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A Conversation with Tracy Sweeney of Tomorrow Cellars and Kathryn Sauser of SoberFitGirl
For years, Dry January has been one of the biggest drivers of discovery in the non-alcoholic category.
It introduced people to new options, new rituals, and a different way of thinking about drinking.
But as the space evolves, so does the conversation.
Today, the question is no longer whether people are drinking less for one month. It’s how their relationship with alcohol is changing year-round.
We sat down with Tracy Sweeney, founder of Tomorrow Cellars, and Kathryn Sauser, founder of SoberFitGirl, to talk about Dry January, the rise of de-seasonalization, and what this shift means for the future of drinking.
On Dry January and the Backlash
Q: This year, we saw some brands attempt to “cancel” Dry January — and a lot of backlash followed. What was your reaction?
Tracy:
Tomorrow Cellars quite literally started because of Dry January. It was a catalyst for both me and my co-founder David to pause, examine our relationship with alcohol, and realize there weren’t great non-alcoholic wine options available.
And we’re not alone. So many people say Dry January was the moment that helped them break a habit that wasn’t serving them, or at least become more mindful about drinking.
Where the tension comes in is the rigidity. The all-or-nothing nature of it. It can feel like a performative wellness challenge.
At the same time, many people in the category feel we’ve outgrown the idea that Dry January should define when and why non-alcoholic matters.
Kathryn:
I can see this from multiple perspectives.
On one hand, Dry January gives people a structured opportunity to step outside their normal habits and actually see how they feel without alcohol. For a lot of women, that’s the first time they realize how much better they can feel.
But when it’s framed as a challenge to complete, it can become very all-or-nothing. And that’s where people get stuck, because real transformation doesn’t work like that.
In the SoberFitGirl community, the biggest changes don’t come from getting through January. They come from asking a deeper question:
What actually feels better for my life long-term?
If something like Dry January gets someone to pause and reflect, even for a moment, that’s a win.
Is Dry January Still Relevant?
Q: So is Dry January still relevant — or has the category moved past it?
Tracy:
I don’t see it as either/or.
Dry January is an incredible on-ramp. It introduces people to non-alcoholic options they might never have tried otherwise, and that trial often becomes habit.
But it’s not the only on-ramp.
The bigger conversation is how we show up in people’s lives the other eleven months of the year.
Kathryn:
I see Dry January as a positive cultural shift.
It creates awareness. It gives people a shared moment to step back and observe how alcohol impacts their energy, their body, and their daily life.
And once someone feels the difference — better sleep, stronger workouts, less anxiety — it becomes much harder to ignore.
It’s a gateway. Not the destination.
What De-Seasonalization Actually Means
Q: We’ve been hearing a lot about “de-seasonalization.” What does that look like in practice?
Tracy:
There’s data from IWSR that illustrates this clearly.
As early as 2019, the strongest period for no-alcohol sales in the U.S. was actually Q3, accounting for about 27% of annual volume. Q1, which includes Dry January, was closer to 22%.
That tells us something important. People aren’t only choosing non-alcoholic during a reset month. They’re choosing it during summer gatherings, dinners, celebrations, and weeknights.
To me, de-seasonalization is about moving from limitation to optionality. It’s about having access to high-quality options that fit into everyday life.
That’s why we created Tomorrow Cellars.
Kathryn:
This is exactly what we coach around.
De-seasonalization looks like choosing not to drink on a random Tuesday because you want a better workout the next day. It’s ordering a non-alcoholic option at dinner without overthinking it.
It’s subtle, but powerful.
Because when that decision becomes part of your identity, not a temporary challenge, that’s when it sticks.
Speaking to a More Nuanced Consumer
Q: The non-alcoholic space includes sober consumers and people who still drink. How should brands navigate that?
Tracy:
Alcohol is deeply personal. One-size-fits-all messaging doesn’t work anymore.
Some people are abstinent. Some are moderating. Some are flexible.
We don’t want choosing non-alcoholic wine to feel like deprivation. It should feel like a positive, intentional choice.
The way to speak to everyone is through the celebration of choice.
Kathryn:
This is something I feel really strongly about.
Not everyone is in the same place, and they don’t need to be.
Some people are sober. Some are sober-curious. Some are just starting to question their habits.
If messaging is too extreme, it can push people away before they even get curious.
What works is meeting people where they are and showing them what’s possible.
Instead of saying, “You need to quit,” it becomes, “What would your life look like if you felt better every day?”
That opens the door.
From Restriction to Choice
Q: A lot of the backlash around Dry January seemed tied to it feeling like punishment. What’s your take?
Tracy:
When it’s framed as “giving something up,” it can feel rigid and joyless.
But when people reframe it as self-care or exploration, it becomes empowering.
What we’re seeing now is people creating a new normal.
Kathryn:
For some people, challenges can be helpful. For others, they can create a cycle of pressure and self-judgment.
That’s why support matters.
Because when people start to experience what they gain — more energy, clarity, confidence — it stops feeling like restriction.
It starts to feel like an upgrade.
And that shift is everything.
What Comes Next
Q: If Dry January isn’t the whole story, what should brands focus on moving forward?
Tracy:
It starts with the product. If the liquid isn’t great, nothing else matters.
From there, it’s about habit and occasion. Helping people see where non-alcoholic fits into their lives.
Wine is about ritual and connection. When the product is high quality, people can keep that ritual without compromise.
Kathryn:
The brands that win will focus on lifestyle, not just messaging.
People don’t just want to know non-alcoholic options exist. They want to see how it fits into their real life.
Better workouts.
Better sleep.
More energy.
More confidence.
At the end of the day, people aren’t just choosing a drink.
They’re choosing how they want to feel.
The Takeaway
Dry January opened the door.
But what comes next is bigger.
The future of non-alcoholic isn’t seasonal. It’s integrated, flexible, and built around everyday choices.
And as both Tracy Sweeney and Kathryn Sauser make clear, that shift isn’t just about what people are drinking.
It’s about how they’re choosing to live.
That’s where brands like Tomorrow Cellars are focused. Creating wines that feel intentional, not alternative.
Tomorrow Cellars reflects that shift beautifully. Their collection is built for the moments when you still want the ritual, structure, and pleasure of wine, just without the alcohol. These are bottles made not for a reset month, but for real life: dinners, gatherings, weeknights, and everything in between.
