From injured rugby player to ‘better for you’ beverages pioneer, meet Tom Bell whose next career goal is to secure compulsory calorie labelling on alcohol
“During my teenage years and early 20s I was an aspiring rugby player, who loved every aspect of the game including heading straight to the pub after a game to celebrate with my team mates. Unfortunately (or perhaps not), I ended up getting injured. This meant I had to take a step back from the sport I loved and what I thought would be my future career. However, it was only then, that I recognised the culture I was embedded in and the heavy drinking that had become a big part of my life.
I became increasingly conscious about the impact that this drinking was having on my health – and that of my teammates. However, when I started looking for an alternative drink to enjoy on a night out, I was surprised to discover there were no suppliers in the UK that made alcoholic drinks that were lighter in calories, sugars and carbs, and crucially that didn’t have their flavour compromised as a result.
Noticing this gap in the market, I started to import lighter beers – the first one of which was Corona Ligera, that I sold from a set-up in my garage. This paved the way for my first business ‘Drinkwell’. Fast forward 12 years to today, and my DrinkWell is the leading retailer for ‘better for you’ drinks.
We are the go-to-choice for over 120,000 customers across the UK, providing category leading wellbeing drinks brands direct to their door. Paving the way for change within the drinks industry, our mission is to inspire consumers to make healthier choices without sacrificing enjoyment.
From our own customer insight and experience in this space, it’s clear that the appetite from consumers to drink alcohol, across wine and beer, but still reduce their calories, is increasingly becoming more important than simply just reducing alcohol.
Our research and marketplace data shows that 79 percent of consumers want to reduce their calorie intake without reducing the quality of the alcohol they consume. For example, a recent survey of our customers found that:
- 50 percent of people surveyed said they were interested in “better for you wines”
- 76 percent of respondents who drank wine twice a week were interested in consuming ‘better for you’ wine
- 62 percent of people interested in drinking better for you wine were interested in leading an active, balanced and healthy lifestyle
In addition, traditional wine sales are declining globally. The U.S. wine market volume fell for the third consecutive year in 2023, according to Impact Databank, but lower-calorie brands once again registered double-digit growth to collectively surpass three million cases for the first time. While total wine dollars declined 1.3 percent to $19.5 billion in Nielsen/NIQ off-premise channels in 2023, the “better for you” sector rose 11.4 percent to $788.5 million.
These insights have led to a significant milestone for the Drinkwell business with the launch of our first lower ABV and calorie wine range, TRACES. TRACES is the only naturally made wine that doesn’t compromise on its quality and craftsmanship but is 30 percent lower in calories.
Each award-winning wine is naturally crafted in France, with no artificial ingredients included and 11 percent ABV with zero residual sugar. Unlike our lower ABV competitors who mechanically de-alcoholise and add flavourings, sugars and chemicals to make them drinkable. Our customers can enjoy 90 percent of the alcohol, while enjoying a wine that is lower in calories and naturally made.
TRACES is a multi-award-winning wine, and in the ‘normal wine’ category. Both IWSC & IWC blind tasting panels have given the wines awards for the last two vintages consecutively. It’s the only wine of its type to achieve this. I am also extremely proud that it has recently become the UK’s only officially endorsed wine by the global weight management company, WW®. WW is one of the largest weight health businesses in the world, and with that comes the highest expectations on quality of products and ultimately aligning with their foundations and values that underpin its program.
TRACES wine is here to help boost a declining wine market by supporting the ‘Better For You’ category in the UK. It is the next generation of wine as we strive to ‘make wine great again’ and bring the younger and modern drinker back to the wine glass. That’s the future the wine industry needs right now, and we are working hard to provide a solution, that we know millions around the world are desperate to have.
Our customers often say drinking TRACES “surprises” them, due to not realising a lighter calorie wine could taste that good. With over 150,000 bottles sold, we have perfectly refined the style and the quality from launch. It’s an excellent example of innovation meeting experience and regional style – offering a refreshing, lighter experience for those who want to enjoy wine, but also look after their wellbeing.
For many years, I have been campaigning for greater awareness of calories in alcoholic drinks, calling for up to date nutritional labelling across all alcoholic products and menus. I hope that with the launch and success of TRACES, we can encourage other wine producers to add nutritional labelling to their bottles.
Alongside the launch of TRACES and Drinkwell’s continued support of the ‘better for you’ drinks category, we will continue with our mission to drive further change in the industry and ultimately benefit the nation’s health. And crucially ensure that people do not need to compromise on being able to enjoy great tasting wine and beer that is better for them!”
Tom Bell is the Founder and Managing Director of TRACES
