as they seem to be on a roll, we wanted to share their brand new launch - their boldest innovation yet. Their latest most exciting launch which can simply be sipped neat or on the rocks!

TRY REBELS HERE

Q: Every time we include a Rebels spirit in a JOMO monthly box, our members go wild for it. No matter the style of spirit!

How do you think you have got it so right and why are you members favourite time and time again above other spirits on the market? Rebels 0.0% started as a revolution against existing drinking norms. Our purpose was always to create honest, best in class liquids with quality ingredients. It’s humbling to hear that our actions are being appreciated and that we can make small differences in peoples lives trying to find great alternatives to reduce or replace their alcohol consumption. 

Q: You launched a brand new spirit to your range this year which we are excited to be showcasing this month! Can you tell us why you wanted to add this to your range and what we can expect?

Rosso is replacing a product called Bitter Aperitivo, which was our vermouth alternative from the launch of the brand in 2021. The Bitter Aperitivo honestly never took off as it was quite unique and niche, only catering to a very small group of people. Also, it was launched during that time, when we tried to copy existing alcoholic categories. The reason why Rosso is so exciting is because the liquid shows how far our product quality has come since 2021. We knew that consumers at home at times didn’t feel like mixing drinks. We took that feedback and wanted to create a liquid that can be consumed neat (chilled or on the rocks). Rosso is definitely now our top in class product in terms of quality. It delivers taste, complexity, from bitter to sweet, extremely long-lasting and the taste stands for itself, it doesn’t need any comparison.

Q: Some people this month will be receiving this box in celebration of Sober October. What are your three tips for these people?

Honestly, we have our differences internally about these sober months. While we believe these specific months can be a starting point for everyone who wants to change something in their alcoholic intake. We believe a steady, continuous reduction long-term is more valuable than cutting back for 30 days and then going back to the behaviour before. We can now see a shift in orders from January to December which shows consumers are already adding alcohol free options for the festive season rather than just starting in January. My very personal tip: try mixing alcohol-free drinks into your regular nights. I usually start with an alcohol free aperitivo and might switch to some wine depending on the food and then my favourite alcohol free drink to end the night. 

Q: Can you tell us about your favourite aperitivo moment - both setting and serve for this time of year?

For me, it’s usually the first dinner outside in Spring. In a restaurant below some trees, in a t-shirt at 8pm (which was early this year). It’s the time when you know a warm season full of events, social gatherings and vacations are ahead of us. My Autumnal aperitivo moment is warming up with Rosso on the rocks, getting cosy after a crisp Autumn day. The leaves outside reflect the colours in my glass. The reason I have so much fun with Rosso is because it takes me back to a traditional way of an Aperitivo. No big glass, no bubbles, not a lot of sugar, bold bitterness and being able to sip just 40ml instead of a full bowl of sparkling filling up my stomach before dinner.

Q: Have you identified any interesting trends this year in spirit type and whether different countries vary in their taste preferences?

Yes. Our products are usually drink-driven. For example the Amaretto Sour is a very famous cocktail in Switzerland, all year round. Rarely does anybody drink an amaretto sour for the alcoholic effect, so the product is a best-seller once people discover you can have the same drink completely alcohol-free. In Germany, the cocktail is much less famous and therefore the sales are reflected. In the UK, Amaretti is considered a winter or festive drinks, while in Switzerland a refreshing Amaretto Sour is often ordered in Summer. As for trends, I would argue that liquids moving into the whiskey taste space are hot right now. Our Malt Blend is one of the best-sellers in a number of online spaces because not many brands have figured out how to tape into that liquid space - it certainly isn’t easy.

Q: What one big change do you think will happen or would you like to happen in the alcohol-free space?

Two things. I would like to see hospitality adding more space to quality alcohol-free drinks because the demand is there. Sexy Fish in London just split their drink offering 50/50 and their alcohol-free drinks sales soared to 37%. The second one would be for the consumer to be more educated on the quality and ingredients of alcohol-free products.

For your body, it differs if you are regularly consuming products with heaps of artificial ingredients vs natural ones.

Q: We are of course encouraging at home drinks discovery and re-shaping the at home drinking ritual and experience. However, members often tell us how frustrated they are at the options available when out. Rebels is widely used in bars and restaurants. How have you found this side has changed since your launch and is there anywhere they can enjoy your cocktails in the UK?

It does change more rapidly now compared to two years ago. Guests who don’t drink alcohol will start to avoid certain places if there aren’t serious alcohol free options available. One could say there is a social pressure for hospitality to increase their 0% offering. The first deck on our original investor pitch stated ‘there will be a time when one will ask the bartender for a Gin & Tonic and the bartender will ask ‘with or without alcohol?’ While this slide was added with a wink, I don’t believe we are so far away anymore. Go to any Starbucks and you will always be asked ‘with oat, soy or cows milk?’ This wasn’t the case five years ago. My favourite Rebels 0.0% drinks in London: Zero Dry at Noisy Oyster, Navel Spritz at Drinings SW3 and the Peach & Jasmine with our Malt Blend at Sexy Fish.