We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Selander . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.

Jessica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I’ve been sober for over 18 years now, which means I’ve spent pretty much every moment of my adult life alcohol-free. I drank sparkling apple juice at my wedding, when I got a new job, for every New Year’s Eve, or anything special. And I’m grateful it exists, but I always felt like I was still at the kiddie table. I wanted wine. I loved wine and everything about it: the taste, the ritual, the celebration, and the togetherness. I just didn’t want the alcohol in it. I was constantly searching for non-alcoholic wine, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. I wanted something that I could bring to a gathering and bring to a get-together and have it feel appropriate and look appropriate and just look like everybody else’s regular alcoholic wine, that would smell like everyone else’s bottles that you just wouldn’t even know that it was non-alcoholic until you saw it on the label. But it just didn’t exist. So about 10 years ago, after trying to find it forever, eventually, I decided I was going to do it myself—create an authentic, sophisticated, non-alcoholic wine that I could finally enjoy. And I had no idea that this whole sober-curious, non-alcoholic world would take off like it has at exactly the right time.

Jessica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Jessica Selander, founder of Jøyus Non-Alcoholic Winery. I live in Seattle, where I’m from and where my husband and I are raising our two amazing kids. Over 18 years ago, I quit drinking alcohol. Which meant nearly two decades of feeling left out of celebrations where everyone else was drinking and toasting with apple juice at nearly every New Years Eve celebration and even my own wedding. I always loved the taste of wine, the beautiful glasses, the social interactions, I just didn’t want the alcohol. After spending years searching for a premium non-alcoholic wine, I finally decided to create one myself. I started Jøyus on my own—with no investors or big companies backing me—using my own savings.

The industry thought I was crazy! Fast forward, and now it’s the highest and most awarded non-alcoholic wine, ever. We’re also the only 100% sober and woman-owned non-alcoholic winery. Jøyus is available in over 400 retail locations, like non-alcoholic bottle shops, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and even cruise ships. Our mission has always been to normalize non-drinking and help others out there who aren’t drinking to feel included. I’m thrilled with how many people we’ve been able to support so far and am excited to keep doing more to help everyone celebrate on their own terms and put their mental and physical health first.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

We officially launched Jøyus almost four years ago. But I’ve wanted to start Jøyus for over a decade! So it took me a very long time to figure it out, to save up the money to do it, and to get people on board because as you can imagine, 10 years ago, people thought I was crazy. They’re like, ‘That’s a terrible idea. Nobody wants that.’ Historically, many people in the industry haven’t been that receptive to non-alcoholic wine. And I’ve talked with industry people who were…pretty much offended by the idea of it. I wish they could understand that alcohol-removed wine is a love letter to traditional alcoholic wine. There is cultural significance to wine drinking, but many of us—for one reason or another—can’t participate anymore and still want to. I’ve done everything I can to make my wines taste like traditional wine and to make the experience the same for people.

The wine and beverage industry is also very male-dominated. I received some pretty interesting, and frankly condescending, comments when I first started working on Jøyus. But coming from my background in the often challenging advertising industry—I didn’t let it get me down or discourage me. I know how to hold my own, to keep moving forward, and to fight for my ideas. It’s mostly women who drink wine (percentage-wise), but it’s mostly men who make it. And I think because of that, there’s a disconnect.

Fortunately all the struggle has been 100% worth it. Watching nondrinkers take a sip of Jøyus for the first time and watching their eyes light up when they’re able to taste real wine for the first time in who knows how long is the best feeling in the world for me. Entering our first-ever wine competition and winning gold in a completely blind tasting in one of the biggest and oldest wine competitions in the world was so validating (and frankly industry shocking!) And now Jøyus is the highest-awarded non-alcoholic wine available. It truly makes me feel like I achieved what I set out to do.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Jøyus is both 100% woman and sober-owned, which means we deeply understand the non-alcoholic wine drinker on a personal level. I know what it’s like to not be able to participate like everyone else because I’ve been there. I know the pressure people put on you to drink. And over the years I’ve gotten all the invasive questions people ask about it. I understand not wanting to tell people you’re pregnant yet because it’s early or you’re worried. And I understand what it feels like to stare at a countertop filled with wine bottles on a girls’ weekend while you have a soda pop in your hand. It’s really hard. When I have my non-alcoholic wine, I’m drinking something that looks, tastes, and smells like what everyone else is drinking, and I’m drinking mine out of the same glasses they are. That feeling of being different disappears. And for whatever reason the invasive questions don’t happen.

And being 18 years sober means I know the history of the non-alcoholic market. I didn’t come to this a couple of years ago; I’ve been living it for 18 years. I was originally not planning on being so open or talking about my sobriety. But I concluded that Jøyus couldn’t exist without telling the story of why I created this company. My being sober influences everything we do. It’s why it’s premium. It’s why we invest so much into every single detail. There are a lot of ways to cut corners and costs with non-alcoholic products, but we believe people deserve high quality and to be treated in a certain way. It’s really about treating everyone equally. I’m sober, but we’re here to support everyone in their journey. Whether it’s for a glass, a night, 9 months, or the rest of their lives, Jøyus has got their back. It also means I’m not here to sell a product. Our company mission is to normalize non-drinking, to change the way we think about drinking, and non-drinking, culturally. I want to open it up to everyone and to have everyone be able to participate in whatever way they feel comfortable.

One more thing that makes us truly unique—Jøyus is a small business based in Seattle. This company isn’t some quick cash grab by an established behemoth alcohol or beverage brand, it’s my dream come true. And I hope it’s a dream come true for all the other non-drinkers out there too!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.drinkjoyus.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkjoyus
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkjoyus/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/drinkjoyus/

Image Credits
Mikayla Neves