Cult of Trees Lands 7 Philadelphia Stockists in 6 Months With Handmade NA Aperitifs
Updated
Updated · The Philadelphia Inquirer · Jun 23
Cult of Trees Lands 7 Philadelphia Stockists in 6 Months With Handmade NA Aperitifs
1 articles · Updated · The Philadelphia Inquirer · Jun 23
Summary
Seven Philadelphia bars and retailers now carry Cult of Trees, a Kensington-made nonalcoholic aperitif brand that launched in January and is already selling well at accounts including Riverwards Produce and Enswell.
Each batch takes at least three days and yields only 18 to 20 cases, with founder Meredith Sheehy and brewer Gordon Grubb handling distillation, carbonation and bottling by hand at Maken Studios.
Sheehy built the zero-proof line around Pennsylvania-sourced ingredients and flavors that go beyond standard alcohol substitutes, aiming to tap demand from sober-curious consumers seeking local sourcing and transparency.
The business also emerged after a setback: Sheehy's early collaborator, Philadelphia distiller Jack Falkenbach, died last year as the pair were developing test batches, forcing her to push ahead with a lean operation.