Kim
5/19/2025 9:50:59 AM
4 mins read
CleanCo, the world’s leading independent alcohol-free spirits brand1 today announces England Cricket Captain, Ben Stokes OBE as its latest strategic investor, as part of a wider $5 million fundraise. Stokes joins CleanCo as both an investor and brand partner, as the challenger brand is set to realise cash-flow positivity this year.
Key Notes:
- Ben Stokes OBE invests in CleanCo, as part of a wider $5 million fundraise.
- CleanCo is the world’s leading independent alcohol-free spirits brand, with a portfolio of 0.0% ABV alternatives to Gin, Rhubarb Gin, Rum, Tequila, Whiskey & Vodka.
- The partnership goes beyond cash investment as Stokes’ and Matthews’ set to represent the brand in both the existing UK & US markets, as well as future growth markets worldwide.
- The alcohol-free category is worth $13bn globally. Non-alcoholic spirits are the fastest-growing segment within the sector, outpacing beer and wine with 86% YoY growth.
Stokes’ investment in CleanCo was born from his own personal journey re-balancing his relationship with alcohol. His decision to invest stems from a deep alignment to the brand’s ethos: that not drinking doesn’t, and shouldn’t, mean missing out. Both Stokes’ and CleanCo founder, entrepreneur and Guinness World Record holder, Spencer Matthews, share similar transformative experiences with moderation and sobriety - values that have been at the core of the CleanCo brand since its inception in 2019.
“I’m thrilled to come on board as an investor and brand partner in CleanCo” states Stokes. “Funnily enough, I had originally toyed with the idea of creating my own alcohol-free spirits brand before getting to know CleanCo. Discovering that they are the best in the game and their products are really that good, I knew that I wanted to be involved in a serious capacity. Getting to know Spencer, the team and the category potential, only fuelled my intent to be part of this pioneering brand. I was seriously impressed to learn of the market opportunity and CleanCo’s dominance in the space,” finished Stokes.
This authentic connection between the pair has evolved into a partnership grounded in shared purpose. “Moderation unlocks experience,” says Matthews. “I believe in enjoying life to the fullest but with clarity, intention and control. I’m delighted to have Ben join us and bring the CleanCo brand to millions more across the UK and beyond. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Ben more, realising how many joint ideals we share in terms of life, athleticism and business. Ben’s investment signifies the scale of the alcohol-free category, which is now worth over $13bn. What was once considered niche, five years ago when we started CleanCo, is now being championed by one of the biggest sports stars in the world,” he continued.
As part of the announcement Ben and Spencer came together to record an exclusive podcast for Spencer’s new podcast UNTAPPED, produced by the team at High Performance. Key soundbites from the podcast are below, and the full episode audio can be found here, and the written transcript here.
Ben Stokes on how he discovered CleanCo - “When I was trialing non-alcoholic drinks, I said to my wife Claire, maybe I should look at starting my own thing. Then I was Googling at the dinner table (shocking, I know…) non-alcoholic spirits. I came across the CleanCo website and the brand really resonated with me, the whole story behind CleanCo and Spencer’s journey. I was like, boom. Right. That's it. That's me. I want to speak to Spencer about this.”
Ben Stokes on alcohol culture in cricket - “When you look to the nineties and early two thousands, these lads have some unbelievable stories, you have a hard day in the dirt and, and then, you know, have a couple of beers with your mates in the dressing room and then you go again. I think it's definitely settled down a lot over the years, especially the social side of cricket, because there's more demand on the body than there was say, 15, 20, 25 years ago. The stigma around not drinking is different now…Nowadays it’s completely different and the younger generation, there isn’t that same mindset towards having a beer or going out. There is much more emphasis on proper preparation and better recovery. It’s different in society now too, towards everything.”
Spencer Matthews on his philosophy on non-alcoholic spirits - “I like to call it the gap between kind of desire and compromise. It's taken products to become really good for the compromise {between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks} to feel less.”
Spencer Matthews on changing consumer habits - “There has been a monster shift in alcohol consumption in the younger generation, statistically, it’s an awful lot less than, than older generations. I believe that it’s primarily driven by a desire to experience things. People would rather pay for an experience, something that they can remember and something that they can share, rather than a headache.”
Over the past six years, CleanCo has risen rapidly to become the largest independent brand in the alcohol-free spirits category, outselling all independent competitors in the UK grocery sector combined. In 2024 alone, the company’s spirit alternatives were served in 8.8 million ‘Clean Cocktails’, the equivalent of one every 2.8 seconds.
Notably, CleanCo is the only independent brand among the top six alcohol-free spirits players in the UK and US not owned by global drinks conglomerate Diageo. In the US, the company ranks third overall, with Diageo-owned Ritual and Seedlip taking the top two positions. In the UK, CleanCo is now almost three times the size of the category trailblazer, Seedlip.
Stokes’ investment comes at a defining time for the low and no category, which has seen the category double in size between 2023-2024, due to a considerable shift in consumer habits. Cutting back is no longer reserved for Dry January, as the data shows that consumers are looking to moderate, or go sober, as part of a permanent lifestyle change. Approximately 64% of all consumers across the top 10 markets globally are actively moderating their alcohol consumption year-round.
Looking ahead, global forecasts project the no-and-low category to grow by a healthy 7% annually, whilst full-strength spirits are expected to continue their decline. Alcoholic spirit sales were -3% across the top 20 markets in 2024 and the UK is leading the narrative. In the UK, while total alcohol sales declined by 2% between 2022 and 2023, no-and-low sales surged by 47% during the same period. Whilst in the US, the non-alcoholic spirits category has grown by 30.5% year-on-year.
Bolstering CleanCo’s success is its strong retail footprint with listings in the top 3 grocery retailers in the UK - Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose - covering approximately 80% of the entire UK grocery market; alongside key listings with major US retailers including Binny’s, Meijer and Spec’s. This week, Clean T (0.0% Tequila) will become the latest in the CleanCo range to launch nationwide with Waitrose, making it the only mass-available alcohol-free tequila on the UK market, with CleanCo set to cement the trending Clean Paloma as the unofficial serve of the Summer.
Complementing its retail presence, CleanCo is enjoying accelerated growth in the on-premise with a +224% growth in UK & Ireland trade accounts serving Clean Cocktails in 2025 already. This includes a nationwide launch into Greene King pubs, the Ennismore Hotel Group (including Hoxton Hotels), Inception Group venues such as Mr Fogg’s and Cahoots, and iconic TAO Hospitality Group sites such as Hakkasan and Yauatcha. Momentum continues in the US too with recent listings with the Ennismore and Virgin Hotel Groups alongside a nationwide listing with popular Brazilian restaurant chain Fogo de Chão.
A brand built on innovation, CleanCo continues to champion quality in the alcohol-free spirits category with 44 international awards to its name, including accolades from the prestigious Great Taste Awards and the International Wine & Spirits Competition. It also proudly maintains its standing as the most 5-star reviewed non-alcoholic spirits brand in the world. A mantle is has now held for over 3 years.
Ben Stokes’ investment and partnership signals a huge opportunity for CleanCo and the broader alcohol-free category, bringing further global credibility and mass awareness to the emerging market. As a world-class athlete and nationally-recognised role model, Stokes’ is set to elevate CleanCo’s positioning with consumers particularly in the sport and wellness space.
