Saicho

The brand takes its name from the 9th-century Buddhist monk credited with introducing tea to Japan over 1,200 years ago, grounding Saicho's identity in tea culture rather than in the wider alcohol-free spirits or wine-alternative market. The founding brief was specific: to produce an alcohol-free drink that could be paired with food in the same way as a fine wine. Charlie and Natalie spent two years testing hundreds of teas from around the world before launching in 2019, selecting origins that could deliver the complexity and structure required for a food-pairing proposition.

Each tea in the range is cold-brewed for 24 hours to draw out complex, delicate flavour, then balanced with a small addition of grape juice and citric acid to replicate the acidity and body of sparkling wine. That process produces a drink that sits closer to a wine proxy than a conventional soft drink, and Saicho positions itself accordingly: the brand targets fine-dining environments and presents itself as a premium alcohol-free alternative to Champagne and sparkling wine at the table.

The range spans single-origin sparkling teas from distinct tea traditions, giving sommeliers and food-focused drinkers genuine pairing latitude across a meal. The bottles are designed to sit comfortably on a restaurant table alongside wine. Saicho expanded internationally into Hong Kong in early 2021 and operates a multi-channel distribution model spanning direct-to-consumer, luxury department stores, and high-end restaurant accounts.

The brand is aimed at sober-curious diners who want something food-matched and considered at the table. Pricing sits in the premium bracket, consistent with the fine-dining positioning and the production process involved.