In this episode, the co-founders of Osia, Isabella Hoag and Gabriel Walsh join ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski to share the journey of their functional, non-alcoholic beverage brand. They highlight its origins as beverages served at events hosted by Hoag’s local event company, to its recent retail wins from RangeMe, including being listed as one of the RangeMe Top Brands in Food & Beverage, and a Golden Ticket win from KeHE’s Trendfinders.

 Osia’s Origin Story: From Kitchen Mocktails to Manufacturing

The brand began unexpectedly when Isabella Hoag, coming from a design background, started crafting mocktails for friends while she wasn't drinking alcohol. The venture evolved through several stages:

• Organic Demand: The drinks gained a following at events, leading to a pop-up non-alcoholic bar company.
• Product Testing: Thousands of people provided feedback on the recipes during these events.
• The Transition: Encouraged by Gabriel Walsh – who brought technical experience from the aerospace and canning industry – the duo decided to scale by moving into manufacturing.
• Naming the Brand: The name Osia is a streamlined version of Ambrosia, a word both founders had independently envisioned for a beverage company years before they met.

 The Functional Beverage Lineup

 Osia focuses on "moods" rather than just flavors; using clean, plant-based ingredients without alcohol, caffeine or THC. Its four core products include:

•  Boost: A citrusy, energizing blend featuring rhodiola and ginseng for mental clarity without jitters.
• Ease: Their top-selling relaxing beverage made with tart cherry (which naturally produces melatonin), juniper berry, and lemon balm.
• Passion: A stimulating, aphrodisiac-inspired drink using damiana and prickly pear.
• Bliss: A light, tropical "in-between" mood featuring yuzu, pineapple, and rhodiola for balanced relaxation.

Branding and Retail Strategy

 The founders emphasize a "bootstrapped" approach, handling everything from formulation to photography in-house.

•  Intentional Design: The packaging uses a minimalist, off-white aesthetic with the logo at the bottom to "throw people off" and stand out on crowded retail shelves.
• Retail Wins: After starting with local deliveries from their own car, the brand landed Total Wine in January and was recently selected as a KeHE Golden Ticket brand through RangeMe.
• RangeMe Success: Gabriel highlights the importance of regularly updating their profile, noting that a simple update led a previously uninterested retailer to request samples.

 Advice for New Founders

Reflecting on their journey, Isabella and Gabriel offer two key pieces of advice for entrepreneurs:

1. Persistence: Simply "don't quit" when facing the "wall after wall" of the CPG industry.
2. Self-Care: Work hard, but don't be too hard on yourself, as "everything plays out the way it's supposed to".