Ghia

Masarin, who retains full ownership and has turned down venture capital, drew on childhood summers near the Mediterranean and a family tradition of making homemade limoncello as the foundation for the brand. Ghia's signature bitterness comes from gentian root, the same botanical that anchors many classic Italian apéritifs, giving the range a distinctly adult character that holds its own at the table without relying on alcohol for structure or depth.

All Ghia products are formulated without added sugars, artificial flavours, or caffeine. The range covers two formats: concentrated apéritifs designed to be mixed at home or poured over ice, and a line of ready-to-drink canned spritzes for occasions where mixing is impractical. The apéritif format gives the range flexibility, functioning as a mixer in a long drink or as a straight pour depending on the setting.

The brand's visual identity draws on 1970s Italian graphic design and the Memphis design movement, a set of references that runs deeper than surface aesthetics. Ghia's packaging has been noted in design press as unusually considered for a drinks brand of its age, and that visual coherence has contributed to the brand's cultural visibility well beyond its retail footprint.

Distribution expanded from direct-only to over 1,000 retail locations by 2022, combining direct-to-consumer sales with specialist alcohol-free retailers. The range sits firmly at the premium end of the AF apéritif category, and the independently funded model has allowed Masarin to maintain a tighter editorial control over both product development and brand direction than venture-backed brands typically manage.

For the sober-curious drinker seeking a considered, occasion-appropriate drink without compromise on aesthetics or flavour complexity, Ghia represents one of the more thoroughly defined entries in the AF apéritif space.