Facing Stoptober? Meet the Woman Making Dry, Fun

With Sober October around the corner, Belle caught up with no-alcohol drinks brand Caleño‘s founder, 28-year-old Ellie Webb

What sparked your interest in alcohol-free drinks?

I was doing Dry January for the first time in 2017 after a boozy Christmas and was out in a bar dancing with friends on a Friday night. I had a couple of diet cokes and I realised for the first time how excluded and ‘un-fun’ you could feel for not drinking alcohol. There was just so little choice and what was on offer was quite uninspiring.

What kind of drink did you want to create?

I really missed the taste of my usual gin and tonic so after that night out, I began tinkering in my kitchen. Through my job in drinks marketing, I already knew a bit about botanicals and citrus and how flavours work. I’d always wanted to set up my own business and I wondered if there could be something in this idea.

How was CALEÑO born?

It was really a trip to Colombia later in 2017 that cemented the idea in my mind. My mum is Colombian so I took my boyfriend out there to show him my homeland. Mum’s family is from the town of Cali, a real centre for salsa dancing and where there’s an amazing array of delicious tropical fruity drinks. We had such a great time there and it struck me how much fun everyone was having, dancing and enjoying these drinks. This was everything that my experience in the bar in January lacked and everything that I wanted to put into an alcohol-free drink back home.

How did Colombia inspire the flavours in the drink?

Back home from Colombia, I decided to use South American Inca berries with their tangy citrus and mango flavours to mix with Juniper. I spent the rest of the year working to get the exact balance of flavours.

Where did the name and image come from?

Again, I was really influenced by the trip to Colombia. Caleño comes from the name of the town Cali. And the bottle has a picture of the Colombian goddess of dance. I knew I wanted the bottle to be colourful and to stand out so with the help of a designer, I chose the bold blue and gold decoration on the label.

Who do you most admire?

I really admire business founders who have a strong mission and purpose and who understand how their brand fits into that. I think this makes for much stronger, more resilient brands who understand their place in the market.

What struggles do women face when starting a business?

I think there are many issues women face – some of them are business-related and some are are how we are wired. Personally, I think that women are incredibly capable but they sometimes suffer from a lack of confidence or a lack of self-belief. I’ve started mentoring and in the beginning, I found it hugely inspiring to listen to female entrepreneurs talk about their business and how they got started. They made me believe I could make a go of it too.

How did you make your name in the market?

At the end of 2018, I had 1000 bottles made and began doing a lot of leg-work speaking to bartenders in London and Bristol, where I live. I offered free trials in bars in Bristol and got really good feedback. After meeting a rep from Sainsburys, I got the amazing news that they wanted to launch my drink in 500 stores in 2019.

How has life changed since starting the brand?

I left my job at the end of 2018 to focus on the business. Life’s very busy now but I’ve loved creating the brand and I’m really enjoying growing my business for myself.

Which women inspire you?

Generally speaking, businesswoman who have taken a risk or a leap of faith and created something of their own. Pip of Pip and Nut and Ella of Deliciously Ella are a couple of examples of girls who have gone out and created something fantastic.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

In five years, I hope to have grown Caleño into a successful business, which sells all over the world. To be able to travel to other countries and see it in other markets would be incredible.