November 27, 2023 • 56 mins
This episode is guaranteed to take your Holiday hosting ideas to the next level!
Our guest Jessie Halliburton, co-owner of The Sobr Market, just rocked the LAF Life podcast! Join us to hear about her amazing alcohol-free journey. Learn how Jessie and her husband Shane are transforming the non-alcohol beverage market . This dynamic duo are proudly creating a truly unique alcohol free customer experience. Passionate about educating people, be sure to check out the tasting bar for cocktail inspiration and product information. Discover why serving up The Sobr Market's festive beverages is a game-changer this holiday season!
For our listeners in Winnipeg or Toronto, visit The Sobr Market in person at one of these 2 locations.
For holiday inspiration follow The Sobr Market on Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/thesobrmarket/
or on FB @ https://www.facebook.com/thesobrmarket
Shop online The Sobr Market - Your New Marketplace for Everything Non-Alcoholic
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kelly (00:02):
Welcome to the LAF life podcast, a lifestyle podcast
based on living alcohol free anda booze soaked world.
My name is Kelly Evans andtogether with my friends, Tracey
Djordjevic, and Lindsay Harik.
We share uncensored.
Unscripted real conversationsabout what our lives have been
like since we ditched alcoholand how we got here by sharing
(00:24):
our individual stories.
We'll show you that there isn'tjust one way to do this, no
matter where you are on yourjourney from sober, curious to
years in recovery and everyonein between, you are welcome
here, no judgment and a ton ofsupport.
Lindsey (00:41):
Hey, everybody.
Welcome back to the LAF Lifepodcast.
Before we get started withtoday's episode, I'm just going
to ask that you guys hit thatfollow button so that you don't
miss any of our new content.
And we always launch newepisodes on Tuesday.
Today we have a guest with us.
Her name is Jessie Halliburton,and she is a co owner of
(01:06):
Canada's premier non alcoholicbottle shop here in Winnipeg.
And recently they just opened anew location in Toronto and it's
called Sober Market.
Hi, jessie.
Jessie (01:21):
Hello, everyone.
How are you doing?
Thank you.
Lindsey (01:26):
Thank you so much for joining us.
We are so excited to chat withyou and I went into the shop
here in Winnipeg on August longweekend and I remember chatting
with you and it came in with myboyfriend and we were just in
awe of all of the things it is afull store if it's non
(01:47):
alcoholic, you guys carry it.
Jessie (01:50):
As best we can, yes, absolutely.
And it is, much, like yourexperience was, it can be very
overwhelming first time someonewalks in.
And a lot of people are shockedto see that many options that
fall into that category.
Lindsey (02:05):
Yeah, it's pretty amazing.
So I have a question for you.
Are you somebody that is livingan alcohol free life?
I am actually, yes.
So I had been tapering down onmy consumption, but I have been
alcohol free since August oflast year.
So 2022.
Yeah.
That's amazing.
We're in 2023 now, right?
(02:26):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Congratulations on that.
And what sparked that for you?
Maybe talk to us about, yourrelationship with alcohol, early
on, if you even had one or, yourfirst memories of it and why you
chose to go alcohol free.
My early memories of alcohol areactually very comforting.
Which it's very strange to say,however, the way I was raised, I
(02:50):
was in a very open family aroundalcohol consumption and kids
were like, I remember sittingand having itty bitty beer with
this much tomato juice sittingwith my grandparents and some of
those memories are just.
Very fond, at the lake, justenjoying being part of whatever
it was we were celebrating ortalking about and all of that.
And so conversations aroundalcohol were always very open in
(03:13):
our family.
Around teaching aboutconsumption and all of that.
And so my early memories aredefinitely very fond in that
aspect.
And I know now thinking aboutit, how the world has changed.
Life has changed.
And maybe some of those thingsare not as acceptable anymore.
And definitely not somethingthat, as Shane and I have
(03:33):
children, not something that wewill do in that aspect, and
then, I was definitely thatteenager that liked to
experiment and have fun and goout there and have some drinks.
And I wasn't someone who waiteduntil I was at 18 and have that
big kind of hurrah moment.
But alcohol has just always beena very mainstream part of my
life.
It's very social.
(03:55):
So Shane's my husband and heowns the sober market along with
me.
And we've been together since wewere 18 and it's just been a big
part of our life.
And my decision to stop actuallycame from him.
So Shane removed alcohol fromhis life a year prior to me.
So it was August of 2021.
And I won't speak for him oranything like that, but he had
(04:17):
re evaluated his relationshipwith alcohol, where he was in
his life, and Ultimately, whathe wanted for himself and
ultimately for his family to atthe time, our son would have
been three and our daughterwould have been three months and
it wasn't something he wanted tocontinue to partake in and have
(04:38):
them, see dad have too many or,just, be around that sort of
environment.
So when Shane started to talkabout business and that, that
was in January and it wasinteresting how I used to work
in healthcare and I had returnedfrom matleave from our son in
January of 2020.
And then we had it straight intoCOVID in March.
(05:01):
And I remember.
being at work all day, working,10 hour days, long days, and
then coming home and we alldecided, okay, we're going to go
home.
And then we would jump on aconference call to discuss next
day operations with a glass ofwine in our hand.
And I'd be sitting.
Getting my son ready for bed orwhatever.
And that just became the normand just start justifying
(05:25):
needing that glass of wine as aresult of having stress during
the day and that.
So in the end, when we hadalready started the business and
I was still enjoying a glass ofwine and in the end, I actually
enjoyed what was in Shane'sglass way more than mine and it
made me feel way better.
So I just quietly.
And again, for me, it was a verypersonal choice, and it wasn't
(05:47):
an announcement, it wasn't a,I'm going to try this, I
remember having my last glass,and I knew it was going to be my
last glass, and I didn't eventalk to Shane about it.
No way.
It wasn't, it was a very silentdecision for me, and eventually
he picked up on the fact that Ijust wasn't, And I was more just
(06:08):
asking him to make me drinks atnight of whatever it was he was
making and for me it was samething.
Number one, committing to alifestyle to support him,
committing to a lifestyle thatsupported being a working
parent.
It's hard.
And also just be more presentwith the kids to be more
patient, to be more present, tonot have that distraction.
To wake up and be ready to gowith that really go with them.
(06:32):
As, especially now, again, fiveyear old and two year old now.
It is busy and they want to go.
And there is no time to feeldown, really.
No.
Ever.
And I feel like Christmas issuch a big drinking holiday.
It is.
I said on one of our episodes, Ithink it's one of the best gifts
that you can give your kids ishaving an alcohol free Christmas
(06:55):
because you're so present withthem and you can almost
experience.
The magic of the holiday throughthem, rather than being drunk.
I remember Christmas Eve, eversince I was a kid, at our home,
was a shit show.
It was alcohol flowing, stereocranked loud, my mom telling my
(07:15):
dad, turn it down, the kids aretrying to sleep and we can hear
it all, right?
And then just the next dayChristmas morning of course dad
wasn't downstairs, cause He haddrank too much the night before
and hung over and as a kid, Iremember feeling that.
Jessie (07:33):
Yeah, and addictions run in both Shane's and my family
and I've definitely had thosemoments to where you're aware of
what's going on around you andwhat causes it.
And it's interesting how, andI'm not gonna lie the one glass
of wine can turn into twoglasses of wine can turn into a
bottle of wine very quickly.
And again, there's always thatlittle bit of a justification.
(07:54):
Alongside it.
And it's interesting, usuallythe first time it's, it is in
it.
It's that Christmas or it'syou're out with girlfriends or
you're, again, you find ways tojustify it.
And it's very interesting, atleast for myself in some ways to
just reflect back on seeingthings that I didn't like
(08:14):
observing.
Whether it be as a child or evenas a teen, a young adult just
finding you slip into a cycleand again, it's just interesting
because even now with the storeand we talk and people come in,
it's a comfortable environmentand we talk and it's a place for
people to share and howeveryone's story is so unique
and yet it continues to followThere are still so many
(08:36):
similarities.
No matter how unique everyone'sstory is, there are still
certain points that are verysimilar or very reflective and I
don't think it matters whataddiction you talk about.
I think that's part of any sortof substance for sure.
Lindsey (08:50):
Yeah, I 100 percent agree with that for sure.
Jessie (08:53):
Yeah.
Kelly (08:54):
So what do you do now at the end of the day?
Because obviously, your businessis growing, I'm sure there's
maybe even more stress than youhad before.
So what do you do now instead ofthe glass of wine to wind down?
Jessie (09:06):
I'm not gonna lie, sometimes it is still a glass of
wine, it's just doesn't containalcohol in it.
Love it.
Yeah.
And that's, to me that's greatis to know that, sometimes we're
reaching for that or sometimesit's as simple as like it was
great cups last weekend.
And I said, I'm like, yeah,let's make margaritas.
And it is it's as simple as justhaving those familiar flavors
and doing that.
(09:27):
But a lot of time, snuggles onthe couch with the kids and
going for a walk with the dogsand, just those sorts of things.
But the nice thing at least forboth Shane and I, is we've
still, I don't change that, is Istill say sometimes, Man, I want
my glass of wine.
It's just now when I pour it, itjust doesn't contain alcohol.
And for me, that's enough.
(09:48):
It's still the ritual.
It's cracking that bottle.
It's pouring it.
It's enjoying, a similar flavorprofile.
And that to me is enough to, formy body to still enjoy some sort
of relax for sure.
Nice.
Yeah.
Lindsey (10:02):
I find it is about that.
It is like the ritual.
It's like that habit.
We've had chatted about this onthe podcast too is some people
can't consume products that arevery similar to the alcoholic
versions because it's sotriggering for them, right?
I'm somebody personally that Ilove drinking kombucha out of a
(10:24):
wine glass or I love mixing.
Different mocktails that containnon alcoholic gin or something
like that, or I'll drink a 0percent Corona, and I'm just
like, this is awesome.
I feel like it is a ritual wealways associate, or for me I
did anyways, I associated thatglass of wine with relaxation.
(10:47):
Except when you wake up the nextday, you feel like crap.
So it's like you're borrowingfrom tomorrow to relax today.
So you're never, but you're notrelaxing.
It's very true.
And it is the ritual and it'svery interesting.
You say sometimes it is justmixing the cocktail or putting
it together.
And we often do talk about Aswell, when individuals come in,
(11:09):
because we do know that mimicsaren't for everyone.
And so we often talk about,finding things that help people.
Because oftentimes we also doget asked because some people do
say I still feel like I'm buzzedsometimes.
And I equate it back to thatnostalgic response that your
body gets, and you still end upwith a dopamine spike.
And whether it be that yourbody's created a response, like
(11:31):
a memory that in consumingsomething it, whether it be in
that glass or after you've madeit or in like flavors that you
should be having a response toit.
And so you still do get thatdopamine spike, which is, still
creating that gratitude or the,that the response that you get
to relax and you get to havethat feeling But it's also just
(11:52):
whether it's your bodyremembering that, or you make it
and you recognize that youshould feel good as a result of
essentially almost having atreat.
That's something that's stillyou're still creating an adult
beverage that you get to enjoyin a nice glass or with some
garnish and you get to sit backand just enjoy.
Tracey (12:09):
It's like the placebo effect.
Yeah.
Yeah, hugely.
Yeah, but a lot of people say tothat they would relate that with
the time to shut down or turnthings off.
That was their off switch, it'sa good point to make that you
can do that without it beingalcohol, there can be a
replacement that doesn't have tobe alcohol and still trigger
(12:30):
that sensation of it's time toshut down or it's time to relax.
Jessie (12:35):
Time to relax, but also not block whatever it is you've
experienced that you're needingto relax from.
And I think that's the bestthing for enjoying some of those
beverages where you do start toget that relaxing feeling and
you get that response in thebody.
And yet I can still sit thereand reflect on my day and
consider tomorrow.
But in a more peaceful waywithout having say that, that
(12:58):
glass of wine or that drinkthat, brings you down and but
then shuts you off like youdon't reflect, you don't have
that time to really workthrough, what happened and
what's your plan and all ofthat.
And I think that's the biggestthing is that your brain.
It does get to relax, but youdon't shut it off, you're not
hiding from anything, you're notnumbing,
Lindsey (13:18):
you're not blacking out,
Jessie (13:19):
yeah not blacking out, what are you working out if
you're blocked out, you'renothing exactly,
Tracey (13:23):
Yeah, it goes back to that presence.
piece, right?
Being present.
You're being present but at thesame time, allowing yourself to
unwind from the day.
Lindsey (13:33):
Yeah.
So Jessie, do any of yourproducts at the shop contain
alcohol or are they all zeropercent?
Talk to us a bit about that.
Jessie (13:42):
So we do have many products that are true, what we
consider zero proof.
So 0.
0.
However, we do have lots ofproducts that are up to 0.
5%.
And then we do have, I believewe only have one product
currently that is up to 1%.
So there's lots of questionsoften around this topic around
(14:04):
what is a 0.
5?
Is that still considered alcoholfree?
And all of those things.
We do a lot of education in thestore around what does this
mean?
So anything that is a true zeroproof, we never contained
alcohol, it was never afermented product, it has not
been de alkalized.
We do have one brand of dealkalized wine, however, that
(14:24):
they are confident to say thatthey de alkalized to 0.
0.
And that is marked on theirpackaging.
But in Canada anything under 1.
1 percent is considered alcoholfree.
I didn't know that.
And it varies province toprovince because for the most
part in Canada, it's theprovincial governments that
regulate like the in Manitoba.
(14:44):
It's the amount of liquor andlotteries.
I know in Ontario.
It's the LCBO's.
So I know in Ontario anything.
Over 0.
5 is regulated.
We have a 1 percent limoncelloin the store right now.
So we actually cannot send thatto Toronto to sell.
And if anyone tries it's notavailable to sell or sent to
Ontario at all.
But yeah, federally, it's 1.
(15:06):
1 percent in Manitoba here.
It's also 1.
1%.
And the reason being that thereare things that people consume
on a daily basis that do containtrace amounts of alcohol.
And this again is not somethingI was aware of.
It's something that Shane and Ineeded to learn about when we
started the business.
It's so true when you thinkabout it, that fermentation
comes from like for alcohol isthe by product of fermentation.
(15:29):
And so when you think about allthe things on your counter that
ferment and the jugs of sayjuice in your fridge that
ferment or if you're bakingbread or you have the yogurt or
a kefir all of those things,there is a fermentation process
that begins with it.
So we jokingly talk to peopleabout, the banana that's sitting
on your counter that starts tosmell really funky and you're
(15:51):
about to make into banana bread.
That funky smell is the off gasof ethanol, which is the same
alcohol you will find inalcoholic beverages.
Whoa.
And lots of studies have beendone.
I believe that ripe banana sitsaround a 0.
7, anywhere from a 0.
4 to a 0.
7, I believe.
And there's all those ranges.
Yeah.
(16:12):
Kombucha is one that containstrace amounts of alcohol.
Yeah, so it's very interesting.
Because also it does not need tobe labeled as well in Canada.
Unless it is 1.
1 percent or higher.
A lot of people question.
Then why is it even showing onpackages?
Why are we seeing the 0.
5?
And the companies do it as atransparency aspect to it.
(16:34):
but yeah, when you think aboutsourdough breads and pasta
sauces, and when you go out fordinner to a really nice
restaurant, and they've gotthose really yeasty dinner rolls
on the table, and you can justsmell that fresh bread smell.
All of that is actually alcoholin the product, which is
interesting.
Yeah.
It's not something I everconsidered.
No,
Lindsey (16:54):
I had no idea.
Wow.
Cause I don't get a buzz fromeating bread from, a restaurant
or even kombucha drinkingkombucha.
I don't feel any different.
I don't feel buzzed, but thereare people who won't consume
that because of the alcoholcontent.
Jessie (17:12):
Yes, and that's very true.
Depending on whoever it is we'retalking to we have products
available.
And so the nice thing is we dohave one de alkalized wine brand
that we do carry that they do dealkalize to 0.
0 and many people are veryfamiliar with it.
They're comfortable withconsuming that.
We do actually have some beersnow that are down to the 0.
0 and then the spirits.
(17:33):
Spirits go either way.
They're either like a reversedistilled where it did contain
alcohol and they've had thealcohol removed or they're true
zero proof.
So they never contain alcohol.
It's just essence as they'vebeen put together to create a
like flavored product.
No matter what anyone's lookingfor, we have something that
we've got sparkling teas, ifsomeone's looking for something
that, again, they don't want togo venture wine way, they would
(17:54):
go tea way and do some educationon those ones.
But that's one thing that I'vegrown to love about all of this
is really just the things thatI've learned that have started
to blow my mind that you don'tthink about and Lindsay, like
you said, you don't get buzzedfrom drinking.
Kombucha or eating dinner rollsor sourdough bread or kefir or
anything like that.
And it's because your body doesmetabolize it.
(18:16):
Most people's bodies, I will saythat there are some people out
there who have said that theirbody struggles with metabolizing
alcohol.
So they will notice it more.
But your body will metabolize.
A point five beverage fasterthan the alcohol can build up in
the blood it's not somethingthat you will, like, you won't
pull over on a breathalyzer andit won't accumulate in your
(18:37):
blood.
Lindsey (18:37):
Because the glass of wine is like what percent of
alcohol, like 17%, right?
Something like that.
Jessie (18:45):
Good question.
I don't even know.
Is it 12?
Lindsey (18:48):
I think so.
Let me see if I can find this.
Kelly (18:50):
I don't know.
Yeah.
I'm actually not even sure.
What a glass of wine would bewhat I think is interesting is a
lot of those products thatyou're talking about are known
to be healthy for your gut likethey promote fermented products.
It must be a certain percentageof alcohol that's healthy for
(19:10):
you versus not healthy, or it'sin the processing, like you were
saying, or how our bodyprocesses.
That to make one side of ithealthy and the other side not.
Jessie (19:23):
So we do carry a kombucha in store.
And Michelle is the owner ofWolsey Kombucha.
So her and I've talked a lotabout kind of the gut.
Health piece of it and the gutand mind connection.
One thing I actually, Iremembered from university years
ago or high school, but I hadforgotten.
She's remember your gut producesalcohol itself.
So that's where especially withkombucha being a, prebiotic
(19:47):
support in order for your gut todigest and metabolize and do
what it needs to do.
And again, I'm not the personto.
Talk about all those details,but it is just fascinating that
yes, there are products outthere.
And I think the biggest thing isif it's not accumulating in the
blood and it's not getting tothat point where it's affecting
(20:07):
the brain and the body functionthen yes, fermented products are
always touted as beingbeneficial to the body.
I think it's just mindful onlike how much to consume and
which ones are best for you?
Tracey (20:19):
I was going to say it might be.
I'm no doctor either.
I don't know.
I'm just taking a guess or astab at it.
But it might be like the bloodbrain barrier type of situation.
Yeah.
Lindsey (20:31):
I found it five ounces of wine typically is about 12
percent alcohol and 1.
5 ounces of distilled spirits isabout 40%.
Jessie (20:43):
So yeah, when you think about consuming.
A point five beverage.
And I believe it was a studydone in Germany.
It's been a long time since I'veread this study, but they had
someone tried to consume enoughpoint five beers and couldn't do
it.
They said you will, they had tostop him because his body was
becoming so diluted ofelectrolytes that they were
(21:04):
concerned for his health onconsuming too much liquid versus
what was actually like thealcohol content that he was
consuming.
Yeah.
It is very interesting.
And like I said, lots to stilllearn for me for sure and but
it's just been very interestingto learn little bits about all
of this along the way and yeah,not something I ever think about
is even the jug of orange juicein the fridge that, it's been
(21:26):
open for a few weeks, right?
We all buy the Costco sizedjuice and it sits there for a
while for a glass and it's alittle tangy and you don't.
He's Oh no, it's still good.
Not thinking.
Oh yeah.
What's that tang?
Yeah.
Lindsey (21:43):
That's fermentation.
Yeah.
That's fermentation.
Yeah.
So you guys have two locationsin Winnipeg now, right?
Just the one location.
Kelly (21:52):
Oh, I thought you had two.
Okay.
So you have two locations andyou're busy and it sounds like
you're having some reallyinteresting conversations with
your customers.
We are.
Why do you think this is sopopular right now?
Jessie (22:07):
It's a very good question.
Lots of different reasons.
I feel that, I can speak fromjust those individuals that I've
spoken to, and even just frompersonal experience, I feel like
consumption really increasedduring a couple years when we
were all closed up.
At home and oftentimes I willhear people say what else was
(22:27):
there to do?
Yeah, that a lot of people, Iwas bored.
Like what else was there to do?
That sort of thing.
And and then even people likestarted making their own wine
and beer at home.
I think like it just as far as ahobby went, it grew, and I can't
remember who I was speaking tobut they said any time that
there was some sort of socialaspect even through work and it
(22:49):
was done through virtually theysaid it usually had to do with
making cocktails, like on, Iremember seeing a lot of that,
doing wine tastings.
Lindsey (22:58):
Yes.
The zoom meetings, the winetasting, the virtual Brunches
where it was all about champagneand wine.
Wow.
Jessie (23:06):
Absolutely.
And so I think a lot of people.
Started to consume more.
And I think a lot of people arealso starting to feel maybe
those effects.
We didn't know this was gonnahappen, but the Canadian Cancer
Society's guidelines on what,and, Canadian Cancer Society
guidelines are more lenient thanthe CDC, like the in the states
where they have said absolutelyzero tolerance for alcohol at
(23:27):
all.
If you have cancer or, if youwant to lessen your risk of
cancer, it's like a 0 percenttolerance and in Canada, when
you think they were going fromas a woman, you were allowed two
drinks per day and now you'redown to two drinks per week and
for the most part.
My understanding is a lot ofoncologists are now saying, you
(23:47):
get that cancer diagnosis or youget that, we're watching you and
it's the recommendation is youstop but no matter what the
reason is, the people are comingin, we try and meet them where
they are.
Some people are just looking tomoderate.
Some people it's about family,some people it's about trying to
have a family, some peoplethey've been put on a medication
and they can't consume alcoholanymore as a result of the
(24:09):
medication that they'reconsuming.
A little bit of a controversialone and I completely stand by
where we've stood on this isthat we'll get 15, 16, 17.
year olds coming in, and they'reheading out to the party, and
they want to fly into theradars, and they want to pick up
something that looks the part,may taste the part, and they
(24:30):
talked openly about, it being aharm reduction.
I don't want to get drunk, but Idon't want to deal with the peer
pressure of Wow, I'm going tothe party.
Interesting.
We've had parents actually comein with their kids.
To help them in those choicesand, yeah, we've had people
driving even from rural Manitobaas well and they're having those
(24:53):
conversations already with,they're going to a, hate to say
it, like a bush party or a farmparty or something and someone's
driving, yeah, and someone like,and it's all ages that are going
there.
I don't want to drink, but Idon't want to get picked on.
I don't want, I don't want thatpeer pressure.
I want to have something in myhand that no one's going to
someone grabs it and swigs.
They're not going to know eitherway.
(25:15):
So it's very interesting to havethose conversations.
Like I said, there are someparents that are coming in with
their kids to help them makethese choices and to even talk
to us about things and kudos onthose kids.
We've all been there.
We've all felt that.
For sure.
There were no other options forus.
There weren't.
You just, and you just did, andthat was.
(25:35):
And, I applaud the youngergeneration that it seems like
there are so many in their 20sthat are not wanting to consume,
which is great.
But yeah it's sometimes, nice tohave these conversations with
these young adults that arewanting to make these choices
because they want to be the onethey're looking after their
friends, or they want to be theone there that remains in
control or could drive home atthe end of the night safely we
(25:56):
see a bit of everything and asto really why I think it's just
the way that life is going now.
And I think
Lindsey (26:03):
people are more aware, like people are more aware and
things are being studied andthere's no more a glass of wine
a day keeps the doctor away andit's got resveratrol and it's so
good for you and it's good forheart health.
The studies now are so clear.
It is no amount is safe.
No amount is safe.
It has been classified as acarcinogen itself, and I think
(26:24):
that's a big thing is that whereis this going?
They've talked about doingsimilar labeling on alcohol
bottles as they did on cigarettepackaging.
That's a big thing.
Yeah, it is a big thing.
They've talked about it.
Is it going to happen?
I don't know.
I don't know why I don't get whythey don't, and I hope so too.
Money.
It is money, yeah.
Jessie (26:44):
Money, yeah, for sure.
And I remember when, I can'tremember how old I was.
Gosh, I must have been like 17,16, 17.
I was working at Shoppers DrugMart when all that happened.
And I remember those first packsof...
Whatever coming in and having tostock and it's Oh, no,
Kelly (27:01):
well, Trace and I were smoking at that time.
Tracey (27:03):
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I remember looking at the firstcouple of packs of those Oh,
Kelly (27:09):
Yeah, but it did.
It made you think and I neitherof us smoke anymore.
So yeah,
Jessie (27:14):
for you guys.
Yeah.
So it'll be very interesting tosee if those Or even if the
language changes, like of coursethere's always been language
around pregnancy and all of thaton alcohol bottles.
Yeah.
But it'd be very interesting tosee if the government's changing
what other regulations whatneeds to be written on there as
a warning label.
(27:35):
Just to, make it very clear.
Tracey (27:37):
We've often said that we think it's going the same
direction as cigarettes.
That's how we feel or see itswinging.
But what is the real reason orwhat interests you guys
personally, Jessie, withstarting this business?
How did you come up with theidea and what was the main
(27:58):
driver for you guys?
Jessie (27:59):
The main driver, it really was Shane.
So when Shane removed alcoholfrom his life, we went searching
for great tasting options.
Shane's always been comfortablewith Mimics, and still very much
enjoyed, making a cocktail,sitting down and enjoying it,
and all of that.
Crazy, but two, like almost twoand a half years ago now, there
(28:20):
were no options available.
There were some like in thegrocery store, there were some,
but when you talk about spiritsand you talk about, a nicer
glass of wine or even craftbeer, it didn't exist or it
wasn't available to us locallyhere in Winnipeg.
And so we started looking toimport ourselves.
And so we were bringing inbottles from the States and
(28:41):
trying different things.
In the end, Shane looked at me.
So he had actually gone down toArizona.
With our son for a trip andwhile he was gone, I was here
with our daughter.
And it's almost like we had thesame dream on the same night or
something like that.
It's just one of those weirdthings, but he came back and
it'd be interesting.
I haven't heard him tell thestory in a long time.
And so it'd be interesting tohear him tell the story a
different time.
But it's he came back and he wasjust chicken for weeks on
(29:03):
wanting to talk to me about it.
And finally he came out and he'sJess, I want to do this.
I think this is what I want todo as a business.
And he had the passion and I'mlike, yeah, I know.
And I'm like, this is the nameof your business.
And he loved it.
I just told him like, it's goingto be the Sobr market.
I said, I knew this was coming.
I've been thinking about it.
Shane's has a brilliant mind andhe gets bored like quickly.
(29:26):
And so this was something thatyou could see it in his eyes at
least for myself, he waspassionate about it.
He found a way to serve.
People in a way that he couldspeak truth behind it.
And I think that's.
In my mind, it was a beautifulthing and so he just thought
there's got to be other peopleout there like myself that are
looking for these options andwant them to be more accessible
(29:49):
and paying, 100 for, two bottlesit's hard.
And granted, non alcoholicproducts are still very
expensive and it's,
Lindsey (29:58):
why is that?
Because I think a lot of peoplelike when you go out to
restaurants and stuff, I hearthis a lot in a group you're
getting a non alcoholic beverageor like sometimes I'm like, I'll
take a Caesar, a virgin Caesar.
And it's the same price as analcoholic beverage.
So why is that?
Jessie (30:15):
Caesars are, I can't speak specifically to the Caesar
because it depends on whether ornot they're using a non
alcoholic spirit along with it.
If they are, then I can justifyit.
In the end, non alcoholicproducts are way more expensive
to make because when you thinkabout the true zero proof
spirits, the botanicals and theextracts and everything that has
to go into this, and then thequality control and making sure
(30:37):
that it doesn't ferment and allof that, it's very, it's much
more expensive whereas when youthink about a bottle of de
alcoholized wine, it was fine,it's, there we go.
It's gotten to the point wherenormally they would bottle it,
cork it, ship it out to you.
It now has to go throughadditional processing in order
to remove it.
And the centrifuging equipmentis very expensive.
(30:58):
Because many of the companiesnow what they do is they spin
it.
It goes through a centrifugingprocess in which the case they
break out the essence and thenthey break out the alcohol and
then they have to put everythingback together.
And two, it's just a lot of theproducts as well as with some of
the companies, especially onesthat have a big story behind
them.
They want these to be reallyhigh quality products.
And so what's going into themare expensive and.
(31:18):
What I find interesting issomeone orders something off a
menu at a restaurant and theyfeel like it should be worth
more money than something that'snot.
And yet, anyone can createalcohol.
We just talked about the jug oforange juice that's in your
fridge.
And so in society, we've putjust such a high value on
something that contains alcohol.
Bingo.
And in the end, it's thesecompanies that are coming out
(31:42):
with these.
fantastic products that arestill allowing people to have
the experience like they'reenjoying a cocktail but without
the alcohol and in the end thoseare the ones that are again more
challenging to make moreexpensive to make and until we
see more of a mainstream I feelit becomes way more mainstream
(32:02):
it's also just A lot of theseare made in small batches.
They're from smaller companiesand that just ends up costing
more.
Yeah.
That makes so much sense.
Thanks for explaining that.
Yeah.
Lindsey (32:13):
People justify blowing hundreds of dollars on booze for
a party or, going out and buyingshots and expensive bottles of
wine at restaurants, but thenwhen it comes to the non
alcoholic.
Beverages or, what's the wordI'm looking for?
Not beverage, but a mimic,people are like, what?
(32:33):
It doesn't contain alcohol andit's still this much?
It's the botanicals, it's thequality ingredients, it's the
process of it.
We're so like, I feel like we,the society is we're missing out
or something if it doesn'tcontain alcohol.
Yeah, and it's very true.
And to a lot of the companiesare also being very mindful of
because often we see thatcorrelation with when people
(32:54):
remove alcohol, they want to bevery mindful of their sugars.
There's been also so many morestudies done on chemical dyes
and chemical colorantsartificial anything.
And so A lot of these companiesare trying to create these
superior products that match thealcohol free lifestyle that so
many people are going for.
Because oftentimes if someone isremoving it, say for a health
(33:15):
reason, then they do also needto stay away from, red dye 40
and, tartrazine and all of theseother, questionable ingredients.
So you can't just all of asudden throw in kind of those
cheap ingredients afterwards.
And you do see a lot of themusing, trying to use like non
refined sugars and they try andkeep them vegan.
(33:35):
They try and keep them glutenfree.
And so that all comes at a, allcomes at a cost for sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracey (33:42):
In a way you're paying for the experience too.
You are so if you want to havethat experience.
And have it without the alcoholabsolutely, and it's something
that Shane and I often talkabout.
As individuals living an alcoholfree life, we're happy to go to
a restaurant and see a cocktailmenu versus, and we'll call it
cocktail versus non alcoholiccocktail.
(34:04):
If they're using spirits andthey're putting that effort in
and everything else, we're like,yeah, okay, fine.
14 bucks for a cocktail, 16bucks for cocktail.
Yeah.
We'll take it.
And what we do also find is.
The longer it has been sinceyou've consumed alcohol and I
jokingly say like a bottle ofwine now for me last days
because I'll pour myself a glassof wine and I can seriously sip
on a glass of wine.
(34:26):
and so that bottle of wine willlast me, but, and then you're
not actually craving to go backfor more.
And so very much to going out toa restaurant.
I am very happy with a greatcocktail in front of me and I
can sit and enjoy thatthroughout my entire time.
There might order a second one,but it's not often that you are
looking.
You finish it, or you drink itquickly, and then you're looking
toward another one, and thenyou're looking toward another
(34:47):
one, and there isn't that sameurge to over consume as when you
are drinking.
Yeah, because you're not gettinga buzz.
Yeah.
You're not chasing the buzz.
Jessie (34:57):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracey (34:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's so true.
Because if I think about thetimes where I've had, alcohol
free beverages, which I did alot in the beginning, I don't so
much anymore.
But I still love if I'm out fordinner with friends or whatever,
if there's a nice mocktail menu,then I definitely have it.
And it does give you the senseof kind of participating or,
(35:19):
that experience.
Kelly (35:21):
I'm finding that going out for dinner that the
bartenders love we'll just askfor them to make up a cocktail
for us without alcohol.
And they love it because theyget to use their creativity and
we just say oh, we don't likeanything too sweet.
And we like, gingery or whateveryou want to make.
And then they come up withsomething and we've had some
really fun drinks.
Yeah.
Tracey (35:40):
You're right.
If I have a non alcoholbeverage, I'm having one, even
if I had like non alcohol beer,which I had often at the
beginning as well, I'm onlyhaving one or two maybe on a hot
summer day.
Lindsey (35:53):
Even Pepsi or Coke.
I'll have one of those once in awhile, but in my drinking days
at the bars, I would drink sevenRyan Cokes or something.
I would never have seven glassesof pop.
What?
So it's now you've got thissugary beverage with alcohol.
It's disgusting to think whatyou're putting in your body,
(36:14):
because I would never sit thereand binge drink pop.
Jessie (36:19):
It's not something that any of us can do.
And it's funny too, that Shaneand I both removed pop from our
life a long time ago.
But we used to drink diet and ofcourse knowing aspartame and all
of those goodies now definitelyhappy that we've removed that.
But Like I just can't even andeven like Tracey said about the
beer and it's almost like my gutphysically cannot consume that
(36:42):
much liquid anymore when youthink about it.
And when I think aboutespecially, whether it be Ryan
Cokes or rum and cokes orwhatever, like you say sugar
number one on with alcohol,which is also sugar.
I don't I really don't know howour bodies.
Did it.
No, really.
Kelly (36:57):
I know.
Yeah, you guys were at VegFest.
Yeah.
And I bought, was it calledPoppy?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Is there health benefits tothat?
It is.
Jessie (37:07):
It is.
Okay.
Yeah.
Poppy is a fantastic.
So many Canadians are so Poppy'sreally big in the States.
So it was all, Ollie Pop's kindof the equivalent and competitor
to it.
So there's apple cider vinegarin it.
And it's five grams or sugar orless for the entire can, like no
artificial colors, flavors,sweeteners.
(37:29):
They are yummy.
And so yes, we had removed popuntil I found Poppy.
And now, they do have a colaflavor.
They have a root beer.
And so sometimes it's nice tosneak in something that is very
reminiscent of what I used toenjoy.
Kelly (37:40):
It was super sweet.
It was grape flavored.
It was really, you had the greatone.
It was like childhood memories.
It was Oh,
Jessie (37:47):
it was really fun.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And those ones I love talking.
So we actually have a fewclients that do come in, like
one recently shared to me, shehas, a third of a can or half a
can before bed at night becauseshe has IBS.
And she just said like itsettles her stomach down and she
has a really good night withouthaving any, stomach issues.
And interestingly, it's enough,like when our kids are sick, we
(38:07):
will pull out the poppy.
If they're having digestiveissues or anything like that,
because we know it's got theupside of vinegar and poppy was
created by a mom, she wanted analternative for her kids.
And so it's funny that, yeah, ittastes good and it's low in
sugar.
And again,
Lindsey (38:22):
I have to come and pick that up.
I've got, especially
Kelly (38:24):
if you love the, you said that you love the on Pepsi or
whatever.
Lindsey (38:29):
I love the odd pepsi.
Yeah.
I love it.
Yeah, come grab your cola andthere's a Doc Pop there, like a
Dr.
Pepper.
It's like one of those thingswhere it's hard to believe that
it's good for you.
Like I was drinking it and Ikept looking at the can and I'm
like, really?
Really?
Jessie (38:45):
Yeah, I know and when you really look and yeah,
there's Stevia in it.
That's some people's turn off isyou're either pro Stevia or not
so much on board with Stevia.
So that's like the one thingthat some people hesitate with.
But.
it's really good.
We always just, same thing.
We just especially if we'regoing out somewhere with the
kids, we always just carry onearound because I would rather.
(39:05):
It's funny because even thatmight like, especially the
sugars and things like it'salready mindful.
We think about those things forour kids already and to pour
them a little bit of that whilepotentially other kids are
cracking.
Lindsey (39:15):
Ginger ale.
That's what my mom gave me whenI had an upset stomach.
Tracey (39:18):
It sounds like a replacement or a healthy
replacement for ginger ale.
Cause yeah, that's what we usedto get when we had an upset
stomach.
That's funny.
But yeah, they are.
They are awesome.
Lindsey (39:32):
Yeah.
I think it's.
I shouldn't be so judgy.
Our last episode was talkingabout judgments, but it's like I
find that the people who smokecigarettes and drink are like,
Oh, I'm not going to eat stevia.
I'm like, Are you serious?
Look at what you're putting inyour body and you're gonna say
you can't have a drink that hasstevia in it.
Jessie (39:52):
Yeah.
It's very true where, we instore, we meet people where
they're at and doesn't matterwhat people are looking for or
what people say, it's not foryou.
Cool.
There's a reason why we carry somany different options.
Lindsey (40:04):
Even if sparkling water's in your store,
Jessie (40:07):
we do.
Oh, no.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We carry everything from brightwater, which is local, to we
bring in Ouroboros out of theStates, which are like wild and
wacky flavors, but yeah, we haveeverything from sparkling
waters, which are like zerosacross the board.
To like I say a limoncellostraight from Italy that is,
does sit at 1 percent and, it'sfantastic.
(40:27):
But we know it's not foreveryone and that's okay.
Kelly (40:30):
Yeah.
We just did our last episode onjudgment around living alcohol
free.
And I love that you said thatit's, like you respect
everybody's story and the reasonwhy everybody's choosing to come
in and explore.
That's cool.
Tracey (40:44):
I love too that you're hearing everybody's story, like
your customers, but you alsoknow the story behind the
products you're serving.
So I think that's really neatand it must be really
interesting for you guys fromboth sides to learn those
things.
Jessie (40:59):
Some of them are amazingly happy stories.
Some of them are harder to hear.
Some of them hit closer to home,we definitely have noticed that
especially here in Winnipeg andlike Toronto still too new to
say yet, but we have ourregulars that come in and it's
funny because, you get to knowthem and whether you see them
every week or every other week.
(41:20):
And you get to do that check inand be like, Hey how was this
week?
And you just get to see them andsee where they're at.
And I think a few of ourregulars come to mind and I can
only smile because we've hadthem walk in like just.
swearing up a storm and just ifI wasn't stopping here, I'd be
stopping somewhere I didn't wantto be stopping and kind of
thing.
And that just gave me chills.
(41:43):
And it's just, it's nice.
And we get to start creating,this safe place where people get
to walk into And it's nice tosee other places like we, people
often say Oh, like I wish theliquor marts had more options or
I wish the LCBOs had moreoptions.
And I said, yeah, for a lot ofpeople, then it becomes a one
stop shop, right?
You're grabbing this and thisfor whether it's yourself or
(42:03):
someone else.
That could be a slippery slopethough too, right?
Yeah.
It can be.
Kelly (42:07):
I haven't been inside.
I won't go.
I haven't been inside since Iquit.
No, I won't.
Jessie (42:12):
Good for you guys.
And I think that's the biggestthing is someone walks through
our door, and they know that,unless they have certain
stipulations on what they are,preferences or whatever, for an
individual who is open toexploring, whether it be to
support moderating or sobrietyor however you want to look at
alcohol free life They can walkin and they have a team that is
(42:35):
there specifically for thatreason.
whO is knowledgeable on theproducts, all of the products
that they are actually lookingfor.
Whereas again, if you walk into.
An LCBO or a liquor mart, not topick on those ones, but that's
generally where people go, Idon't know how much the staff
are versed in the small littlealcohol free section that are
there but they can go grabanything off the shelf, they can
(42:58):
try anything One of the funthings, and it'll be available
in Toronto as well, but we havea tasting bar, and Lindsey got
to experience that.
Lindsey (43:05):
I love that.
I love that you, I know,everything you had us try was
like, buy that, add to cart weneed this.
It was amazing, literally, ifthey have a bottle that's
opened, you can try literallyalmost everything.
It's great.
Yeah.
The nice thing is the spiritsfor the most part are self
stable.
So you treat them the exact sameway as your alcohol bottles,
right?
(43:25):
Just don't store them on yourwindowsill and keep them in a
cool dark place kind of thing.
And a few of them need to berefrigerated, but for the most
part you treat them the sameway.
And so for us, having thosebottles available and for
someone to walk in and be like,I really don't know what I want
our, for someone to walk in andbe like, you know what?
I'm actually not sure if I'mcomfortable with Mimics.
And us to be like, okay, startwith any amount, like just even
(43:47):
smell it, and if they make aface when they smell and I'll be
like, Hey, then how about let'smove to something that, you
would consume at a like time,but, doesn't have that flavor
profile sort of thing.
It's meeting people wherethey're at and trying to create
an educational environmentthat's comfortable knowing that.
You've walked into a place andyou can't make a slip and grab,
something, or you look and youdon't like your options.
(44:09):
So I'm gonna, I'm just going togo back to what I used to
consume.
Yeah.
I love that about you guys.
Where in Winnipeg, Jesse, canpeople find the silver market?
Where are you guys at?
We are on Academy at so Unit 2,484 Academy, so we're at the
corner of Boerbank and Academy.
It's an old River Heights housewhere we've taken over, we've
(44:30):
taken over the main floor.
If anyone is from Winnipeg andyou're familiar with where
Missing Pieces used to be, orwhere the original Pine Ridge
Hollow Furniture Store was,that's where we are.
So our entrance is a little bittucked back, but you will find
us there.
That's where we are in Winnipeg.
And if you are in Toronto, weare at 511 Richmond West, so
(44:53):
downtown, which is a lot of fun.
And you will find us insideBeatrice Society Cafe, so right
at the old water the Waterworksbuilding there.
So inside the cafe, we have Thecafe is there, they do serve
some of our stuff as well.
But we have some displays setup, there's a ready to go fridge
on the main floor there, andthen upstairs on the second
floor in the, there used to beseating up on the mezzanine, but
(45:14):
that is the entire, the fullbottle shop is upstairs now.
Kelly (45:17):
Very cool, and what about online?
What about people who aren't inVancouver, Toronto?
Yeah,
Jessie (45:23):
yes, so online.
it's the sober market s O B R.
No Ian sober dot com and youwill find lots of different
products online.
We try and keep it all up todate.
I will say there are benefits tobeing right now in Winnipeg
because we do bring in trialproducts, and they usually hit
the shelves in the store firstfor us to test them out before
(45:47):
they do end up hitting, say, theCanada wide U.
S wide or even worldwidemarkets.
So that is a perk to being inWinnipeg with us right now but
yeah, online, and we are workingon expanding parts of the
website.
Shane's been working hard on thenewsletter.
There's now going to be a blogsection.
We're going to be addingrecipes.
So we're more dedication isgoing to be going into starting
(46:08):
to facilitate.
And rewards I saw.
And there's a rewards program.
I was like, hey.
Yes, there is a rewards program.
So absolutely.
And that's in store or online.
And then we are finding ways topair that also with Toronto.
No matter where you purchase,you will definitely be able to
gain rewards.
And that's for percentages offdollars, off shipping options,
(46:30):
all that.
Kelly (46:30):
That's amazing.
And do you ship everywhere?
We do.
Okay.
We ship all across the, that'simportant for everybody to hear
that.
Worldwide.
Worldwide.
Whoa.
Yes.
Where we're allowed to.
We should.
Worldwide.
Yes.
Absolutely.
You also have an amazing socialmedia presence.
I love your Instagram account.
Lindsey (46:47):
Yep, I follow.
Thank you.
And you can definitely tell, ifyou go back in our social media,
you can tell when I gave upbeing my own manager.
I love it.
I love doing that withcompanies, like scrolling back
as far down as you can go to seethe difference.
Jessie (47:05):
To see the difference.
I love it.
Yes.
So it's funny because actually Iwas.
I have an amazing social mediamanager.
She is phenomenal.
You will see her on becauseactually today, just with some
things that it happened she'sactually the one behind the bar.
And Fernanda, I love you if youend up watching this.
Her fiancé was the one behindthe camera, which normally it's
(47:26):
flipped.
I'm usually the one behind thebar.
Yes.
She's the one behind the camera.
Yeah, it's social media.
Gosh, I gotta tell you gettingout of your comfort zone on that
is, yeah, that.
You're doing great.
Thank you very much.
Tracey (47:40):
I was just going to say, I love how you're creating that
experience and that educationfor people, because I think that
in itself is probably reallygood marketing and makes people
more open to trying something.
Jessie (47:52):
Yeah, and for us, it's really just again, trying to
create a little bit more of anormalcy around all of this.
We've seen a huge shift even inthe last six months, but just
opening up around conversationsand, we're now doing these
segments where.
We're doing voiceovers ofcustomer stories and we're
keeping it completely anonymous,but just, people to recognize
that, it's hearing those storieswhere everyone has their little
(48:15):
unique pieces to it, but in someway, hopefully through the
segment, someone will relate toalmost everything that we end up
doing.
And and the educational piece,it's really just.
Opening people's eyes to thingsthat we didn't even know about.
And I think that's the biggestthing as we became.
Alcohol free through, thelifestyle decision.
(48:35):
But ultimately in the end wewere passionate consumers first
and it was something that servedus and something that supported
us.
And to now to be able to belike, yeah, Hey, I didn't know
that either.
And I'm the first person toadmit this has been a learn as
you go and.
We just want to be able to sharethat and that a lot of people
say, gosh, I didn't know that.
And it's not a lot of people dowhen we talk about even the
(48:58):
things you consume that containalcohol, not a lot of people
know it.
It's just more people shouldjust become aware of it.
And that's why we try and do.
A little bit more of those sortsof things on our social media.
Tracey (49:08):
Yeah, you're doing a great job like Kel said.
Jessie (49:10):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Lindsey (49:12):
I love that.
And then for your Instagram,where can people find you on
Instagram?
What is your handle?
Jessie (49:18):
The SoberMarket, so T H E S O B R Market yeah, that's
it.
Perfect.
It's the same.
We actually lucked out.
Website, Instagram handle,Facebook handle, everything is
the same.
So we actually lucked out.
Nothing is different.
No added underscores or ones oranything, it's just the sobr
market and that's it.
Love it.
(49:38):
Do we have any more questionsfor Jessie before we do a wrap
up?
Or Jessie, do you have anythingthat you want to talk about that
we didn't ask you?
Or maybe to close, what issomething that you can tell the
people listening about livingalcohol free, something that
maybe you were scared aboutbefore going alcohol free that
(49:59):
now you've got a differentperspective or a truth about
living alcohol free.
I think the biggest thing issomeone needs to go first.
I find depending on your life,someone needs to go first.
Shane's and my life, our sociallives, even some of our family
life revolved around drinking,and It's interesting the
(50:19):
conversations we've had withindividuals in our close circle
since making the decisions thatI don't think anyone was shocked
especially after we'd startedthe business, right?
When people heard that I hadmade the decision to go alcohol
free, I don't think anyone wasreally shocked, but I also find
that number one, I'm way moreconfident.
I had the business to back me onthat.
So I do have to say that was alittle bit of a crutch for me to
(50:41):
be saying I'm alcohol free orI'm sober and I'm proud of it.
That's totally fine.
And I'm totally comfortablesaying no, I'm not just going to
have just one but I feel likesomeone needs to go first I was
having a conversation withcustomers around this, about how
awkward it can make people feel.
But at the same time, if it'sespecially a group or people
that are in your inner circle,or people you see frequently,
how it peaks curiosity, and thenperhaps you get that, oh hey,
(51:06):
I'll try that, or I'll have whatyou're having, or can we talk
about this, and I just find thatIf you are one of those
individuals who's been able tocome out and share it's amazing
how many people.
Either maybe not follow, maybethey don't completely go alcohol
free, but they look to moderateor they like to talk to you
(51:28):
about it or they have questionsor they want to give it a try
with you for a month and theyask for support kind of all
those things.
So I think that was just areally cool thing is just to see
what came from those who maybe,didn't know how to do it,
because again, if you live init.
All the time.
That is your social life andeverything else.
How do you be that person tostep out and say, no, I'm going
(51:50):
to be the one person that saysno.
Shane did it a year before Idid.
And I'm so proud of him becausehe led the way for me 100%.
That would be a very interestingquestion for him too, because
it's like being that firstperson, what around you and what
follow after, is quite profound.
Kelly (52:06):
It's really cool.
Lindsey (52:07):
That was really good, Jessie.
Wow.
Kelly (52:09):
I really hope you guys have a very busy holiday season.
I think one of the It's alreadystarted.
Good, these days, I think one ofthe worst things that people can
show up at the door with is agift of booze.
Alcohol, because you never knowwhat somebody's relationship is
like with alcohol.
If they're trying to quit, ifthey're struggling with an
(52:30):
addiction.
But I'm guessing you guys havesome pretty amazing replacement
gifts for...
Alcohol,
Jessie (52:37):
we do gifts, advent calendars.
Tracey (52:40):
Yes, I love
Jessie (52:41):
them.
We don't have any left though.
I will warn you.
Okay.
But yes, and then that issomething that probably come
that first week of December.
It's something that I'm verypassionate about talking about
and it really is about.
Please keep in mind that, Kelly,it's exactly what you just said.
You don't know who's walkingthrough your door.
And you don't know who's walkingthrough your door today, and you
(53:03):
don't know who's walking throughyour door tomorrow.
And it could be your bestfriend, it could be a sibling,
it could be a parent, you don'tknow.
You don't know.
Who's decided to make a change,who's struggling, no one's
business, who just becamepregnant, who's trying to get
pregnant, who just got adiagnosis that they're not ready
to talk about yet who just had areally hard day and is trying to
(53:23):
avoid.
That drink to hide or to, toblackout or whatever.
So we will be talking abouthosting tips and all of that.
Kelly (53:31):
Hosting too, yeah.
Have some cool options forpeople.
Lindsey (53:34):
I love that.
When you're hosting, be mindfulof that.
Being very mindful becausesomeone walks through your door.
What's the first question youeither get asked walking through
someone else's door.
What's the first question youask someone?
What can I get you to drink?
And the automatic assumption.
Used to be, and we're trying tochange this, is alcohol.
What is it?
And it's creating a zeropressure, equal offering.
(53:57):
Sure, lay out your bar, yourbuffet, whatever.
Clearly label what's alcoholfree, what has alcohol.
Leave it to them to decide.
Just be like, drinks are overthere.
Because even asking thatquestion becomes a challenge and
if you just say drinks overthere, it's a help yourself.
Then that person gets to go andmake that choice for themselves
standing there.
And it's not a face to face,needing to catch them in a
(54:19):
moment.
When they might not be ready toanswer that question, right?
And that's okay.
Yeah, and so it's really justyou do not know who's walking
through your door today And itcould change to tomorrow and
just be very mindful andespecially around the holidays
it tends to be a very sensitivetime of the year.
So we just ask, please bemindful.
Kelly (54:40):
You're amazing, Jessie I love you, Jessie.
Please check out Sobr Market ifyou're in Winnipeg or Toronto.
Pick up some non alcoholicbeverages.
Please, for the love of God,have those available at holiday
gatherings.
Because I remember my firstChristmas.
I quit in December and I wasbrought a nice big bottle of red
(55:03):
wine as my normal gift and I hadto say that I wasn't drinking
and that was hard.
Jessie (55:10):
But good for you for doing it.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Congrats.
That's huge.
That's hard.
Yeah, it is.
All right.
Thank you, Jesse, so much forcoming on.
I am just so excited abouthaving you here.
This is such an important topicand I love that your products
can be shipped worldwide or youcan go check them out in person
(55:32):
in Winnipeg at 484 Academy Roador in Toronto and on their
website.
That's it for our episode today.
You can head over, make sure youfollow Sobr Market on social
media.
We'll link everything in theshow notes and don't forget to
follow our show as well so thatyou don't miss any new episodes.
(55:54):
So we'll be back next Tuesdaywith a brand new episode and
until then, you guys know whatto do.
Keep laughing.
Kelly (56:03):
Thank you for listening.
Please give us a five starrating like and subscribe, share
on social media and tell yourfriends.
We love getting your feedbackand ideas of what you'd like to
hear on upcoming episodes of theLAF life podcast.
If you yourself are livingalcohol free and want to share
your story here, please reachout.
Welcome to the LAF life podcast, a lifestyle podcast
based on living alcohol free anda booze soaked world.
My name is Kelly Evans andtogether with my friends, Tracey
Djordjevic, and Lindsay Harik.
We share uncensored.
Unscripted real conversationsabout what our lives have been
like since we ditched alcoholand how we got here by sharing
(00:24):
our individual stories.
We'll show you that there isn'tjust one way to do this, no
matter where you are on yourjourney from sober, curious to
years in recovery and everyonein between, you are welcome
here, no judgment and a ton ofsupport.
Lindsey (00:41):
Hey, everybody.
Welcome back to the LAF Lifepodcast.
Before we get started withtoday's episode, I'm just going
to ask that you guys hit thatfollow button so that you don't
miss any of our new content.
And we always launch newepisodes on Tuesday.
Today we have a guest with us.
Her name is Jessie Halliburton,and she is a co owner of
(01:06):
Canada's premier non alcoholicbottle shop here in Winnipeg.
And recently they just opened anew location in Toronto and it's
called Sober Market.
Hi, jessie.
Jessie (01:21):
Hello, everyone.
How are you doing?
Thank you.
Lindsey (01:26):
Thank you so much for joining us.
We are so excited to chat withyou and I went into the shop
here in Winnipeg on August longweekend and I remember chatting
with you and it came in with myboyfriend and we were just in
awe of all of the things it is afull store if it's non
(01:47):
alcoholic, you guys carry it.
Jessie (01:50):
As best we can, yes, absolutely.
And it is, much, like yourexperience was, it can be very
overwhelming first time someonewalks in.
And a lot of people are shockedto see that many options that
fall into that category.
Lindsey (02:05):
Yeah, it's pretty amazing.
So I have a question for you.
Are you somebody that is livingan alcohol free life?
I am actually, yes.
So I had been tapering down onmy consumption, but I have been
alcohol free since August oflast year.
So 2022.
Yeah.
That's amazing.
We're in 2023 now, right?
(02:26):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Congratulations on that.
And what sparked that for you?
Maybe talk to us about, yourrelationship with alcohol, early
on, if you even had one or, yourfirst memories of it and why you
chose to go alcohol free.
My early memories of alcohol areactually very comforting.
Which it's very strange to say,however, the way I was raised, I
(02:50):
was in a very open family aroundalcohol consumption and kids
were like, I remember sittingand having itty bitty beer with
this much tomato juice sittingwith my grandparents and some of
those memories are just.
Very fond, at the lake, justenjoying being part of whatever
it was we were celebrating ortalking about and all of that.
And so conversations aroundalcohol were always very open in
(03:13):
our family.
Around teaching aboutconsumption and all of that.
And so my early memories aredefinitely very fond in that
aspect.
And I know now thinking aboutit, how the world has changed.
Life has changed.
And maybe some of those thingsare not as acceptable anymore.
And definitely not somethingthat, as Shane and I have
(03:33):
children, not something that wewill do in that aspect, and
then, I was definitely thatteenager that liked to
experiment and have fun and goout there and have some drinks.
And I wasn't someone who waiteduntil I was at 18 and have that
big kind of hurrah moment.
But alcohol has just always beena very mainstream part of my
life.
It's very social.
(03:55):
So Shane's my husband and heowns the sober market along with
me.
And we've been together since wewere 18 and it's just been a big
part of our life.
And my decision to stop actuallycame from him.
So Shane removed alcohol fromhis life a year prior to me.
So it was August of 2021.
And I won't speak for him oranything like that, but he had
(04:17):
re evaluated his relationshipwith alcohol, where he was in
his life, and Ultimately, whathe wanted for himself and
ultimately for his family to atthe time, our son would have
been three and our daughterwould have been three months and
it wasn't something he wanted tocontinue to partake in and have
(04:38):
them, see dad have too many or,just, be around that sort of
environment.
So when Shane started to talkabout business and that, that
was in January and it wasinteresting how I used to work
in healthcare and I had returnedfrom matleave from our son in
January of 2020.
And then we had it straight intoCOVID in March.
(05:01):
And I remember.
being at work all day, working,10 hour days, long days, and
then coming home and we alldecided, okay, we're going to go
home.
And then we would jump on aconference call to discuss next
day operations with a glass ofwine in our hand.
And I'd be sitting.
Getting my son ready for bed orwhatever.
And that just became the normand just start justifying
(05:25):
needing that glass of wine as aresult of having stress during
the day and that.
So in the end, when we hadalready started the business and
I was still enjoying a glass ofwine and in the end, I actually
enjoyed what was in Shane'sglass way more than mine and it
made me feel way better.
So I just quietly.
And again, for me, it was a verypersonal choice, and it wasn't
(05:47):
an announcement, it wasn't a,I'm going to try this, I
remember having my last glass,and I knew it was going to be my
last glass, and I didn't eventalk to Shane about it.
No way.
It wasn't, it was a very silentdecision for me, and eventually
he picked up on the fact that Ijust wasn't, And I was more just
(06:08):
asking him to make me drinks atnight of whatever it was he was
making and for me it was samething.
Number one, committing to alifestyle to support him,
committing to a lifestyle thatsupported being a working
parent.
It's hard.
And also just be more presentwith the kids to be more
patient, to be more present, tonot have that distraction.
To wake up and be ready to gowith that really go with them.
(06:32):
As, especially now, again, fiveyear old and two year old now.
It is busy and they want to go.
And there is no time to feeldown, really.
No.
Ever.
And I feel like Christmas issuch a big drinking holiday.
It is.
I said on one of our episodes, Ithink it's one of the best gifts
that you can give your kids ishaving an alcohol free Christmas
(06:55):
because you're so present withthem and you can almost
experience.
The magic of the holiday throughthem, rather than being drunk.
I remember Christmas Eve, eversince I was a kid, at our home,
was a shit show.
It was alcohol flowing, stereocranked loud, my mom telling my
(07:15):
dad, turn it down, the kids aretrying to sleep and we can hear
it all, right?
And then just the next dayChristmas morning of course dad
wasn't downstairs, cause He haddrank too much the night before
and hung over and as a kid, Iremember feeling that.
Jessie (07:33):
Yeah, and addictions run in both Shane's and my family
and I've definitely had thosemoments to where you're aware of
what's going on around you andwhat causes it.
And it's interesting how, andI'm not gonna lie the one glass
of wine can turn into twoglasses of wine can turn into a
bottle of wine very quickly.
And again, there's always thatlittle bit of a justification.
(07:54):
Alongside it.
And it's interesting, usuallythe first time it's, it is in
it.
It's that Christmas or it'syou're out with girlfriends or
you're, again, you find ways tojustify it.
And it's very interesting, atleast for myself in some ways to
just reflect back on seeingthings that I didn't like
(08:14):
observing.
Whether it be as a child or evenas a teen, a young adult just
finding you slip into a cycleand again, it's just interesting
because even now with the storeand we talk and people come in,
it's a comfortable environmentand we talk and it's a place for
people to share and howeveryone's story is so unique
and yet it continues to followThere are still so many
(08:36):
similarities.
No matter how unique everyone'sstory is, there are still
certain points that are verysimilar or very reflective and I
don't think it matters whataddiction you talk about.
I think that's part of any sortof substance for sure.
Lindsey (08:50):
Yeah, I 100 percent agree with that for sure.
Jessie (08:53):
Yeah.
Kelly (08:54):
So what do you do now at the end of the day?
Because obviously, your businessis growing, I'm sure there's
maybe even more stress than youhad before.
So what do you do now instead ofthe glass of wine to wind down?
Jessie (09:06):
I'm not gonna lie, sometimes it is still a glass of
wine, it's just doesn't containalcohol in it.
Love it.
Yeah.
And that's, to me that's greatis to know that, sometimes we're
reaching for that or sometimesit's as simple as like it was
great cups last weekend.
And I said, I'm like, yeah,let's make margaritas.
And it is it's as simple as justhaving those familiar flavors
and doing that.
(09:27):
But a lot of time, snuggles onthe couch with the kids and
going for a walk with the dogsand, just those sorts of things.
But the nice thing at least forboth Shane and I, is we've
still, I don't change that, is Istill say sometimes, Man, I want
my glass of wine.
It's just now when I pour it, itjust doesn't contain alcohol.
And for me, that's enough.
(09:48):
It's still the ritual.
It's cracking that bottle.
It's pouring it.
It's enjoying, a similar flavorprofile.
And that to me is enough to, formy body to still enjoy some sort
of relax for sure.
Nice.
Yeah.
Lindsey (10:02):
I find it is about that.
It is like the ritual.
It's like that habit.
We've had chatted about this onthe podcast too is some people
can't consume products that arevery similar to the alcoholic
versions because it's sotriggering for them, right?
I'm somebody personally that Ilove drinking kombucha out of a
(10:24):
wine glass or I love mixing.
Different mocktails that containnon alcoholic gin or something
like that, or I'll drink a 0percent Corona, and I'm just
like, this is awesome.
I feel like it is a ritual wealways associate, or for me I
did anyways, I associated thatglass of wine with relaxation.
(10:47):
Except when you wake up the nextday, you feel like crap.
So it's like you're borrowingfrom tomorrow to relax today.
So you're never, but you're notrelaxing.
It's very true.
And it is the ritual and it'svery interesting.
You say sometimes it is justmixing the cocktail or putting
it together.
And we often do talk about Aswell, when individuals come in,
(11:09):
because we do know that mimicsaren't for everyone.
And so we often talk about,finding things that help people.
Because oftentimes we also doget asked because some people do
say I still feel like I'm buzzedsometimes.
And I equate it back to thatnostalgic response that your
body gets, and you still end upwith a dopamine spike.
And whether it be that yourbody's created a response, like
(11:31):
a memory that in consumingsomething it, whether it be in
that glass or after you've madeit or in like flavors that you
should be having a response toit.
And so you still do get thatdopamine spike, which is, still
creating that gratitude or the,that the response that you get
to relax and you get to havethat feeling But it's also just
(11:52):
whether it's your bodyremembering that, or you make it
and you recognize that youshould feel good as a result of
essentially almost having atreat.
That's something that's stillyou're still creating an adult
beverage that you get to enjoyin a nice glass or with some
garnish and you get to sit backand just enjoy.
Tracey (12:09):
It's like the placebo effect.
Yeah.
Yeah, hugely.
Yeah, but a lot of people say tothat they would relate that with
the time to shut down or turnthings off.
That was their off switch, it'sa good point to make that you
can do that without it beingalcohol, there can be a
replacement that doesn't have tobe alcohol and still trigger
(12:30):
that sensation of it's time toshut down or it's time to relax.
Jessie (12:35):
Time to relax, but also not block whatever it is you've
experienced that you're needingto relax from.
And I think that's the bestthing for enjoying some of those
beverages where you do start toget that relaxing feeling and
you get that response in thebody.
And yet I can still sit thereand reflect on my day and
consider tomorrow.
But in a more peaceful waywithout having say that, that
(12:58):
glass of wine or that drinkthat, brings you down and but
then shuts you off like youdon't reflect, you don't have
that time to really workthrough, what happened and
what's your plan and all ofthat.
And I think that's the biggestthing is that your brain.
It does get to relax, but youdon't shut it off, you're not
hiding from anything, you're notnumbing,
Lindsey (13:18):
you're not blacking out,
Jessie (13:19):
yeah not blacking out, what are you working out if
you're blocked out, you'renothing exactly,
Tracey (13:23):
Yeah, it goes back to that presence.
piece, right?
Being present.
You're being present but at thesame time, allowing yourself to
unwind from the day.
Lindsey (13:33):
Yeah.
So Jessie, do any of yourproducts at the shop contain
alcohol or are they all zeropercent?
Talk to us a bit about that.
Jessie (13:42):
So we do have many products that are true, what we
consider zero proof.
So 0.
0.
However, we do have lots ofproducts that are up to 0.
5%.
And then we do have, I believewe only have one product
currently that is up to 1%.
So there's lots of questionsoften around this topic around
(14:04):
what is a 0.
5?
Is that still considered alcoholfree?
And all of those things.
We do a lot of education in thestore around what does this
mean?
So anything that is a true zeroproof, we never contained
alcohol, it was never afermented product, it has not
been de alkalized.
We do have one brand of dealkalized wine, however, that
(14:24):
they are confident to say thatthey de alkalized to 0.
0.
And that is marked on theirpackaging.
But in Canada anything under 1.
1 percent is considered alcoholfree.
I didn't know that.
And it varies province toprovince because for the most
part in Canada, it's theprovincial governments that
regulate like the in Manitoba.
(14:44):
It's the amount of liquor andlotteries.
I know in Ontario.
It's the LCBO's.
So I know in Ontario anything.
Over 0.
5 is regulated.
We have a 1 percent limoncelloin the store right now.
So we actually cannot send thatto Toronto to sell.
And if anyone tries it's notavailable to sell or sent to
Ontario at all.
But yeah, federally, it's 1.
(15:06):
1 percent in Manitoba here.
It's also 1.
1%.
And the reason being that thereare things that people consume
on a daily basis that do containtrace amounts of alcohol.
And this again is not somethingI was aware of.
It's something that Shane and Ineeded to learn about when we
started the business.
It's so true when you thinkabout it, that fermentation
comes from like for alcohol isthe by product of fermentation.
(15:29):
And so when you think about allthe things on your counter that
ferment and the jugs of sayjuice in your fridge that
ferment or if you're bakingbread or you have the yogurt or
a kefir all of those things,there is a fermentation process
that begins with it.
So we jokingly talk to peopleabout, the banana that's sitting
on your counter that starts tosmell really funky and you're
(15:51):
about to make into banana bread.
That funky smell is the off gasof ethanol, which is the same
alcohol you will find inalcoholic beverages.
Whoa.
And lots of studies have beendone.
I believe that ripe banana sitsaround a 0.
7, anywhere from a 0.
4 to a 0.
7, I believe.
And there's all those ranges.
Yeah.
(16:12):
Kombucha is one that containstrace amounts of alcohol.
Yeah, so it's very interesting.
Because also it does not need tobe labeled as well in Canada.
Unless it is 1.
1 percent or higher.
A lot of people question.
Then why is it even showing onpackages?
Why are we seeing the 0.
5?
And the companies do it as atransparency aspect to it.
(16:34):
but yeah, when you think aboutsourdough breads and pasta
sauces, and when you go out fordinner to a really nice
restaurant, and they've gotthose really yeasty dinner rolls
on the table, and you can justsmell that fresh bread smell.
All of that is actually alcoholin the product, which is
interesting.
Yeah.
It's not something I everconsidered.
No,
Lindsey (16:54):
I had no idea.
Wow.
Cause I don't get a buzz fromeating bread from, a restaurant
or even kombucha drinkingkombucha.
I don't feel any different.
I don't feel buzzed, but thereare people who won't consume
that because of the alcoholcontent.
Jessie (17:12):
Yes, and that's very true.
Depending on whoever it is we'retalking to we have products
available.
And so the nice thing is we dohave one de alkalized wine brand
that we do carry that they do dealkalize to 0.
0 and many people are veryfamiliar with it.
They're comfortable withconsuming that.
We do actually have some beersnow that are down to the 0.
0 and then the spirits.
(17:33):
Spirits go either way.
They're either like a reversedistilled where it did contain
alcohol and they've had thealcohol removed or they're true
zero proof.
So they never contain alcohol.
It's just essence as they'vebeen put together to create a
like flavored product.
No matter what anyone's lookingfor, we have something that
we've got sparkling teas, ifsomeone's looking for something
that, again, they don't want togo venture wine way, they would
(17:54):
go tea way and do some educationon those ones.
But that's one thing that I'vegrown to love about all of this
is really just the things thatI've learned that have started
to blow my mind that you don'tthink about and Lindsay, like
you said, you don't get buzzedfrom drinking.
Kombucha or eating dinner rollsor sourdough bread or kefir or
anything like that.
And it's because your body doesmetabolize it.
(18:16):
Most people's bodies, I will saythat there are some people out
there who have said that theirbody struggles with metabolizing
alcohol.
So they will notice it more.
But your body will metabolize.
A point five beverage fasterthan the alcohol can build up in
the blood it's not somethingthat you will, like, you won't
pull over on a breathalyzer andit won't accumulate in your
(18:37):
blood.
Lindsey (18:37):
Because the glass of wine is like what percent of
alcohol, like 17%, right?
Something like that.
Jessie (18:45):
Good question.
I don't even know.
Is it 12?
Lindsey (18:48):
I think so.
Let me see if I can find this.
Kelly (18:50):
I don't know.
Yeah.
I'm actually not even sure.
What a glass of wine would bewhat I think is interesting is a
lot of those products thatyou're talking about are known
to be healthy for your gut likethey promote fermented products.
It must be a certain percentageof alcohol that's healthy for
(19:10):
you versus not healthy, or it'sin the processing, like you were
saying, or how our bodyprocesses.
That to make one side of ithealthy and the other side not.
Jessie (19:23):
So we do carry a kombucha in store.
And Michelle is the owner ofWolsey Kombucha.
So her and I've talked a lotabout kind of the gut.
Health piece of it and the gutand mind connection.
One thing I actually, Iremembered from university years
ago or high school, but I hadforgotten.
She's remember your gut producesalcohol itself.
So that's where especially withkombucha being a, prebiotic
(19:47):
support in order for your gut todigest and metabolize and do
what it needs to do.
And again, I'm not the personto.
Talk about all those details,but it is just fascinating that
yes, there are products outthere.
And I think the biggest thing isif it's not accumulating in the
blood and it's not getting tothat point where it's affecting
(20:07):
the brain and the body functionthen yes, fermented products are
always touted as beingbeneficial to the body.
I think it's just mindful onlike how much to consume and
which ones are best for you?
Tracey (20:19):
I was going to say it might be.
I'm no doctor either.
I don't know.
I'm just taking a guess or astab at it.
But it might be like the bloodbrain barrier type of situation.
Yeah.
Lindsey (20:31):
I found it five ounces of wine typically is about 12
percent alcohol and 1.
5 ounces of distilled spirits isabout 40%.
Jessie (20:43):
So yeah, when you think about consuming.
A point five beverage.
And I believe it was a studydone in Germany.
It's been a long time since I'veread this study, but they had
someone tried to consume enoughpoint five beers and couldn't do
it.
They said you will, they had tostop him because his body was
becoming so diluted ofelectrolytes that they were
(21:04):
concerned for his health onconsuming too much liquid versus
what was actually like thealcohol content that he was
consuming.
Yeah.
It is very interesting.
And like I said, lots to stilllearn for me for sure and but
it's just been very interestingto learn little bits about all
of this along the way and yeah,not something I ever think about
is even the jug of orange juicein the fridge that, it's been
(21:26):
open for a few weeks, right?
We all buy the Costco sizedjuice and it sits there for a
while for a glass and it's alittle tangy and you don't.
He's Oh no, it's still good.
Not thinking.
Oh yeah.
What's that tang?
Yeah.
Lindsey (21:43):
That's fermentation.
Yeah.
That's fermentation.
Yeah.
So you guys have two locationsin Winnipeg now, right?
Just the one location.
Kelly (21:52):
Oh, I thought you had two.
Okay.
So you have two locations andyou're busy and it sounds like
you're having some reallyinteresting conversations with
your customers.
We are.
Why do you think this is sopopular right now?
Jessie (22:07):
It's a very good question.
Lots of different reasons.
I feel that, I can speak fromjust those individuals that I've
spoken to, and even just frompersonal experience, I feel like
consumption really increasedduring a couple years when we
were all closed up.
At home and oftentimes I willhear people say what else was
(22:27):
there to do?
Yeah, that a lot of people, Iwas bored.
Like what else was there to do?
That sort of thing.
And and then even people likestarted making their own wine
and beer at home.
I think like it just as far as ahobby went, it grew, and I can't
remember who I was speaking tobut they said any time that
there was some sort of socialaspect even through work and it
(22:49):
was done through virtually theysaid it usually had to do with
making cocktails, like on, Iremember seeing a lot of that,
doing wine tastings.
Lindsey (22:58):
Yes.
The zoom meetings, the winetasting, the virtual Brunches
where it was all about champagneand wine.
Wow.
Jessie (23:06):
Absolutely.
And so I think a lot of people.
Started to consume more.
And I think a lot of people arealso starting to feel maybe
those effects.
We didn't know this was gonnahappen, but the Canadian Cancer
Society's guidelines on what,and, Canadian Cancer Society
guidelines are more lenient thanthe CDC, like the in the states
where they have said absolutelyzero tolerance for alcohol at
(23:27):
all.
If you have cancer or, if youwant to lessen your risk of
cancer, it's like a 0 percenttolerance and in Canada, when
you think they were going fromas a woman, you were allowed two
drinks per day and now you'redown to two drinks per week and
for the most part.
My understanding is a lot ofoncologists are now saying, you
(23:47):
get that cancer diagnosis or youget that, we're watching you and
it's the recommendation is youstop but no matter what the
reason is, the people are comingin, we try and meet them where
they are.
Some people are just looking tomoderate.
Some people it's about family,some people it's about trying to
have a family, some peoplethey've been put on a medication
and they can't consume alcoholanymore as a result of the
(24:09):
medication that they'reconsuming.
A little bit of a controversialone and I completely stand by
where we've stood on this isthat we'll get 15, 16, 17.
year olds coming in, and they'reheading out to the party, and
they want to fly into theradars, and they want to pick up
something that looks the part,may taste the part, and they
(24:30):
talked openly about, it being aharm reduction.
I don't want to get drunk, but Idon't want to deal with the peer
pressure of Wow, I'm going tothe party.
Interesting.
We've had parents actually comein with their kids.
To help them in those choicesand, yeah, we've had people
driving even from rural Manitobaas well and they're having those
(24:53):
conversations already with,they're going to a, hate to say
it, like a bush party or a farmparty or something and someone's
driving, yeah, and someone like,and it's all ages that are going
there.
I don't want to drink, but Idon't want to get picked on.
I don't want, I don't want thatpeer pressure.
I want to have something in myhand that no one's going to
someone grabs it and swigs.
They're not going to know eitherway.
(25:15):
So it's very interesting to havethose conversations.
Like I said, there are someparents that are coming in with
their kids to help them makethese choices and to even talk
to us about things and kudos onthose kids.
We've all been there.
We've all felt that.
For sure.
There were no other options forus.
There weren't.
You just, and you just did, andthat was.
(25:35):
And, I applaud the youngergeneration that it seems like
there are so many in their 20sthat are not wanting to consume,
which is great.
But yeah it's sometimes, nice tohave these conversations with
these young adults that arewanting to make these choices
because they want to be the onethey're looking after their
friends, or they want to be theone there that remains in
control or could drive home atthe end of the night safely we
(25:56):
see a bit of everything and asto really why I think it's just
the way that life is going now.
And I think
Lindsey (26:03):
people are more aware, like people are more aware and
things are being studied andthere's no more a glass of wine
a day keeps the doctor away andit's got resveratrol and it's so
good for you and it's good forheart health.
The studies now are so clear.
It is no amount is safe.
No amount is safe.
It has been classified as acarcinogen itself, and I think
(26:24):
that's a big thing is that whereis this going?
They've talked about doingsimilar labeling on alcohol
bottles as they did on cigarettepackaging.
That's a big thing.
Yeah, it is a big thing.
They've talked about it.
Is it going to happen?
I don't know.
I don't know why I don't get whythey don't, and I hope so too.
Money.
It is money, yeah.
Jessie (26:44):
Money, yeah, for sure.
And I remember when, I can'tremember how old I was.
Gosh, I must have been like 17,16, 17.
I was working at Shoppers DrugMart when all that happened.
And I remember those first packsof...
Whatever coming in and having tostock and it's Oh, no,
Kelly (27:01):
well, Trace and I were smoking at that time.
Tracey (27:03):
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I remember looking at the firstcouple of packs of those Oh,
Kelly (27:09):
Yeah, but it did.
It made you think and I neitherof us smoke anymore.
So yeah,
Jessie (27:14):
for you guys.
Yeah.
So it'll be very interesting tosee if those Or even if the
language changes, like of coursethere's always been language
around pregnancy and all of thaton alcohol bottles.
Yeah.
But it'd be very interesting tosee if the government's changing
what other regulations whatneeds to be written on there as
a warning label.
(27:35):
Just to, make it very clear.
Tracey (27:37):
We've often said that we think it's going the same
direction as cigarettes.
That's how we feel or see itswinging.
But what is the real reason orwhat interests you guys
personally, Jessie, withstarting this business?
How did you come up with theidea and what was the main
(27:58):
driver for you guys?
Jessie (27:59):
The main driver, it really was Shane.
So when Shane removed alcoholfrom his life, we went searching
for great tasting options.
Shane's always been comfortablewith Mimics, and still very much
enjoyed, making a cocktail,sitting down and enjoying it,
and all of that.
Crazy, but two, like almost twoand a half years ago now, there
(28:20):
were no options available.
There were some like in thegrocery store, there were some,
but when you talk about spiritsand you talk about, a nicer
glass of wine or even craftbeer, it didn't exist or it
wasn't available to us locallyhere in Winnipeg.
And so we started looking toimport ourselves.
And so we were bringing inbottles from the States and
(28:41):
trying different things.
In the end, Shane looked at me.
So he had actually gone down toArizona.
With our son for a trip andwhile he was gone, I was here
with our daughter.
And it's almost like we had thesame dream on the same night or
something like that.
It's just one of those weirdthings, but he came back and
it'd be interesting.
I haven't heard him tell thestory in a long time.
And so it'd be interesting tohear him tell the story a
different time.
But it's he came back and he wasjust chicken for weeks on
(29:03):
wanting to talk to me about it.
And finally he came out and he'sJess, I want to do this.
I think this is what I want todo as a business.
And he had the passion and I'mlike, yeah, I know.
And I'm like, this is the nameof your business.
And he loved it.
I just told him like, it's goingto be the Sobr market.
I said, I knew this was coming.
I've been thinking about it.
Shane's has a brilliant mind andhe gets bored like quickly.
(29:26):
And so this was something thatyou could see it in his eyes at
least for myself, he waspassionate about it.
He found a way to serve.
People in a way that he couldspeak truth behind it.
And I think that's.
In my mind, it was a beautifulthing and so he just thought
there's got to be other peopleout there like myself that are
looking for these options andwant them to be more accessible
(29:49):
and paying, 100 for, two bottlesit's hard.
And granted, non alcoholicproducts are still very
expensive and it's,
Lindsey (29:58):
why is that?
Because I think a lot of peoplelike when you go out to
restaurants and stuff, I hearthis a lot in a group you're
getting a non alcoholic beverageor like sometimes I'm like, I'll
take a Caesar, a virgin Caesar.
And it's the same price as analcoholic beverage.
So why is that?
Jessie (30:15):
Caesars are, I can't speak specifically to the Caesar
because it depends on whether ornot they're using a non
alcoholic spirit along with it.
If they are, then I can justifyit.
In the end, non alcoholicproducts are way more expensive
to make because when you thinkabout the true zero proof
spirits, the botanicals and theextracts and everything that has
to go into this, and then thequality control and making sure
(30:37):
that it doesn't ferment and allof that, it's very, it's much
more expensive whereas when youthink about a bottle of de
alcoholized wine, it was fine,it's, there we go.
It's gotten to the point wherenormally they would bottle it,
cork it, ship it out to you.
It now has to go throughadditional processing in order
to remove it.
And the centrifuging equipmentis very expensive.
(30:58):
Because many of the companiesnow what they do is they spin
it.
It goes through a centrifugingprocess in which the case they
break out the essence and thenthey break out the alcohol and
then they have to put everythingback together.
And two, it's just a lot of theproducts as well as with some of
the companies, especially onesthat have a big story behind
them.
They want these to be reallyhigh quality products.
And so what's going into themare expensive and.
(31:18):
What I find interesting issomeone orders something off a
menu at a restaurant and theyfeel like it should be worth
more money than something that'snot.
And yet, anyone can createalcohol.
We just talked about the jug oforange juice that's in your
fridge.
And so in society, we've putjust such a high value on
something that contains alcohol.
Bingo.
And in the end, it's thesecompanies that are coming out
(31:42):
with these.
fantastic products that arestill allowing people to have
the experience like they'reenjoying a cocktail but without
the alcohol and in the end thoseare the ones that are again more
challenging to make moreexpensive to make and until we
see more of a mainstream I feelit becomes way more mainstream
(32:02):
it's also just A lot of theseare made in small batches.
They're from smaller companiesand that just ends up costing
more.
Yeah.
That makes so much sense.
Thanks for explaining that.
Yeah.
Lindsey (32:13):
People justify blowing hundreds of dollars on booze for
a party or, going out and buyingshots and expensive bottles of
wine at restaurants, but thenwhen it comes to the non
alcoholic.
Beverages or, what's the wordI'm looking for?
Not beverage, but a mimic,people are like, what?
(32:33):
It doesn't contain alcohol andit's still this much?
It's the botanicals, it's thequality ingredients, it's the
process of it.
We're so like, I feel like we,the society is we're missing out
or something if it doesn'tcontain alcohol.
Yeah, and it's very true.
And to a lot of the companiesare also being very mindful of
because often we see thatcorrelation with when people
(32:54):
remove alcohol, they want to bevery mindful of their sugars.
There's been also so many morestudies done on chemical dyes
and chemical colorantsartificial anything.
And so A lot of these companiesare trying to create these
superior products that match thealcohol free lifestyle that so
many people are going for.
Because oftentimes if someone isremoving it, say for a health
(33:15):
reason, then they do also needto stay away from, red dye 40
and, tartrazine and all of theseother, questionable ingredients.
So you can't just all of asudden throw in kind of those
cheap ingredients afterwards.
And you do see a lot of themusing, trying to use like non
refined sugars and they try andkeep them vegan.
(33:35):
They try and keep them glutenfree.
And so that all comes at a, allcomes at a cost for sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracey (33:42):
In a way you're paying for the experience too.
You are so if you want to havethat experience.
And have it without the alcoholabsolutely, and it's something
that Shane and I often talkabout.
As individuals living an alcoholfree life, we're happy to go to
a restaurant and see a cocktailmenu versus, and we'll call it
cocktail versus non alcoholiccocktail.
(34:04):
If they're using spirits andthey're putting that effort in
and everything else, we're like,yeah, okay, fine.
14 bucks for a cocktail, 16bucks for cocktail.
Yeah.
We'll take it.
And what we do also find is.
The longer it has been sinceyou've consumed alcohol and I
jokingly say like a bottle ofwine now for me last days
because I'll pour myself a glassof wine and I can seriously sip
on a glass of wine.
(34:26):
and so that bottle of wine willlast me, but, and then you're
not actually craving to go backfor more.
And so very much to going out toa restaurant.
I am very happy with a greatcocktail in front of me and I
can sit and enjoy thatthroughout my entire time.
There might order a second one,but it's not often that you are
looking.
You finish it, or you drink itquickly, and then you're looking
toward another one, and thenyou're looking toward another
(34:47):
one, and there isn't that sameurge to over consume as when you
are drinking.
Yeah, because you're not gettinga buzz.
Yeah.
You're not chasing the buzz.
Jessie (34:57):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tracey (34:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's so true.
Because if I think about thetimes where I've had, alcohol
free beverages, which I did alot in the beginning, I don't so
much anymore.
But I still love if I'm out fordinner with friends or whatever,
if there's a nice mocktail menu,then I definitely have it.
And it does give you the senseof kind of participating or,
(35:19):
that experience.
Kelly (35:21):
I'm finding that going out for dinner that the
bartenders love we'll just askfor them to make up a cocktail
for us without alcohol.
And they love it because theyget to use their creativity and
we just say oh, we don't likeanything too sweet.
And we like, gingery or whateveryou want to make.
And then they come up withsomething and we've had some
really fun drinks.
Yeah.
Tracey (35:40):
You're right.
If I have a non alcoholbeverage, I'm having one, even
if I had like non alcohol beer,which I had often at the
beginning as well, I'm onlyhaving one or two maybe on a hot
summer day.
Lindsey (35:53):
Even Pepsi or Coke.
I'll have one of those once in awhile, but in my drinking days
at the bars, I would drink sevenRyan Cokes or something.
I would never have seven glassesof pop.
What?
So it's now you've got thissugary beverage with alcohol.
It's disgusting to think whatyou're putting in your body,
(36:14):
because I would never sit thereand binge drink pop.
Jessie (36:19):
It's not something that any of us can do.
And it's funny too, that Shaneand I both removed pop from our
life a long time ago.
But we used to drink diet and ofcourse knowing aspartame and all
of those goodies now definitelyhappy that we've removed that.
But Like I just can't even andeven like Tracey said about the
beer and it's almost like my gutphysically cannot consume that
(36:42):
much liquid anymore when youthink about it.
And when I think aboutespecially, whether it be Ryan
Cokes or rum and cokes orwhatever, like you say sugar
number one on with alcohol,which is also sugar.
I don't I really don't know howour bodies.
Did it.
No, really.
Kelly (36:57):
I know.
Yeah, you guys were at VegFest.
Yeah.
And I bought, was it calledPoppy?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Is there health benefits tothat?
It is.
Jessie (37:07):
It is.
Okay.
Yeah.
Poppy is a fantastic.
So many Canadians are so Poppy'sreally big in the States.
So it was all, Ollie Pop's kindof the equivalent and competitor
to it.
So there's apple cider vinegarin it.
And it's five grams or sugar orless for the entire can, like no
artificial colors, flavors,sweeteners.
(37:29):
They are yummy.
And so yes, we had removed popuntil I found Poppy.
And now, they do have a colaflavor.
They have a root beer.
And so sometimes it's nice tosneak in something that is very
reminiscent of what I used toenjoy.
Kelly (37:40):
It was super sweet.
It was grape flavored.
It was really, you had the greatone.
It was like childhood memories.
It was Oh,
Jessie (37:47):
it was really fun.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And those ones I love talking.
So we actually have a fewclients that do come in, like
one recently shared to me, shehas, a third of a can or half a
can before bed at night becauseshe has IBS.
And she just said like itsettles her stomach down and she
has a really good night withouthaving any, stomach issues.
And interestingly, it's enough,like when our kids are sick, we
(38:07):
will pull out the poppy.
If they're having digestiveissues or anything like that,
because we know it's got theupside of vinegar and poppy was
created by a mom, she wanted analternative for her kids.
And so it's funny that, yeah, ittastes good and it's low in
sugar.
And again,
Lindsey (38:22):
I have to come and pick that up.
I've got, especially
Kelly (38:24):
if you love the, you said that you love the on Pepsi or
whatever.
Lindsey (38:29):
I love the odd pepsi.
Yeah.
I love it.
Yeah, come grab your cola andthere's a Doc Pop there, like a
Dr.
Pepper.
It's like one of those thingswhere it's hard to believe that
it's good for you.
Like I was drinking it and Ikept looking at the can and I'm
like, really?
Really?
Jessie (38:45):
Yeah, I know and when you really look and yeah,
there's Stevia in it.
That's some people's turn off isyou're either pro Stevia or not
so much on board with Stevia.
So that's like the one thingthat some people hesitate with.
But.
it's really good.
We always just, same thing.
We just especially if we'regoing out somewhere with the
kids, we always just carry onearound because I would rather.
(39:05):
It's funny because even thatmight like, especially the
sugars and things like it'salready mindful.
We think about those things forour kids already and to pour
them a little bit of that whilepotentially other kids are
cracking.
Lindsey (39:15):
Ginger ale.
That's what my mom gave me whenI had an upset stomach.
Tracey (39:18):
It sounds like a replacement or a healthy
replacement for ginger ale.
Cause yeah, that's what we usedto get when we had an upset
stomach.
That's funny.
But yeah, they are.
They are awesome.
Lindsey (39:32):
Yeah.
I think it's.
I shouldn't be so judgy.
Our last episode was talkingabout judgments, but it's like I
find that the people who smokecigarettes and drink are like,
Oh, I'm not going to eat stevia.
I'm like, Are you serious?
Look at what you're putting inyour body and you're gonna say
you can't have a drink that hasstevia in it.
Jessie (39:52):
Yeah.
It's very true where, we instore, we meet people where
they're at and doesn't matterwhat people are looking for or
what people say, it's not foryou.
Cool.
There's a reason why we carry somany different options.
Lindsey (40:04):
Even if sparkling water's in your store,
Jessie (40:07):
we do.
Oh, no.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We carry everything from brightwater, which is local, to we
bring in Ouroboros out of theStates, which are like wild and
wacky flavors, but yeah, we haveeverything from sparkling
waters, which are like zerosacross the board.
To like I say a limoncellostraight from Italy that is,
does sit at 1 percent and, it'sfantastic.
(40:27):
But we know it's not foreveryone and that's okay.
Kelly (40:30):
Yeah.
We just did our last episode onjudgment around living alcohol
free.
And I love that you said thatit's, like you respect
everybody's story and the reasonwhy everybody's choosing to come
in and explore.
That's cool.
Tracey (40:44):
I love too that you're hearing everybody's story, like
your customers, but you alsoknow the story behind the
products you're serving.
So I think that's really neatand it must be really
interesting for you guys fromboth sides to learn those
things.
Jessie (40:59):
Some of them are amazingly happy stories.
Some of them are harder to hear.
Some of them hit closer to home,we definitely have noticed that
especially here in Winnipeg andlike Toronto still too new to
say yet, but we have ourregulars that come in and it's
funny because, you get to knowthem and whether you see them
every week or every other week.
(41:20):
And you get to do that check inand be like, Hey how was this
week?
And you just get to see them andsee where they're at.
And I think a few of ourregulars come to mind and I can
only smile because we've hadthem walk in like just.
swearing up a storm and just ifI wasn't stopping here, I'd be
stopping somewhere I didn't wantto be stopping and kind of
thing.
And that just gave me chills.
(41:43):
And it's just, it's nice.
And we get to start creating,this safe place where people get
to walk into And it's nice tosee other places like we, people
often say Oh, like I wish theliquor marts had more options or
I wish the LCBOs had moreoptions.
And I said, yeah, for a lot ofpeople, then it becomes a one
stop shop, right?
You're grabbing this and thisfor whether it's yourself or
(42:03):
someone else.
That could be a slippery slopethough too, right?
Yeah.
It can be.
Kelly (42:07):
I haven't been inside.
I won't go.
I haven't been inside since Iquit.
No, I won't.
Jessie (42:12):
Good for you guys.
And I think that's the biggestthing is someone walks through
our door, and they know that,unless they have certain
stipulations on what they are,preferences or whatever, for an
individual who is open toexploring, whether it be to
support moderating or sobrietyor however you want to look at
alcohol free life They can walkin and they have a team that is
(42:35):
there specifically for thatreason.
whO is knowledgeable on theproducts, all of the products
that they are actually lookingfor.
Whereas again, if you walk into.
An LCBO or a liquor mart, not topick on those ones, but that's
generally where people go, Idon't know how much the staff
are versed in the small littlealcohol free section that are
there but they can go grabanything off the shelf, they can
(42:58):
try anything One of the funthings, and it'll be available
in Toronto as well, but we havea tasting bar, and Lindsey got
to experience that.
Lindsey (43:05):
I love that.
I love that you, I know,everything you had us try was
like, buy that, add to cart weneed this.
It was amazing, literally, ifthey have a bottle that's
opened, you can try literallyalmost everything.
It's great.
Yeah.
The nice thing is the spiritsfor the most part are self
stable.
So you treat them the exact sameway as your alcohol bottles,
right?
(43:25):
Just don't store them on yourwindowsill and keep them in a
cool dark place kind of thing.
And a few of them need to berefrigerated, but for the most
part you treat them the sameway.
And so for us, having thosebottles available and for
someone to walk in and be like,I really don't know what I want
our, for someone to walk in andbe like, you know what?
I'm actually not sure if I'mcomfortable with Mimics.
And us to be like, okay, startwith any amount, like just even
(43:47):
smell it, and if they make aface when they smell and I'll be
like, Hey, then how about let'smove to something that, you
would consume at a like time,but, doesn't have that flavor
profile sort of thing.
It's meeting people wherethey're at and trying to create
an educational environmentthat's comfortable knowing that.
You've walked into a place andyou can't make a slip and grab,
something, or you look and youdon't like your options.
(44:09):
So I'm gonna, I'm just going togo back to what I used to
consume.
Yeah.
I love that about you guys.
Where in Winnipeg, Jesse, canpeople find the silver market?
Where are you guys at?
We are on Academy at so Unit 2,484 Academy, so we're at the
corner of Boerbank and Academy.
It's an old River Heights housewhere we've taken over, we've
(44:30):
taken over the main floor.
If anyone is from Winnipeg andyou're familiar with where
Missing Pieces used to be, orwhere the original Pine Ridge
Hollow Furniture Store was,that's where we are.
So our entrance is a little bittucked back, but you will find
us there.
That's where we are in Winnipeg.
And if you are in Toronto, weare at 511 Richmond West, so
(44:53):
downtown, which is a lot of fun.
And you will find us insideBeatrice Society Cafe, so right
at the old water the Waterworksbuilding there.
So inside the cafe, we have Thecafe is there, they do serve
some of our stuff as well.
But we have some displays setup, there's a ready to go fridge
on the main floor there, andthen upstairs on the second
floor in the, there used to beseating up on the mezzanine, but
(45:14):
that is the entire, the fullbottle shop is upstairs now.
Kelly (45:17):
Very cool, and what about online?
What about people who aren't inVancouver, Toronto?
Yeah,
Jessie (45:23):
yes, so online.
it's the sober market s O B R.
No Ian sober dot com and youwill find lots of different
products online.
We try and keep it all up todate.
I will say there are benefits tobeing right now in Winnipeg
because we do bring in trialproducts, and they usually hit
the shelves in the store firstfor us to test them out before
(45:47):
they do end up hitting, say, theCanada wide U.
S wide or even worldwidemarkets.
So that is a perk to being inWinnipeg with us right now but
yeah, online, and we are workingon expanding parts of the
website.
Shane's been working hard on thenewsletter.
There's now going to be a blogsection.
We're going to be addingrecipes.
So we're more dedication isgoing to be going into starting
(46:08):
to facilitate.
And rewards I saw.
And there's a rewards program.
I was like, hey.
Yes, there is a rewards program.
So absolutely.
And that's in store or online.
And then we are finding ways topair that also with Toronto.
No matter where you purchase,you will definitely be able to
gain rewards.
And that's for percentages offdollars, off shipping options,
(46:30):
all that.
Kelly (46:30):
That's amazing.
And do you ship everywhere?
We do.
Okay.
We ship all across the, that'simportant for everybody to hear
that.
Worldwide.
Worldwide.
Whoa.
Yes.
Where we're allowed to.
We should.
Worldwide.
Yes.
Absolutely.
You also have an amazing socialmedia presence.
I love your Instagram account.
Lindsey (46:47):
Yep, I follow.
Thank you.
And you can definitely tell, ifyou go back in our social media,
you can tell when I gave upbeing my own manager.
I love it.
I love doing that withcompanies, like scrolling back
as far down as you can go to seethe difference.
Jessie (47:05):
To see the difference.
I love it.
Yes.
So it's funny because actually Iwas.
I have an amazing social mediamanager.
She is phenomenal.
You will see her on becauseactually today, just with some
things that it happened she'sactually the one behind the bar.
And Fernanda, I love you if youend up watching this.
Her fiancé was the one behindthe camera, which normally it's
(47:26):
flipped.
I'm usually the one behind thebar.
Yes.
She's the one behind the camera.
Yeah, it's social media.
Gosh, I gotta tell you gettingout of your comfort zone on that
is, yeah, that.
You're doing great.
Thank you very much.
Tracey (47:40):
I was just going to say, I love how you're creating that
experience and that educationfor people, because I think that
in itself is probably reallygood marketing and makes people
more open to trying something.
Jessie (47:52):
Yeah, and for us, it's really just again, trying to
create a little bit more of anormalcy around all of this.
We've seen a huge shift even inthe last six months, but just
opening up around conversationsand, we're now doing these
segments where.
We're doing voiceovers ofcustomer stories and we're
keeping it completely anonymous,but just, people to recognize
that, it's hearing those storieswhere everyone has their little
(48:15):
unique pieces to it, but in someway, hopefully through the
segment, someone will relate toalmost everything that we end up
doing.
And and the educational piece,it's really just.
Opening people's eyes to thingsthat we didn't even know about.
And I think that's the biggestthing as we became.
Alcohol free through, thelifestyle decision.
(48:35):
But ultimately in the end wewere passionate consumers first
and it was something that servedus and something that supported
us.
And to now to be able to belike, yeah, Hey, I didn't know
that either.
And I'm the first person toadmit this has been a learn as
you go and.
We just want to be able to sharethat and that a lot of people
say, gosh, I didn't know that.
And it's not a lot of people dowhen we talk about even the
(48:58):
things you consume that containalcohol, not a lot of people
know it.
It's just more people shouldjust become aware of it.
And that's why we try and do.
A little bit more of those sortsof things on our social media.
Tracey (49:08):
Yeah, you're doing a great job like Kel said.
Jessie (49:10):
Thank you.
Thank you.
Lindsey (49:12):
I love that.
And then for your Instagram,where can people find you on
Instagram?
What is your handle?
Jessie (49:18):
The SoberMarket, so T H E S O B R Market yeah, that's
it.
Perfect.
It's the same.
We actually lucked out.
Website, Instagram handle,Facebook handle, everything is
the same.
So we actually lucked out.
Nothing is different.
No added underscores or ones oranything, it's just the sobr
market and that's it.
Love it.
(49:38):
Do we have any more questionsfor Jessie before we do a wrap
up?
Or Jessie, do you have anythingthat you want to talk about that
we didn't ask you?
Or maybe to close, what issomething that you can tell the
people listening about livingalcohol free, something that
maybe you were scared aboutbefore going alcohol free that
(49:59):
now you've got a differentperspective or a truth about
living alcohol free.
I think the biggest thing issomeone needs to go first.
I find depending on your life,someone needs to go first.
Shane's and my life, our sociallives, even some of our family
life revolved around drinking,and It's interesting the
(50:19):
conversations we've had withindividuals in our close circle
since making the decisions thatI don't think anyone was shocked
especially after we'd startedthe business, right?
When people heard that I hadmade the decision to go alcohol
free, I don't think anyone wasreally shocked, but I also find
that number one, I'm way moreconfident.
I had the business to back me onthat.
So I do have to say that was alittle bit of a crutch for me to
(50:41):
be saying I'm alcohol free orI'm sober and I'm proud of it.
That's totally fine.
And I'm totally comfortablesaying no, I'm not just going to
have just one but I feel likesomeone needs to go first I was
having a conversation withcustomers around this, about how
awkward it can make people feel.
But at the same time, if it'sespecially a group or people
that are in your inner circle,or people you see frequently,
how it peaks curiosity, and thenperhaps you get that, oh hey,
(51:06):
I'll try that, or I'll have whatyou're having, or can we talk
about this, and I just find thatIf you are one of those
individuals who's been able tocome out and share it's amazing
how many people.
Either maybe not follow, maybethey don't completely go alcohol
free, but they look to moderateor they like to talk to you
(51:28):
about it or they have questionsor they want to give it a try
with you for a month and theyask for support kind of all
those things.
So I think that was just areally cool thing is just to see
what came from those who maybe,didn't know how to do it,
because again, if you live init.
All the time.
That is your social life andeverything else.
How do you be that person tostep out and say, no, I'm going
(51:50):
to be the one person that saysno.
Shane did it a year before Idid.
And I'm so proud of him becausehe led the way for me 100%.
That would be a very interestingquestion for him too, because
it's like being that firstperson, what around you and what
follow after, is quite profound.
Kelly (52:06):
It's really cool.
Lindsey (52:07):
That was really good, Jessie.
Wow.
Kelly (52:09):
I really hope you guys have a very busy holiday season.
I think one of the It's alreadystarted.
Good, these days, I think one ofthe worst things that people can
show up at the door with is agift of booze.
Alcohol, because you never knowwhat somebody's relationship is
like with alcohol.
If they're trying to quit, ifthey're struggling with an
(52:30):
addiction.
But I'm guessing you guys havesome pretty amazing replacement
gifts for...
Alcohol,
Jessie (52:37):
we do gifts, advent calendars.
Tracey (52:40):
Yes, I love
Jessie (52:41):
them.
We don't have any left though.
I will warn you.
Okay.
But yes, and then that issomething that probably come
that first week of December.
It's something that I'm verypassionate about talking about
and it really is about.
Please keep in mind that, Kelly,it's exactly what you just said.
You don't know who's walkingthrough your door.
And you don't know who's walkingthrough your door today, and you
(53:03):
don't know who's walking throughyour door tomorrow.
And it could be your bestfriend, it could be a sibling,
it could be a parent, you don'tknow.
You don't know.
Who's decided to make a change,who's struggling, no one's
business, who just becamepregnant, who's trying to get
pregnant, who just got adiagnosis that they're not ready
to talk about yet who just had areally hard day and is trying to
(53:23):
avoid.
That drink to hide or to, toblackout or whatever.
So we will be talking abouthosting tips and all of that.
Kelly (53:31):
Hosting too, yeah.
Have some cool options forpeople.
Lindsey (53:34):
I love that.
When you're hosting, be mindfulof that.
Being very mindful becausesomeone walks through your door.
What's the first question youeither get asked walking through
someone else's door.
What's the first question youask someone?
What can I get you to drink?
And the automatic assumption.
Used to be, and we're trying tochange this, is alcohol.
What is it?
And it's creating a zeropressure, equal offering.
(53:57):
Sure, lay out your bar, yourbuffet, whatever.
Clearly label what's alcoholfree, what has alcohol.
Leave it to them to decide.
Just be like, drinks are overthere.
Because even asking thatquestion becomes a challenge and
if you just say drinks overthere, it's a help yourself.
Then that person gets to go andmake that choice for themselves
standing there.
And it's not a face to face,needing to catch them in a
(54:19):
moment.
When they might not be ready toanswer that question, right?
And that's okay.
Yeah, and so it's really justyou do not know who's walking
through your door today And itcould change to tomorrow and
just be very mindful andespecially around the holidays
it tends to be a very sensitivetime of the year.
So we just ask, please bemindful.
Kelly (54:40):
You're amazing, Jessie I love you, Jessie.
Please check out Sobr Market ifyou're in Winnipeg or Toronto.
Pick up some non alcoholicbeverages.
Please, for the love of God,have those available at holiday
gatherings.
Because I remember my firstChristmas.
I quit in December and I wasbrought a nice big bottle of red
(55:03):
wine as my normal gift and I hadto say that I wasn't drinking
and that was hard.
Jessie (55:10):
But good for you for doing it.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Congrats.
That's huge.
That's hard.
Yeah, it is.
All right.
Thank you, Jesse, so much forcoming on.
I am just so excited abouthaving you here.
This is such an important topicand I love that your products
can be shipped worldwide or youcan go check them out in person
(55:32):
in Winnipeg at 484 Academy Roador in Toronto and on their
website.
That's it for our episode today.
You can head over, make sure youfollow Sobr Market on social
media.
We'll link everything in theshow notes and don't forget to
follow our show as well so thatyou don't miss any new episodes.
(55:54):
So we'll be back next Tuesdaywith a brand new episode and
until then, you guys know whatto do.
Keep laughing.
Kelly (56:03):
Thank you for listening.
Please give us a five starrating like and subscribe, share
on social media and tell yourfriends.
We love getting your feedbackand ideas of what you'd like to
hear on upcoming episodes of theLAF life podcast.
If you yourself are livingalcohol free and want to share
your story here, please reachout.
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