Better Than Booze’s Grapefruit Paloma honored at San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Beverage wins double gold, Best In Class for hemp-infused RTD category.

Better Than Booze’s Rosemary Infused Grapefruit Paloma was awarded Best In Class for the hemp-infused ready-to-drink category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The award is presented by The Tasting Alliance Competition, providing recognition for stand-out beverages in the U.S. and international markets. Better Than Booze was also nominated for Best In Class in the ready-to-drink category. Additionally, the company’s Grapefruit Paloma received a double gold medal, which is awarded when all members of the judging panel rate a beverage gold.

“This prestigious award embodies the dynamic spirit and unwavering dedication of our team, the support of our Nashville community, and the belief from our investors and board on our shared vision for this brand,” said Better Than Booze co-founder Drea Groeschel. “This collective spirit is what fuels our company's success. Winning at SFWSC serves as a milestone, marking our continuous growth and propelling us towards even greater heights, but also celebrating the countless hours of hard work and overcoming challenges which got us to where we are now.”

In addition to its latest achievements, Better Than Booze has secured capital of over $2 million this year to continue brand growth and expansion. The investment will aid new flavor development, distribution and product advancement as the company expands to New York and Minnesota this summer and releases a new mocktail in the fall.

Better Than Booze also plans to release a new line of mocktails that feature the same award-winning flavors from their hemp line but fully sober, with plans to hit the shelves of major grocery stores such as Kroger, Harris Teeter and Publix by the end of the year.

"As Chairman and CEO of Lipman Brothers, our company has seen many innovations over its 90-year history. It is exciting to witness this award winning non alcoholic beverage’s success,” says Robert Lipman. “Better Than Booze has vast national potential. This beverage creation has not only revolutionized the way people enjoy their drinks but also represents a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing excellent products and staying ahead of the industry's evolving trends."

Alyse Thompson-Richards has held many positions with BNP Media, first serving as an intern at Candy Industry Magazine in summer 2012. She joined Candy Industry's staff full time as associate editor in August 2016 after a few years at newspapers in West-Central Illinois, becoming managing editor in March 2019. Alyse has also served on Cannabis Products Insider since March 2019. She has bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from Western Illinois University.