The story of ROOT Crafted begins with founders Trish Lauden and Diane Aemisegeo making cocktails in their kitchen during a night in. “We’re both moms and live three doors down. Trish has four kids, and I have two, so finding and coordinating sitters can be challenging,” said Aemisegeo. The two friends regularly hung out in their hometown of Bethlehem, PA and became their own bartenders, experimenting with different drink flavors and profiles.
“We realized that all the mixers on the market are high in sugar and preservatives to make them shelf-stable,” said Lauden. “We thought, wouldn’t it be great to make an organic and all-natural mixer that you only had to add a spirit to?”
So that’s exactly what they created: A line of artisanal cocktail mixers made with all-natural, organic ingredients. After much experimentation, so began ROOT Crafted.
It turns out the invention was the easy part.
As female faces in a predominantly male market, getting the brand off the ground wasn’t easy. “Some business owners wouldn’t even take our calls,” said Lauden. But thanks to persistence and a few open-minded bartenders, the duo began selling 32-ounce bottles to bars, country clubs and venues. “Once people tasted our product, they realized it was no joke,” she said.
From there, they were able to get into the retail market with 16-ounce bottles. Now their product is sold in various boutique stores, state stores, on Amazon and, of course, on their website.
ROOT makes churning out craft cocktails effortless – no muddling or juicing is required. Simply add your favorite spirit to any ROOT mixer, and voila! The perfect cocktail.
Currently, there are six mixers available: The Lemongrass, The Cuke, Hibi-Hibi, Au Pear, The Hound and The Granada. “You can add vodka and ginger beer to The Lemongrass to make a Lemongrass mule. Or, add Au Pear to Prosecco for a delicious Bellini,” explained Lauden. ROOT also makes great mocktails for kids or people looking for a healthier alternative.
Said Lauden, the two are currently working on new flavors: “Our goal is to continue to grow the brand while bringing family and friends together.”
AUTHOR
Nicolette Degrassi is a Boston based food and travel blogger. When she's not traveling the world, you can find her reading the latest Book of the Month novel or trying to perfect her sticky toffee pudding recipe. Follow her adventures on Instagram @nadegrassi.
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