Bevi, a new UK alcoholic drinks brand unveils their modular format innovation, SachetCan™ and announces two senior hires and a planned fundraise. Founded by Josh Hillier and Will Diaz, and built around the conviction that the mainstream alcohol industry has been slow to adapt to how a new generation drinks and socialises. Bevi is designed specifically around the pre-drinks occasion, with their products prioritising ritual, functional optionality and cultural relevance  for the consumption moments defined by Gen Z culture. Launching across 50+ independent stores focused in South West London, Bevi has already secured early-stage backing from a network of private investors, many of them Gen Z themselves, validating both its commercial appeal and cultural resonance.

At the heart of Bevi’s proposition is a structural innovation: the SachetCan™. A modular system pairing a compact, high-strength RTD can with attachable effervescent functional powder sachets, SachetCan is not a product iteration yet a new category format.

The launch range consists of Journey Juice, a 220ml 12% ABV low-sugar ready-to-drink can engineered for the pre-drinks occasion, paired with Joss Shots, caffeine powder sachets that dissolve into a drink to deliver a fast-acting, interactive energy boost. Together, they form a unified system that does something no RTD on the market currently does.

The advantages of the format are tangible and compounding. Consumers receive more than a single drink; they receive a system, elevating value. The interactive sachet element creates a repeatable usage ritual that drives brand loyalty and habit formation. By separating functional ingredients into a dry sachet, Bevi sidesteps the shelf-life and stability challenges that have historically constrained functional RTDs, while also delivering a materially better flavour profile. On shelf, the format is instantly visually distinct in a crowded fixture, and its modular structure creates potential flexibility in how components are classified and positioned commercially. Most significantly, SachetCan unifies two of the fastest-growing consumer formats, RTD cans and functional powder supplements into a single SKU.

Market sentiment around the format has moved quickly. Distribution conversations have opened at a pace that reflects commercial interest, and the format has received serious validation from senior figures across the beverage industry, including those with direct experience scaling challenger brands through to major exit.

Alongside the innovation of SachetCan™, to further scale the business, Bevi announces two significant senior appointments: Eric Sampers and Trystan Farnworth join as Non-Executive Strategic Advisors, bringing a combined 45+ years of senior beverage industry experience into the business at a formative stage of its development. Both join with long-term incentive alignment tied to the growth of the brand.

Eric Sampers brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in the global alcohol industry, including his role as Global Brand Director at Pernod Ricard, one of the world’s largest premium spirits groups. Beyond his corporate career, Eric has worked closely with challenger brands and early-stage startups, giving him a distinctive dual perspective on both how major businesses operate and where emerging brands can find and exploit competitive advantage. His appointment brings that experience directly to bear on Bevi’s brand strategy, positioning, and long-term growth trajectory.

Eric Sampers, Non-Executive Strategic Advisor said; “Bevi is building something that reflects how a new generation actually drinks not how the industry wishes they did. The format is smart, the occasion is underserved, and the founding team have the right instincts. I am really excited to be on board and be a part of growing the brand.”

Trystan Farnworth joins with a specific focus on commercial strategy and distribution, bringing more than 25 years of beverage industry experience including his role as Commercial Director at Britvic plc (now Carlsberg Britvic), one of the UK’s leading soft drinks businesses. His appointment addresses one of the most critical and most frequently underestimated challenges facing early-stage drinks brands: getting product into the right places, through the right relationships, at the right moment. Distribution in the UK drinks industry is relationship-driven, and commercial execution at the retail level is what separates brands that scale from brands that stall. Trystan has already been actively supporting Bevi’s founders through early retailer conversations, distribution partnerships, and route-to-market decisions; his formal appointment formalises that relationship.

Trystan Farnworth, Non Executive Strategic Advisor said; “Getting a new drinks brand to market properly is harder than most people appreciate. It requires knowing the system, knowing the people, and understanding what retailers actually need. I have been impressed by what Josh and Will are building, and I am looking forward to helping Bevi scale.” 

While the category has continued evolving, the major players have stagnated in brand innovation and cultural positioning leaving entire demographic groups underserved and disengaged. The incumbent giants are losing cultural authority, market confidence, and increasingly shareholder value.

Yet the most compelling FMCG growth stories of recent years have been in alcohol. Challenger brands with sharp consumer insight, differentiated formats, and cultural relevance are still winning. The brands that know their customers best, move fastest, and build genuine product-occasion fit will capture the value the incumbents are leaving behind.

Having raised a pre-seed round in 2025, Bevi is now preparing to raise its next round of investment. Funds will be directed towards scaling distribution, accelerating brand growth, and driving SachetCan™ innovation toward becoming the defining RTD format for the next generation. Bevi is seeking partners who share its ambition, to completely transform and create a new category within RTDs, and to build a brand that genuinely matters to the consumers it serves.