SAYSO is the innovative craft cocktail mix that comes in a tea bag – offering a fresh twist on cocktails and mocktails to enjoy at home or on the go.
Founded by Harvard Business School graduates Alison Evans and Chloe Bergson and officially launched in 2022, SAYSO was created with the vision of offering a more eco-friendly way to enjoy craft cocktails, through a proprietary concept of placing real, dehydrated ingredients into sachets that can be mixed with cold water or spirits, making cocktail or mocktail preparation convenient whether at home or on the go.
Alison and Chloe met at Harvard Business School, and both graduated in 2020. They were inspired to totally reinvent the cocktail-making space with the unique idea to create a better-for-you alternative to enjoying your favorite libations. SAYSO’s sachets are low in sugar as well as calories, and come in biodegradable tea bags with packaging made from recycled materials. Unlike other dry mixers, SAYSO uses all-natural, dehydrated whole and granulated ingredients. This approach delivers layers of flavor in every cocktail.
SAYSO stands out by pioneering a new category in the beverage space. Unlike traditional ready-to-drink mixers, which often taste artificial and are packed with sugar, or cocktail kits that are labor-intensive, SAYSO offers an all-natural, delicious solution – that’s ready in less than 1 minute. SAYSO products are Certified Vegan, Gluten-free, Non-GMO, and Kosher.
Tell us about where the idea for SAYSO came from – how did your background inform the concept of putting a cocktail mixer in a tea bag?
We (Alison and Chloe) were hosting friends for dinner one night at Harvard Business School and wanted to make cocktails to serve with dinner. Despite following a recipe, our cocktails fell short of the delicious drinks we were used to getting out at restaurants and bars. We realized just how difficult it was to make cocktails at home and that all the existing mixers on the market were full of sugar and artificial flavors. We wanted to create something that used real, all-natural ingredients that would make cocktail-making quick and easy. Neither I nor Chloe had a background in food/beverage prior to starting SAYSO. We were both passionate about food/beverage and the consumer space and wanted to do something entrepreneurial.
What has the response been like since your launch in 2022?
SAYSO has seen very exciting growth since our launch in 2022. We did over $1M in revenue in 2024 driven by both retail and online sales. We are now sold nationwide in Sprouts Farmers Market, and are in many regional retailers such as Fairway, Citarella, and The Fresh Market. We are growing significantly on Amazon as well. We’re proud to have a 4.6 star-average on reviews on our site – customers truly love SAYSO!
What makes SAYSO unique? What are the benefits to using SAYSO vs. another dry cocktail mixer?
SAYSO is disrupting the cocktail mixer space by introducing a low-calorie offering via an innovative and portable form-factor. We are the first and only player using the familiar tea bag, but reinventing it in a new way for cocktail-making. We also play in the growing no-and-low/non-alcoholic category as our product is equally delicious as a mocktail. We are eco-friendly, made with certified biodegradable tea bags and use post-consumer recycled film for our packaging. In addition, by being dehydrated, we’re very light to ship, reducing shipping expenses and thus reducing carbon footprint. We’re proudly certified women-owned.
SAYSO is the only dry cocktail mixer that uses REAL pieces of whole ingredients. Instead of just powdered ingredients, each of our cocktail sachets contains whole pieces of ingredients that provide nuanced layers of flavor for each cocktail and allow for a customizable experience. For example, in our Skinny Spicy Margarita we use real pieces of jalapenos. The longer you steep your sachet, the spicier the drink will get.
What’s next for you both and the brand? Any exciting launches on the horizon? New stockists?
We are excited to continue to grow SAYSO. We have exciting new flavors and stockists planned for 2025. We will continue to support our current retailers and you will see additional flavors roll out. In Sprouts Farmers Market you can now also find our Espresso Martini, and in some stores, you will see incredible branded floor displays promoting all SAYSO flavors in stock! Our next launch is with Thrive Market – you can start to find some of our cocktails on the site now and the rest will be available very soon.
Anything else to add?
Follow us @drink.sayso on Instagram and TikTok. Shop at www.drinksayso.com or on Amazon
