GRIMES, Iowa — In 2023, the World Health Organization declared no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. That could be one reason more Americans today say they’re cutting back on booze.

Restaurants and grocery stores across the country are making room on menus and shelves for a product from one local couple.

“Definitely think there are a lot more people looking for an alternative to alcohol options,” Kate Willer, operating partner of Bubba, said.

It’s a drink with no spirit but plenty of support. The non-alcohol industry is on the rise. According to an August Gallup Poll, only 54% of Americans say they drink alcohol, that’s the lowest number recorded by the researcher since 1939.

“As we started to kind of get out of college and get more into, you know, adulthood and real life, you realize how much a hangover sucks a lot more on a Sunday when you have to go to work on Monday. So, that was kind of the start of the whole concept,” Taylor Grasso, co-founder of Pesche, said.

Pesche, one of the newest mocktails on the market, was started by a husband and wife duo from right here in central Iowa.

“Both of us been in that sober and sober curious category,” Zack Grasso said. “We like, well, we still want like something fun to drink because I’m tired of carrying around water or like a pop or Poppi or whatever it was.”

The Grasso’s combined their talents to fill a void. Zack’s entrepreneurial spirit mixed with Taylor’s background as a registered dietician led them to creating a functional mushroom mocktail.

“We were kind of trying to bridge that gap between just any beverages, like a beer or wine, and then, you know, THC beverages are another really big one right now, versus this is not really giving you any sort of psychoactive effect. It’s just providing that benefit that you’re getting from the functional mushroom,” Taylor explained.

Bubba, a popular downtown Des Moines restaurant, was one of the first to serve Pesche, and they say customer response has not only been positive, but they’ve pushed Pesche to the top of the menu.

“It’s nice to find something that wasn’t super sweet,” Willer said. “What’s really lovely about their products – Iowa local. We love to support local companies and a sweet couple. We met them and love that she’s, you know, thinking about the nutritional side of it too.”

The Grasso’s officially launched Pesche earlier this year, around the same time they welcomed their first child.

“What are the odds that our business kind of takes off right around the same time that I give birth?” Taylor said. “So, it has been a crazy last couple of months for sure to say the least.”

The small business grind and a growing family. All the more reason to pour a Pesche.

For more information about where to find Pesche or order online, visit drinkpesche.com.