One family recipe has grown into one of the fastest-rising brands in ready-to-drink cocktails. Inspired by her mother's gin, lemonade, and mint summer cooler, Meredith Mills-Merritt founded The Original Southside with a vision to bring premium ingredients, elevated branding, and transparency to a category that had long prioritized convenience over craftsmanship. Leveraging her background in prestige beauty, she obsessed over every detail—from developing a proprietary gin to creating a cocktail that's certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, and 10% ABV. That attention to detail has fueled remarkable growth.

Since launching in 2024, Southside has expanded into more than 20 markets, landed on shelves at Whole Foods and Total Wine, increased shipments by more than 370%, and continues its national expansion through Meijer, Rouses, and more than 90 additional Whole Foods locations. Beyond the product itself, Meredith is reshaping conversations around alcohol transparency as co-founder of the Clean Alcohol Collective, advocating for clearer ingredient standards across the industry.

Make sure to check them out at: https://www.drinksouthsides.com

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Thank you to this episodes mid-break sponsor, YETI. Summer is all about getting outside—whether that's hosting friends, firing up the grill, spending the day on the water, or packing up for a weekend away. That's why we've been using YETI. No matter where you're gathering, there's a YETI Hard Cooler built for the moment. We have the YETI Tundra 105, and it's been perfect for keeping food and drinks ice-cold through long days outside. Like every YETI Hard Cooler, it's built to handle just about anything, easy to haul wherever the crew is meeting, and designed with the legendary ice retention YETI is known for. If you're looking for a cooler that's built to last for years of adventures and backyard gatherings, check out the full YETI Hard Cooler collection at https://www.yeti.com/

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