What Proxies does

Proxies is a Toronto-headquartered, privately held non-alcoholic beverage company that designs and sells wine-style alternatives crafted from-scratch using a library of housemade ingredients — juices, teas, spices, bitters, vinegars, infusions, and verjus sourced from Niagara Valley wine grapes — blended by a dedicated in-house winemaker to deliver wine-like tannin, acidity, texture, and structure with ABV under 0.5%. Unlike dealcoholized wines, the products are engineered as a distinct beverage category built specifically for food pairing and stemware presentation, with endorsements from chefs and sommeliers (Sean Brock, Miguel de Leon, André Mack, Kristin Olszewski) and placements at Michelin-starred restaurants including The French Laundry, Gramercy Tavern, and Atelier Crenn.

The portfolio spans still wines (Big Red, Crisp White), sparkling wines (Gold Crush, Brut Rosé, Bubbly White/Rosé), canned sparkling wine-alternatives, ready-to-drink craft cocktails (Spicy Margarita, Gin & Tonic, Mai Tai), and curated multi-pack sets. Distribution runs through three primary channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce at drinkproxies.com (including the Proxies Club subscription and Build-A-Box customization); wholesale via the Faire and Airgoods marketplaces serving independent retailers and restaurants across the US and Canada; and on-premise placements at fine-dining establishments plus select retail stores. Pricing ranges from $12 for 2-pack cans to $154 for premium seasonal sets, with subscription offering 15% savings and group/corporate gifting available in bulk.

The company was launched by Acid League in late 2020 as the first three Proxies (Blanc Slate, Zest Contact, Cuvée Zero) and reports cumulative sales of 500,000+ bottles to 100,000+ customers. In November 2025 Proxies completed an asset acquisition of defunct mocktail maker Avec to enter the canned non-alcoholic cocktail category, with a new canned line slated for 2026. A 2024 funding event with Top Knot Ventures is disclosed. The company operates with 1-10 employees and remains in private ownership under the legal entity Drink Proxies Inc.

Name

Proxies

Legal name

Drink Proxies Inc.

Website

https://drinkproxies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Proxies is a Toronto-based non-alcoholic beverage company that designs from-scratch, wine-style drinks using housemade ingredients and a dedicated winemaker, selling still, sparkling, and canned formats through DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and Michelin-starred restaurant accounts across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cocktail Mixes & Alcoholic Beverage Bases (non-alcoholic mixers, RTD spirit bases) (AFAFAGAH)

Keywords

• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Wine alternatives
• Craft mocktails
• Food pairing drinks
• Sober curious drinks

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Products sold directly through drinkproxies.com to consumers. One-time purchases and subscription options available. Products include wine alternatives (bottles and cans), craft cocktails, and curated starter sets ranging from $20-$154.
2. Proxies Club Subscription: Recurring monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly deliveries of customized 6-packs with 15% subscriber discount. Includes exclusive access to subscriber deals, limited edition drops, and free gifts.
3. Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales through wholesale partners (Faire, Airgoods) to restaurants, wine shops, and specialty retailers. Volume-based pricing with partner benefits.
4. Group and Corporate Gifting: Bulk orders for groups and corporate gifting with minimum 5 sets and custom discounts for large orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Proxies crafts non-alcoholic, wine-like beverages from scratch using a library of hundreds of housemade ingredients (juices, teas, spices, bitters, vinegars, and infusions) blended by a dedicated winemaker. The product line includes still and sparkling wine alternatives (red, white, rosé) plus canned craft cocktails (Spicy Margarita, Gin & Tonic, Mai Tai), all engineered with wine-like tannin, acidity, texture, and structure for food pairing, with ABV under 0.5%.

Product overview

Proxies is a non-alcoholic beverage company offering wine-style alternatives crafted from wine grapes, fruits, teas, spices, and botanicals. The product portfolio centers on the core Wine category with still and sparkling varieties (Big Red, Brut Rosé, Crisp White, Gold Crush), complemented by a Cans & Cocktails line featuring canned sparkling wines and ready-to-drink craft cocktails (Spicy Margarita, Gin & Tonic, Mai Tai). Products are sold as individual bottles/cans, curated starter/sampler sets, and through the Build-A-Box and Proxies Club subscription services. Key offerings include the Bestseller Starter Set, various curated multi-packs (Sparkling Bestsellers, The Big 3, Summer Starter Set), and canned cocktail options. The company recently acquired Avec's assets and plans to launch a new canned drinks line. Proxies are designed as food-pairing alternatives to wine, not dealcoholized wine, featuring acidity, tannin, texture, and complex layered flavors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bestseller Starter Set A flagship mixed 4-pack of non-alcoholic wine alternatives featuring Gold Crush sparkling white, Brut Rosé, Crisp White, and Bubbly Rosé Cans. Designed as the introductory set for new customers, priced at $74 (regularly $94).
• White Wine Starter Set A curated 3-pack containing Crisp White, Gold Crush sparkling, and Bubbly White cans to showcase the white wine-style Proxies offerings at $60.
• Summer Starter Set A seasonal tasting set featuring red, white, rosé, and sparkling Proxies varieties at $104 (regularly $154).
• Sparkling Bestsellers A 4-pack featuring Gold Crush, Brut Rosé, and Bubbly White/Rosé cans, priced at $72 (regularly $95).
• The Big 3 A curated 3-pack featuring the top three customer favorite Proxies: one bubbly, one crisp white, and one rich red, priced at $64 (regularly $80).
• Big Red A non-alcoholic red wine alternative featuring rich blackberry and cherry notes accented by black pepper and hints of cigar box, with a dry herbaceous finish. Designed to pair with ribeye steak, braised lamb, and wild mushrooms. Priced at $20 per bottle.
• Brut Rosé A sparkling rosé non-alcoholic wine with tart raspberry and zesty lemon leading into summer peach, elderflower, and jasmine. Designed as a celebratory sparkling wine alternative at $20 per bottle.
• Crisp White A still white wine alternative with lychee, white flowers, and spicy ginger over ripe peach, bright citrus, and Niagara verjus. Pairs with grilled seafood, falafel, and crab cakes. Priced at $20 per bottle.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ bottles sold since launch in late 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nomadica WinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Bubbly White 6-Pack. Sommelier Kristin Olszewski founded Nomadica Wines with a mission to make exceptional wine accessible to all. The partnership brings Nomadica's coastal Mediterranean white wine inspiration to Proxies' non-alcoholic format with a hint of skin contact.
• Miguel de Leon / Pinch ChinesecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Vinta, a vibrant ode to skin-contact wines. Miguel de Leon is a renowned sommelier and writer, lauded for curatorial work at Pinch Chinese in SoHo. Each purchase of Vinta supports ARK (Advancement for Rural Kids), fighting child hunger in the Philippines.
• Sean BrockcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChef Sean Brock collaborated on Audrey, a celebration of Appalachian native ingredients featuring pawpaw vinegar from Lindera Farms. Brock is a James Beard award-winning chef with restaurants including Audrey in Nashville.
• Division WinemakingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Cluster, a textural, savory wine-inspired proxy. Division Winemaking produces natural wines that share Proxies' characteristics of layers of flavor, tannin, texture, acidity, and food-pairing ability.
• André MackminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndré Mack is a sommelier, restaurateur, and winemaker who collaborated on AHM, an Oregon-inspired red proxy. Featured pairing with spaghetti and meat sauce in Dry January content.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale marketplace partner offering retailers 50% off first order (up to $150), 1 year free shipping, 60-day payment terms, and free returns on first order.
• AirgoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale marketplace partner offering new buyers $100 credit on first order, 60-day payment terms, and free shipping for 1 year.
• SunnysideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Dry January app/mindfulness platform offering subscribers 20% discount code (PROXIES20) for their Dry-ish January challenge program.
• Lindera FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaniel Liberson's vinegar operation provides pawpaw vinegar for the Audrey collaboration with Sean Brock. Specializes in foraged Appalachian ingredients including Virginia berries, ramps, and black locust leaves.
• FishwifeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTinned fish brand featured alongside Proxies in content marketing. Recommended pairing for Tuesday tinned fish dinners.
• Avec (defunct mocktail maker)minorOthersProxies acquired the assets of defunct mocktail maker Avec, planning to launch a new canned drinks line. This strategic acquisition expands Proxies' product portfolio in the canned non-alcoholic cocktail space.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Luminara: Luminara is a premium NA wine brand offering varietal-style sparkling and still wines. It targets a similar premium buyer and dining occasion, positioning itself as a food-pairing alternative to wine, comparable to Proxies' value proposition.
• Ariel Vineyards: Ariel is a long-standing dealcoholized wine brand offering Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and other varietals. It targets the same alcohol-free wine occasion as Proxies and is widely distributed in supermarkets, complementing Proxies' premium positioning with a value/mass-market alternative.
• Fre Wines: Fre is an established dealcoholized wine brand (Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) by The Wine Group with broad grocery distribution. While Proxies is craft-blended from-scratch and Fre is dealcoholized, both compete for the same sober-curious wine buyer.
• Ghia: Ghia is a premium non-alcoholic aperitif positioned as a sophisticated alcohol alternative for social and dining occasions. It shares Proxies' premium positioning, sommelier/lifestyle marketing approach, and migrant away from the NA soda category.
• De Soi: De Soi is a premium non-alcoholic canned cocktail brand built around adaptogens and natural botanicals. It overlaps with Proxies' canned cocktails (Gin & Tonic, Mai Tai, Spicy Margarita) in format and target occasion, but emphasizes a different functional story.
• Surely: Surely is a premium non-alcoholic wine brand offering sparkling and still varietals (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon) directly to consumers. It is the closest direct competitor to Proxies in the premium NA wine category, competing for the same occasion and buyer via similar DTC and retail channels.

Emerging players

• Pentire: Pentire is a non-alcoholic botanical 'spirit' distilled from plants and designed to mix with tonic. While it overlaps with Proxies' cocktail ambitions and sober-curious target buyer, it does not produce wine-style beverages and is closer to a non-alcoholic gin substitute.
• Three Spirit: Three Spirit is a UK-based non-alcoholic functional beverage brand with three SKU lines (Livener, Social, Nightcap). It overlaps with Proxies in the sober-curious adult occasion but does not specifically target wine/food pairing, positioning around functional ingredients instead.
• Kin Euphorics: Kin Euphorics is an early-stage non-alcoholic functional beverage brand offering drinks designed for social occasions. It competes with Proxies for the sober-curious and mindful-drinking segment, but positions around adaptogens and mood rather than wine/food pairing.

Broad incumbents

• Seedlip: Seedlip is a pioneering non-alcoholic distilled spirit brand (owned by Diageo) with broad distribution and bar/restaurant presence. It competes more broadly in the same NA adult beverage category as Proxies and has established elevated on-premise mindshare.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/drinkproxies
• Facebookfacebook.com/drinkproxies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Proxies