There’s something fishy in the booze-free waters at Boisson.
The U.S.’s leading non-alcoholic retail chain could allegedly be shuttering all its locations as soon as this Sunday. Rumors of the closure surfaced when Andrea Hernández of Snaxshot, shared a comment from a Boisson employee on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) stating: “in the nonalc space, it doesn’t help that boisson is shuttering its doors sunday (online & in stores).” Hernández followed up on the issue with further posts, suggesting that the shut down has been confirmed. Adding fuel to these rumors, Boisson sent a mass e-mail Friday notifying customers that all products are 30 percent-off through Sunday as part of a Spring Cleaning sale.
VinePair reached out to a representative for comment, but has not received a response as of this story’s publication.
Boisson opened its first retail location in New York in February 2021, and in August 2022, the brand announced its plans for expansion after receiving $12 million in seed funding. In September 2023, Boisson named a new CEO and shared that they had received $5 million in additional funding.
“Since day one, Boisson’s mission has been to bring elevated NA offerings to the masses and we are excited to use this new investment to continue expanding our store footprint and product assortment,” Nick Bodkins, founder and president of Boisson, said in the 2023 release.
But this January, the company changed its strategy, announcing partnerships with beverage distribution companies KeHe and LibDib, positioning itself to be a national wholesaler. The company also brought on a new VP of wholesale, Jill Sites.
“Existing spirits and beer distributor networks are phenomenal – I worked for one of the best for almost a decade – but most are just starting to figure out NA, while Boisson brings years of 100% dedication to the category,” Sites said in the release. “It is what we do, what we are passionate about, and what we want to grow. We know that we are small, but we are mighty and we see this as the perfect moment to give NA a seat at the big table of industry wholesale distribution.”
Just a few months later, it’s now unclear what the future holds for Boisson as the company potentially faces shuttering all of its brick-and-mortar shops.
The rumors might come as a shock to Boisson’s fans: the pioneering business championed non-alcoholic products and seemed to effectively tap into the growing low- and no-alcohol movement. In a January press release, the brand claimed that demand was growing further: “The demand for NA offerings has skyrocketed in recent months, with studies revealing that 14% (1 in 8) of consumers have non-alcoholic alternatives while out, and that percentage jumps to 25% (1 in 4) for millennials.”
IWSR suggests that the majority of consumers that drink non-alcoholic beverages also consume drinks with alcohol. So, if this closure is happening, it might go to show that a shop solely devoted to NA products might not be a viable business model after all.
This story is a part of VP Pro, our free content platform and newsletter for the drinks industry, covering wine, beer, and liquor — and beyond. Sign up for VP Pro now!
