You are launching a whole new drinks event - tell us all about it?
We are launching Parched - The Driest Event Of The Year on October 8 in London. It's the UK's benchmark low and no tasting - giving both the trade and UK consumers the opportunity to taste a wide range of great no & low products in all categories and styles, to get a proper lay of the land, gain a fuller understanding of the potential of this fast moving category and be able to make objective, confident choices in their no and low selection.
We have well over 100 products on show, with dozens of producers and wholesale partners in attendance behind stands - ready to meet, chat and taste together. We also have masterclasses from industry experts, an interactive draught beer wall and a cocktail bar serving bar-spec non-alcoholic cocktail serves.
Why did you want to do an event that just focuses in on no and low alcohol products?
Tom Surgey is excited to bring what he says is the first major dedicated trade show and tasting for no and low drinks products
I have worked in the drinks trade and hospitality all my life. I love alcohol and it's a huge part of my personal and professional life, but like many of us, I also have times where I consciously choose not to drink alcohol.
Over the last five years, I've grown to really enjoy these times and the no & low space has become a key focus of mine - exploring the breadth and range of what's out there. It has felt like an exciting challenge to overcome - can I get as excited about the flavour and texture and experience of drinking non-alcoholic drinks, as I have been wine?
The answer is yes - if they're good enough - and it's opened my eyes to a whole new landscape and way of thinking about great drinks experiences.
I am obsessed with the opportunity non-alcoholic drinks present for every area of the trade, and consumers, to deliver exceptional hospitality and drinks experiences, just without the booze. The availability of good quality no and low drinks is better than it has ever been, but as a no and low consumer, I feel there is still a long way to go in making them visible, easy to order and as exciting as the alcoholic options available in every setting.
We're at a jumping off point; to get this category to it's full potential and to give consumers the full opportunity to engage with it, we need more high-quality no and low products on shelf, on draught, by the glass and in cocktails for consumers to buy. The trade needs to treat them with the same reverence and respect they do alcohol - and to do that, they need to taste loads side-by-side and build a decent frame of reference.
Another snag for me, is that a huge amount of the no and low space's communication and narrative advocated absolute teetotalism and would often alienate me as a consumer by suggesting if I enjoyed a glass of wine occasionally, I was a scourge. Which of course, is nonsense.
I have huge respect and think it's really cool if people make a commitment, or choose not to drink alcohol at all as part of a lifestyle but I also feel strongly that the overly wellness-focussed, slightly pious, 'holier than thou' side of the no and low movement is missing the bigger picture.
Drinks of any kind (other than tap water) are about enjoyment, fun, socialising, community, inclusiveness - that's literally why we drink, to come together and elevate experiences.
Secondly, commercially, the UK market for consumers who will never drink alcohol, whether now or in the future, is still too tiny to solely focus a business on, so I felt No & Low needed to speak to everyone - those who don't drink alcohol, those looking for something grown up on their few nights off alcohol a week, or between alcoholic drinks on a night out.
So that's what Parched is - an event for everyone, that celebrates great non-alcoholic drinks for their flavour, quality, drinking experience, the evocative feelings they give, the great opportunity they present hospitality. It has no dogma or mission, other than to give consumers more choice, get great non-alcoholic drinks more widely available and being enjoyed by more people. I want it to educate and inspire the trade and ignite excitement.
It is still such a growing and changing category in terms of the offer but also the quality - what are you looking to do in terms of deciding which products to show?
The need to have great products but also show a diverse spread of styles and represent the whole category has been a major consideration for me in bringing Parched together. I wanted to carefully consider and curate the drinks on show - but also not make it simply 'these are Tom's favourite products'.
As with all categories of alcohol, there are some pretty poor no and low products out there, it's no different here - so I've been careful to select producers and products that I have personally tasted, feel are relevant to their audience and offer great quality.
Everything in the room is good. But, there is a big mix - some highly artisanal, small-production products fit for certain segments of the trade, other more mass-market products. I want guests to be able to taste the gamut and make their own assessments about what fits for their audience.
Any particular themes or how you are going to lay the products out for people to come and visit and taste?
We have amazing non-alcoholic beers, wines, spirits, aperitifs, liqueurs, CBD based drink, functional drinks, softs, teas and kombuchas, herbal infusions, everything you can think of and probably lots you can't! Layout-wise, the room will flow from one 'style' to the next so guests will be able to taste similar products in each area. Some are direct replacements for alcoholic products (wines, spirits, beer etc), many are their own delicious thing.
Tell us about the name - what was the inspiration for that?
I wanted Parched to be fun and inclusive - relevant to both trade and consumers. The name Parched, and strap-line 'The Driest Event of the Year' is intentionally tongue-in-cheek and playing with the idea of it being very 'dry' or dull being the non-drinker at the party. The whole point is to show that this is not the case - if you have the right non-alc options to hand!
For trade buyers will you have be having masterclasses or talks or other activities to sign up to ?
Yes, we have two great masterclasses.
13:30pm - 14:10pm: Why No & Low? Why Now? with Tom Surgey. Chance to taste six examples of pioneering non-alcoholic drinks during the session.
Former Seedlip COO Emma Wykes will be sharing her insights on what makes a great low and no drinks product
15:30pm - 16:00pm: Innovation In Non-Alcoholic Drinks with Steve Wilson (DioniLife Founder, ex Diageo innovation director) and Emma Wykes (ex Seedlip COO, now founding partner in Sylva) will look at what makes a great no and low drinks brand.
There is also a side room set up as a full spec cocktail bar with bartenders and bar snacks. Guests will be able to visit 'The Cocktail Bar' during the show, sit down and order a bar-quality non-alcoholic cocktail from the menu - the aspiration here is to inspire attendees, show just how incredible non-alcoholic cocktails can be and demonstrate how to elevate your current offering.
I'm also very passionate about non-alcoholic beer being made available on draught more widely - it's the most important thing for consumers and brands in this category. The gateway to making the experience of drinking non-alcoholic beer in the on-trade indistinguishable from alcoholic. So, we have a self-service draught beer wall showcasing great kegged examples.
Who are you aiming this event at - is it for mainstream trade or more premium on-trade and independent wine merchants/?
It is for everyone - from major multiple retailers and indie merchants, through high-end sommeliers and premium cocktail bars, to everyday casual restaurants and pubs. There are products on display relevant to all.
Are you still looking for exhibitors and brands to sign up - if so what is the criteria for doing so/ cost?
We have actually exceeded our target number of brands on-display for year one, but we have a couple of extra tables available still for producers, so please do email Clare Malec (see below) to enquire. Genuinely, the response from the trade so far has been incredible - both brands and the trade attendees invited. We have sent one email invite out and we're already half-full for attendees too, so we'll likely need a bigger venue in 2026.
You have done a lot of live events as part of the Three Wine Men - why have you decided to go it alone for this event?
I love Three Wine Men (now called Wine Alive as of this year - look out for Manchester and London tastings on sale now!). Clare and I work together on that alongside the gang, and it remains a key part of what I do. Parched is my solo project, as it's been something I've explored myself and feel especially excited about. Oz, Olly and Tim will be there, I believe - to taste and get stuck in.
How do you see the low and no category at the moment in terms of how it is growing and developing?
As above - I think it's really exciting. The quality of products has never been better - the general quality is rising well, and the few genuinely poor products are being overshadowed by excellence - as with all other drinks categories.
I think the next big thing is for the trade (on and off) to feel confident that if they broaden ranges and make these products more visible and readily available through draught, by-the-glass and cocktail listings - clear on menus and bars - then there is a growing audience that will rise to the occasion and purchase.
I think premium no and low products represent a great opportunity for venues in increasing spend in non-alcohol drinking consumers. The margin available on these products should be equal to alcoholic options and often the price on menu similar too. They just need to be visible and communicated about engagingly.
Another big message is to consumers - if we want better availability and quality of product, like anything, we need to put our hands in our pockets when we can to buy great drinks - they usually justifiably should be similar or equal in price to their alcoholic counterparts due to cost of production and scale of production. Like the revolution in better-quality non alcoholic beer we're living through - the more of these we buy as consumers, the greater the investment there will be in innovation and improvements to the category ongoing.
It's a huge part of the future landscape for every operator. Get in front of it. I already routinely choose which venue I am going to with friends on their non-alcoholic options, and I'm not alone.
Any areas of no and low that you think are leading the way that other categories can look up to and take leadership from?
Tom Surgey says he hopes Parched will become a regular tasting event in the industry
The quality and diversity in non-alcohol beer is extraordinary. The past two years has just seen some incredible innovation - we can now comfortably drink exceptional quality non-alcoholic beer in every format from can to keg. It's an 'easier' category to achieve balance in than wine, and many others - but it's a beacon for what can be achieved and other categories are following closely.
The development in non-alcohol wine is amazing too. Vaccuum distillation and investment in high-quality techniques is changing the landscape here - and fast. Sure - they take just a little bit of imagination still, if you're looking for a like-for-like experience to 'wine wine', but the gap's closing fast, like in beer two years ago. And, for the times you choose not to drink alcohol, there are now a good number of balanced, delicious, genuinely good non-alcoholic wines that give a huge amount of the same experience, sociability and taste as wine wine.
All areas of this category are moving fast - which is why it's so exciting - the innovation in spirits is very cool. I also really love products that are not aiming to emulate an alcoholic drinks category. The use of vinegars, teas and other innovative techniques or fermentation processes, is giving the non-drinker huge variety - and a lot of flavour and texture options for bartenders to play with.
Although the interest is there sales are still very low in the context of the whole industry - what do you see as being the key steps that need to be taken to get sales to match up to the interest/ and hype around no and low?
As before - it's about making them more accessible - draught beer, by-the-glass serves, in cocktails. Trade engagement is also key.
Parched is here to support both these. Getting everyone in the trade engaged and excited by the category will drive communication to consumers in venues and recommendations to try products.
Venues need to make no and low clearly available as part of the menu an display options and ensure their teams are confident, aware and knowledgeable about the category. The backbone of this is realising these are for every consumer - not a fringe few.
Anything else to say?
Please come along. I’m hugely excited about it and we already have plans for Parched 2026 - it will be drier than ever. Going forward Parched will be the UK's benchmark no and low tasting for trade and consumers ongoing - treat it like an annual benchmarking exercise to keep yourself fully up on this most exciting, fast-moving category of drinks.
* Parched takes place on October 8 at Crypt on the Green, London EC1R 0EA in Farringdon, London from 12pm to 5pm. Click here for more details and to register or email Clare Malec on clare@island-media.co.uk.
