Exclusive: SAYSO Co-Founders Alison Evans and Chloe Bergson Hope to Make the 'Cocktail and Mocktail Space' More Approachable With Their Brand

When Alison Evans and Chloe Bergson met at Harvard Business School, they became fast friends — and instantly connected over how there was a major gap in the ready-to-drink space when it came to finding something that suited their tastes and was easy to make.

After long days of being in class, the pair — who have a combined 20+ year background in product development, marketing strategy, and management consulting for some of the top retailers — experimented with real — but dehydrated — ingredients to make cocktails and mocktails at home quick and easy.

"We both lived in NYC prior to going to Harvard Business School and were spoiled by the delicious (yet expensive!) drinks we were getting out at cocktail bars and restaurants. When we started at HBS our social lives shifted a lot to hosting and attending dinner parties. When we tried to make drinks at home, we realized just how hard, frustrating and time-consuming it was! All the mixers we could find in the store were full of sugar and artificial ingredients we couldn’t pronounce. We wanted to change this and make something that would revolutionize cocktail and mocktail making at home — a quick and easy solution, with better-for-you ingredients," Bergson exclusively tells Morning Honey of how it all began.

"We came up with the initial idea in a 'Startup Bootcamp' class we took at HBS — it was a mason jar with all natural dehydrated ingredients you’d infuse overnight and add to club soda to make cocktails. Through focus groups we learned that 1) people want instant gratification — they don’t want to wait overnight for a drink, and 2) people cared about the visual transparency; they appreciated being able to see the natural ingredients. We realized that if we ground up the ingredients, we could achieve a near-instant infusion. We used a tea bag to contain the ingredients in order to maintain visual transparency."

From there, the idea of SAYSO, putting cocktail mixes in a tea sachet to easily mix into a glass of water and spirits, was born.

"SAYSO is demystifying cocktail-making at home with the first-ever craft cocktail mix in a tea bag. SAYSO uses all-natural real, granulated and whole ingredients, and infuses in cold water and spirits (omit the spirits for a mocktail) in under three minutes to create a premium drink at home or on-the-go. SAYSO is better for you (low sugar, low calorie) and sustainable (biodegradable tea bags, 20 times lower carbon footprint vs. liquid mixers)," Evans exclusively tells Morning Honey about developing the product.

"SAYSO is the first and only craft cocktail mix in a tea bag. We use all-natural dehydrated ingredients in powdered, granulated and whole piece format. This unique combination allows us to have nuanced layers of flavor as your drink infuses. We have a significant weight and space advantage as compared to liquid mixers – we are 20 times lighter and have a 20 times lower carbon footprint. We are easier to store and ship. We have a two-year shelf-life and are shelf-stable. Unlike liquid mixers that once opened, expire within a week, our products stay fresh for the full two years with resealable packaging. We are proudly certified women-owned!" she continues.

The two realized the "cocktail mixer market is so sleepy," which is why they knew their product was interesting for people to gravitate toward. "So, while we initially created SAYSO for ourselves, we realized how big the opportunity for innovation and disruption was. The cocktail mixer category this year alone is $10 billion globally," Bergson says.

So far, the pair have learned a lot about breaking out into the industry and becoming businesswomen. "Entrepreneurship is one h--- of a ride. Things often don’t pan out as planned, so staying motivated and resourceful is key. Always take a call or meeting, and never be afraid to ask questions and ask for introductions. Be persistent if you don’t hear back!" Bergson says.

Evans adds, "Surround yourself with the right people to fill gaps in your skill set."

While it might be tough for some to work with their pal, the ladies don't see it as an obstacle.

"Alison and I were introduced through a mutual friend. We quickly realized that we had the same goals in business school: doing something entrepreneurial, specifically in the food and beverage space. I have a background in management consulting, which brings an operational and analytical skill set. Alison worked in marketing and product development. While we both do sales and fundraising, our responsibilities are otherwise very clear, which works well for us. Ultimately, we’re friends first, business partners second. While some may find that complicated, I think that adds a level of respect that has been beneficial," Bergson notes.

Ultimately, Bergson and Evans "love seeing" how much people adore the product, especially since they have a nearly perfect 5-star review average on both their website and Amazon. "It’s clear that people genuinely love our products. Seeing the products on the shelf in grocery stores is always exciting every time," Bergson says.

“We hope that we’re democratizing the cocktail and mocktail space to make cocktail-making approachable. You no longer need a long recipe to make a delicious drink, but all you need is a SAYSO, spirits and water," Evans adds.

As for what the future holds, it looks like the ladies are just getting started.

“We hope to continue to partner with other female-founded brands in the space to promote mutual brand awareness and sales. For example, we just launched our first co-branded collab — a Rose Spritz Kit — with JULIET Wines, as they are a female-founded sustainable wine company. Doing collabs such as this brings focus to female founders in our industry," Evans shares.

“We plan to continue to introduce new flavors, both seasonally and in collaborations or limited-time partnerships. Up next we are introducing a Skinny Hibiscus Cosmopolitan, Espresso Martini and Hot Toddy. In the future we’ll introduce new formats such as Pitcher Packs for making large batches and sizes that can be used for food service/on-premise," she continues.

Bergson sees SAYSO "being THE brand for cocktails and mocktails," she says. "You will see SAYSO everywhere: grocery, liquor, hospitality (airlines and hotels), clubs, convenience and big box retailers like Target and Walmart. Consumers already value real ingredients and better-for-you products. Many also value sustainability, and we are betting that this will become even more important in the coming years. Brands won’t be shipping liquid when it can be avoided.”

"We hope people will be inspired to start something they believe in, and not be discouraged when they hit bumps in the road. It took us a very long time to find a co-packer that would work with us, and at certain times we weren’t sure if we’d ever be able to commercially manufacture our products. We persisted, and are now nationwide in grocery stores!” Evans adds.