Caleño Drinks
Caleño Drinks Ltd is a Bristol-based, founder-led non-alcoholic spirits company founded in 2019 by Ellie Webb. It sells Colombian-inspired, steam-distilled AF spirits and ready-to-drink cans direct-to-consumer and through UK supermarkets, with early US expansion via Drink No Low.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Caleño Drinks does
Caleño Drinks Ltd is a UK-based non-alcoholic spirits company founded in January 2019 by Ellie Webb and headquartered in Bristol. The company produces a portfolio of tropical, Colombian-inspired distilled non-alcoholic spirits — Light & Zesty (gin alternative, anchored by Inca berry), Dark & Spicy (rum alternative), and two 2024 launches, Mango & Passion Fruit and White Coconut — alongside pre-mixed ready-to-drink cans. The core production technology is a 48-hour steam-distillation process in stainless steel drums followed by two weeks of maturation, blending sixteen or more globally sourced botanicals to capture tropical essence profiles without producing alcohol (under 0.5% ABV); the range is positioned as zero-sugar, low-calorie (20–23 kcal per 50ml serve), gluten-free, and vegan.
The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer plus retail model. D2C sales run through the Shopify-hosted calenodrinks.com storefront (£18 per 50cl, £11.99 per 20cl), supplemented by listing in all major UK grocery channels — Sainsbury's, Waitrose, M&S, Ocado, Amazon UK and Go Puff — and on-trade distribution in bars, restaurants and hotels. US market entry has begun via a stockist partnership with Drink No Low (drinknolow.com). Marketing is content-led across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter, an owned email/newsletter, and broad earned media (ITV This Morning, Channel 4 Sunday Brunch, Saturday Kitchen; Vogue, Mail on Sunday, Stylist, Imbibe). The company has been B Corp certified since 2023 (score 84.5) and is a privately held limited company with no disclosed external funding.
Caleño remains a small, founder-led organization operating with a sub-10-person team that includes a Commercial Director, Finance & Operations Director, Marketing Director and supporting brand, content and customer-support roles. Pricing is positioned at accessible premium tiers (£11.99–£18) rather than the ultra-premium spirits benchmark, supporting trial via the 20cl format and serving-led occasion-based messaging around Dry January, summer and social gatherings.
Caleño Drinks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Caleño Drinks
- Legal name
- Caleño Drinks Ltd
- Website
- https://calenodrinks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Caleño Drinks Ltd is a Bristol-based, founder-led non-alcoholic spirits company founded in 2019 by Ellie Webb. It sells Colombian-inspired, steam-distilled AF spirits and ready-to-drink cans direct-to-consumer and through UK supermarkets, with early US expansion via Drink No Low.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Caleño Drinks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-alcoholic spirits
- NAICS
- Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Botanical/Herbal & Adaptogen Functional Beverage Production (AFAFAFAF)
Keywords
Where Caleño Drinks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Caleño Drinks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Spirits: Caleño generates revenue primarily through direct sales of its distilled non-alcoholic spirits in 50cl and 20cl bottle formats. The products include Light & Zesty (gin alternative) and Dark & Spicy (rum alternative), priced at £18 and £11.99 respectively.
- Product Sales - Ready to Drink Cans: Caleño also sells pre-mixed cocktail cans (Light & Zesty cans) for immediate consumption, expanding into the ready-to-drink market segment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 50cl Bottle - £18 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 20cl Bottle - £11.99 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels8 records
Caleño Drinks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Caleño Drinks is a UK-based brand that produces distilled non-alcoholic tropical spirits as alternatives to gin and rum, using a steam distillation process on botanicals such as Inca berry, pineapple, ginger, coconut, and citrus. The range includes Light & Zesty, Dark & Spicy, Mango & Passion Fruit, and White Coconut in 50cl and 20cl bottles, plus ready-to-drink canned cocktails, sold direct-to-consumer online and through major UK retailers.
Product overview
Caleño Drinks is a non-alcoholic spirits company offering a range of distilled tropical beverages inspired by Colombian flavors. The core product portfolio consists of four distinct non-alcoholic spirits: Light & Zesty (tropical gin alternative), Dark & Spicy (tropical rum alternative), Mango & Passion Fruit (flavored rum), and White Coconut (coconut blend). Products are available in 50cl and 20cl bottle formats, as well as ready-to-drink cans. All products are zero sugar, low calorie, gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and under 0.5% ABV. The company positions itself as bringing joy to not drinking with tropical, Latin-inspired flavors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Light & Zesty A distilled, light and zesty non-alcoholic tropical gin alternative blended with pineapple, lemon peel, juniper, and Colombian Inca berry, designed to be served with tonic over ice.
- Dark & Spicy A distilled golden and spicy non-alcoholic tropical rum alternative featuring dark pineapple, ginger, vanilla, kola nut, and lime, intended to be served with ginger ale over ice.
- Mango & Passion Fruit A non-alcoholic flavored rum with tropical mango, guava, fresh passion fruit, and hints of lime, designed to be mixed with soda for a spritz or used in daiquiri cocktails.
- White Coconut A smooth and exotic non-alcoholic blend of fresh coconut with subtle notes of vanilla and pineapple, designed to be mixed with pineapple juice or used in Piña Colada-style cocktails.
- Light & Zesty Ready-to-Drink Cans Pre-mixed ready-to-drink canned versions of Caleño Light & Zesty spirit for convenient, immediate consumption without mixing.
Quantifiable outcome
- B Corp score of 84.5 achieved in 2023
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Caleño Drinks
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Caleño Drinks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Caleño Drinks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Duppy ShareminorLow ABV cocktail collaboration featuring mixed serves combining Caleño Dark & Spicy with Duppy Share Aged Rum. Includes recipes for Rum & Coke, Mojito, Dark 'N' Stormy, and Piña Colada cocktails using both products.
- La GioiosaminorSparkling cocktail collaboration featuring La Gioiosa 0% alcohol free sparkling wine combined with Caleño Light & Zesty for a Passion Fruit Martini Spritz recipe.
- Double DutchminorMixer partnership for cocktail content collaboration. Caleño cocktails featured with Double Dutch Skinny Tonic and Ginger Ale mixers, promoted through social media and blog content.
- FlawsomeminorJuice brand partnership for cocktail content featuring Flawsome fruit juice (apple and strawberry) as mixer recommendations.
- Drynks UnlimitedminorAF craft cider partnership for Smashed Apple Sunrise cocktail recipe created by mixologist @mix.mann featuring Drynks Smashed Apple AF Cider.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform provider hosting the Caleño online store. Shopify provides the infrastructure for online product sales and order processing.
- MailchimpcoreMarketing automation and email platform for customer database management, newsletter distribution, and marketing campaign execution.
- Drink No LowcoreUS-based online stockist and distributor enabling Caleño's entry into the American market. Customers visiting from the USA are redirected to drinknolow.com.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Caleño Drinks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Seedlip: Seedlip is the pioneering non-alcoholic distilled spirit brand (backed by Diageo), offering botanical alternatives to gin and other spirits. It is the closest direct competitor to Caleño's positioning, format, and target occasion.
- Lyre's Spirit Co. Lyre's offers a full portfolio of non-alcoholic alternatives to gin, rum, whiskey, tequila, and other spirits. It is a global direct competitor with broad retail distribution and significant marketing investment.
- Pentire: Pentire is a UK-based non-alcoholic botanical spirit made from plants native to the Cornish coast, positioned as a gin alternative. It targets the same mindful drinking consumer segment with a similar D2C-plus-retail distribution model.
- Three Spirit Drinks: Three Spirit produces functional non-alcoholic botanical spirits (Livener, Social, Dream) designed for specific occasions. It competes with Caleño in the premium non-alcoholic spirit category with an overlapping UK and international retail presence.
- Ghia: Ghia is a non-alcoholic aperitif made with botanicals including gentian, rosemary, and ginger. It targets a similar adult mindful-drinking audience seeking sophisticated alcohol-free options for social occasions.
- CleanCo: CleanCo is a UK-based non-alcoholic spirit brand founded by TV personality Spencer Matthews, offering gin, rum, tequila, and whiskey alternatives. It competes directly with Caleño in UK retail and D2C channels.
Emerging players
- Aplós Drinks: Aplós produces non-alcoholic hemp-infused spirits (Arise and Hype) positioned for relaxation and creative occasions. It is an emerging peer in the functional non-alcoholic spirit category adjacent to Caleño's offering.
- De Soi: De Soi makes non-alcoholic adaptogenic sparkling aperitifs founded by Katy Perry and Morgan McLachlan. It overlaps with Caleño on the mindful drinking adult occasion and premium retail positioning.
- Kin Euphorics: Kin Euphorics produces functional non-alcoholic beverages with adaptogens designed to provide relaxation and focus. It is adjacent to Caleño on occasion (social drinking) and the premium positioning of the broader mindful drinking category.
Broad incumbents
- Athletic Brewing Company: Athletic Brewing is the leading US non-alcoholic craft beer brand with broad national retail distribution. It is a broader incumbent in the alcohol-alternative beverage category and a useful scale benchmark for the non-alcoholic opportunity Caleño addresses.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Caleño Drinks social profiles
Digital presenceCaleño Drinks compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Caleño Drinks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Caleño Drinks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Caleño Drinks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Caleño Drinks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Caleño Drinks
What does Caleño Drinks do?
Caleño Drinks is a UK-based brand that produces distilled non-alcoholic tropical spirits as alternatives to gin and rum, using a steam distillation process on botanicals such as Inca berry, pineapple, ginger, coconut, and citrus. The range includes Light & Zesty, Dark & Spicy, Mango & Passion Fruit, and White Coconut in 50cl and 20cl bottles, plus ready-to-drink canned cocktails, sold direct-to-consumer online and through major UK retailers.
Is Caleño Drinks a public or private company?
Caleño Drinks is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Caleño Drinks founded?
Caleño Drinks was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Caleño Drinks based?
Caleño Drinks is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Caleño Drinks make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Spirits are the primary driver. The others are product Sales - Ready to Drink Cans.
Who are Caleño Drinks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Seedlip, Lyre's Spirit Co., Pentire, Three Spirit Drinks, Ghia and CleanCo. Emerging players are Aplós Drinks, De Soi and Kin Euphorics. Athletic Brewing Company is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Caleño Drinks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Caleño Drinks.
What industry is Caleño Drinks in?
Caleño Drinks's product category is Non-alcoholic spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAFAF, Botanical/Herbal & Adaptogen Functional Beverage Production. Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2080.