Pathfinder aims to ‘breathe energy’ into non-alc sector
Non-alcoholic ‘spirit’ The Pathfinder Hemp and Root has made its UK debut, having ‘risen to cult status’ in the US with 300% year-to-date growth.
Speaking to The Spirits Business, UK country manager Rishi Ravalia explained that the brand, co-founded by Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry’s creator Steven Grasse, cannabis entrepreneur Chris Abbott, and former Johnnie Walker global brand director Guy Escolme, is “not trying to be like any brand out there”, noting that the liquid is not a mock or mimic of pre-existing high ABV spirits, but a product in its own right. “If we start to put ourselves in a box, it will literally be something fake. So we don't live in that world.” The Pathfinder is said to have been inspired by the mysteries from apothecaries of the ‘old west’, alternative medicine, and the supernatural, and aims to ‘lift the veil of illusion’ and be a ‘destroyer of bad vibes’. While the liquid does not contain nootropics or 'functional' ingredients, such as CBD (Cannabidiol) or THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), there are references to cannabis on the bottle. This, Ravalia said, is a reference to the ‘spirit’s’ base of naturally harvested hemp seed – a derivative of cannabis – which was fermented and then distilled in a 16th century-style copper pot still to create a liquid that is “very earthy, very bold and vibrant”. The base liquid is then blended with botanicals, including Douglas fir, saffron, wormwood, sage, and ginger, all sourced from the Oregon Trail in the US, which is a nod to the brand’s Washington roots. However, Ravalia noted that unlike some non-alcoholic clear ‘spirits’, the botanicals are not the focus of the liquid. Instead, the team want the focus to be on the personality of the brand to enable it to differentiate itself within the no-and-low space. “We're not talking about the botanicals all the time. If you look at our branding, it's tongue-in-cheek. It's fun. You know, who thought non-alcoholic could be fun? It's never been fun. It's always been quite serious.” Ravalia continued: “The Pathfinder exists basically to turn that narrative on its head, to breathe some energy, some vibrancy, some colour to an otherwise mellow non-alcoholic category. “Our motto – our tagline – is The Pathfinder is the destroyer of bad vibes. Because with a lot of the non-alcs, you think of 'good vibes only' – all slow, yoga, health and well-being. And the data speaks for itself: not everyone that drinks non-alcoholic is fully into health and well-being. The Pathfinder will truly bridge the gap between alcoholic and non-alcoholic, because finally, at the table, whether having a non-alcoholic drink, a low-ABV cocktail or a full-strength cocktail with The Pathfinder in it, they'll all have an elevated experience. So we're not a sober brand, we're not an anti-alcohol brand, we're not a health and well-being brand, we're out there to truly make this properly inclusive.” Open-minded reception Ravalia said that having The Pathfinder's branding allows it to stand out to both consumers and bartenders as a product that should be paid attention to in the booze-free space. “We can be fun with language, with the images, and with our brand as a whole, so once bars are understanding of our brand, they're more likely to be open-minded in terms of, okay, well, this isn't like anything else in terms of brand and this isn't like anything in terms of a liquid, too.” The Pathfinder is said to shine in the brand's signature spritz, which combines lemon juice and soda water with The Pathfinder to create a long drink, but it can also be consumed as a shot, sipped solo, served on the rocks, or used to modify a multitude of classic cocktails. Ravalia explained that the ‘spirit’s’ versatility is what has made it popular with bartenders in both the US and the UK. However, getting people to understand its versatility is a challenge, due to the preconceptions associated with the no-and-low category. Open-mindedness from both the trade and consumers, he said, is therefore the key to ensuring the brand does not get overlooked, as other products within the sector have been. In order to do this, The Pathfinder launched in a bar called Life on Mars on Capitol Hill in Seattle, US, where it was served in non-alcoholic cocktails that were initially priced 30-40% lower than other alcoholic serves on the menu. Ravalia explained that at that lower price, sales were low, however when the decision was made to raise the price, “all of a sudden people started buying into it, because they saw value in the product. They saw the value in the brand, and they thought this non-alc product is actually worth the same as an alcoholic product.” This move caused momentum for the brand, and following the success in Washington state, it became available in New York, Miami, California, Illinois, and Chicago, and has seen more than 300% year-to-date growth since expansion. Now, Ravalia said he believes that UK consumers will be even more open-minded to The Pathfinder, on account of the category being more established across Britain. “I think non-alc is still emerging in the US. I think consumers are still finding out, whereas the UK consumer is now refining, having tasted the good, the bad and the ugly. They've got their favourite which is brilliant, but they're also sophisticated enough to be out there looking for new and exciting products and brands.” UK on-trade launch The Pathfinder has taken a location-specific approach to its launch into the UK on-trade. "In Seattle, Capitol Hill, we had a bit of a strategy to lock down in one area, which we mimicked in London, and was initially Bethnal Green, because you've got some fantastic bars and restaurants in that area – The Umbrella Group, Satan's Whiskers, Equal Parts, Coupette, you had TT Liquor. But what I actually decided," Ravalia said, "was to launch the brand in Manchester – its similar to Seattle in that its not a New York or LA – that's London – but Manchester is cool. It's edgy. Bartenders in Manchester are open-minded. They want to find new things. They want to experiment. They want to do activations and throw parties and they want to learn more. So we threw the launch party at Stray – a really cool bar – and [the bartenders] were extremely keen for it. As soon as they tried this, they snatched it out of my hand, and they just got creative."The Pathfinder Hemp and Root is available through the brand’s website for consumers, and Speciality Drinks and Champers & Hammond’s of Knutsford for trade.
It is priced at £34.99 (US$45) per 700ml bottle.
