A Beloved Low-Alcohol Aperitif Is Back After Going Out of Business

Instagram mourned the loss of its favorite low-alcohol aperitif, but the brand is returning to shelves.

Fans of beloved low-alcohol aperitif Haus, rejoice! Founder Helena Price Hambrecht announced the brand would be shutting down production last August, citing a lack of investor funding as the primary cause. As a darling of the rapidly evolving no- and low-alcohol space (with eye-catching, Instagram-friendly branding and sleek white bottles to boot) the news took many drinkers by surprise, especially given that the first batch sold out within a month of launching. Now, The Naked Market, which owns brands like Flock Foods, Avocrazy, and Rob’s Backstage Popcorn, announced it has acquired Haus and will be relaunching three hero flavors — Citrus Flower, Pomegranate Rosemary, and Grapefruit Jalapeño — in collaboration with Sonoma winemaker Micah Wirth.

“Not coming from a wine background ourselves, we felt it was super important to have a seasoned winemaker as an integral part of the brand and team,” says Harrison Fugman, CEO and co-founder of The Naked Market. “Micah is a fourth-generation winemaker from Healdsburg (which is fitting given Haus’ roots). He’s well trained in classic techniques and has created many acclaimed wines. Having him as a part of the team will help ensure we continue delivering an amazing product to our customers.”

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Fugman acknowledges that the no- and low-alcohol space is dramatically different now relative to when Haus first launched in 2019. “Terms like ‘Dry January’ and ‘sober curious’ were just beginning to enter the cultural lexicon, and now you have whole generations considering a low alcohol lifestyle. It’s further evidenced by no and low alcohol bars and bottle shops popping up all across the country. The movement has clearly solidified past a trend into a long-standing cultural shift, which is hugely exciting to see.”

As part of the acquisition, The Naked Market plans to give 5% of the company back to previous Haus employees, founders, and investors. “It’s incredibly difficult to build an iconic brand in the food and beverage space, but Haus did so and in short order,” says Fugman. In terms of what’s next for Haus, Fugman says the brand will continue to develop flavors of its low-alcohol aperitif, adding that “one additional thing that’s very exciting to us is how the brand’s core principles translate into new products and categories outside of alcohol.”

Haus will be sold directly online, and the brand has retail expansion planned in the near future.

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