If you think about it, beer is really ingrained in British culture. As soon as we see a sliver of sunshine, our instinct is to head to a pub garden and enjoy a couple of cool, refreshing pints.
But our drinking habits aren’t just seasonal. Tradition dictates that as soon as we turn 18, we’re off to the local for our first legal beer – usually followed by a wonderfully messy night out.
Then comes the university drinking culture, followed by years of post-work pints to celebrate the good days and forget the bad ones.
And so begins a vicious cycle of drinking to mark virtually every social occasion.
With each hangover, we vow that it’ll be the last time, but as soon as the fog lifts and Friday looms the only thing on our minds is clocking out and getting that first beer down our necks.
Those who manage to break the habit, even if only for Dry January, get a sneak peek at just how productive life can be without the booze.
However, with so few genuinely tasty alcohol-free or low-alcohol alternatives, many find it hard to make a lasting change.
That was very much the case for UNLTD. co-founder Johnny Johnson. Three months into sobriety he began to develop a thirst for a proper pint that the existing alcohol-free beers just couldn’t quench.
Determined not to waver from his new healthy lifestyle, Johnny and his wife Antonia set about a plan to bring great-tasting, low-alcohol beers to the masses.
And so, in June 2020, UNLTD. was born.
As part of our founders series, we sat down with Johnny and Antonia to talk about big nights out, business breakthroughs, and navigating the challenges of a husband and wife partnership.
The Birth Of UNLTD.
Before launching UNLTD., Johnny was a tailor for several big clients in London. Life in the city meant working lunches and after-work drinks were a common occurrence.
Like many of us, Johnny found that the beers became harder to handle as the years went by. When he hit the dreaded 30, just a couple of pints would leave him feeling groggy the next day.
But things came to a head after he and Antonia tied the knot and enjoyed some fairly raucous celebrations, as Johnny explains: “Our wedding celebrations went on for about three weeks and after that, I decided to take a break from the booze for three months to focus on getting fitter and healthier.
“After three weeks of no alcohol, I started to feel all of the benefits. I was sleeping better, exercising more, I was more productive at work and generally a lot happier. It was a revelation!
“I did miss having an ice-cold beer, so I tried alcohol-free options in pubs and bars but wasn’t that impressed with the taste. So, I went online to look for other alternatives and was surprised to find some good alcohol-free beers.”
After doing some research on how alcohol-free beer is brewed, Johnny realised he could create a drink that was low in calories, rich in vitamins, and offered nutritional value.
“No brands really promoted this,” he added.
“I then saw how much the category was growing, and with my own personal experience of the benefits of not drinking, I predicted this lifestyle choice would take the world by storm.
“I set out to create a new alcohol-free beer brand that was premium in design, which tasted great and that had added health benefits. That’s where the UNLTD. journey began.”
True to their ambition, Johnny and Antonia’s current selection includes two award-winning low-alcohol beers: a lager and an IPA that are easy on the calories, vegan, gluten-free, and enriched with energy-boosting B vitamins.
In the four years that have passed since their eureka moment the power couple have already managed to get UNLTD. beer into the fridges of Gaucho restaurants, Drake & Morgan bars, Twickenham stadium, and all 130 of the McMullen pubs in and around London.
“Securing the listing with the McMullen Group has to be the best moment of our journey so far,” Johnny added.
“McMullens are also our local brewery in Hertford where we live and I spent many an evening and weekend socialising in their venues growing up.”
The King & Queen Of Low Alcohol Beer
You won’t find many husband-and-wife teams nowadays. If you ask most wives what would happen if they lived and worked with their husbands, the answer would usually be something like, ‘I think I’d end up killing him.’
However, for Johnny and Antonia, it seems to work. That’s not to say there haven’t been difficulties along the way – especially with two young daughters to contend with while leading the charge for UNLTD.’s industry takeover.
In what was an era of new beginnings, Antonia gave birth to their first daughter, Rosie, just a month before they launched the brand.
That meant much of the initial groundwork fell on Johnny’s shoulders, as he explains.
“Toni was very much being a great mother to our first child. This meant that everything financial, legal and business compliance areas were my responsibility and continue to be.”
Over time, Antonia has very much grown into her role as joint CEO. With a background in HR and Operations for a number of legal firms, she brings a different skill set to the table.
“I read everything with meticulous detail,” she said. “With a background in Legal HR, I can’t help but love a contract.”
As well as a keen eye for the fine print, Johnny praised his wife’s ability to play ‘bad cop’ when sticky situations arise.
“Toni is a great bad cop,” he added. “When a serious conversation needs to be had with suppliers, or business-related issues, Toni is very good at getting her point across, whereas I tend to try and mediate in times where the bad cop side is needed.”
It seems that playing to one another’s strengths has been pivotal for Johnny and Antonia in their rapid rise to success. And the latter offered some stellar words of advice for those in a similar situation looking to start their dream project.
She said: “Have your own lane. If both of you are super creative but neither has a head for numbers or spreadsheets it’s never going to work.
“Having your own section of the business to make your baby will mean less butting heads over things you both think you’re the master of. Spoiler alert: You will still butt heads on many, many other things.”
Those of you reading this are likely all asking the same question: How do they maintain a work-life balance amidst all the chaos? Well, according to Johnny, such a thing doesn’t exist.
“We don’t, lol,” he joked. “Our lives are a full-on mix of running the business, juggling our crazy two and three-year-old daughters as well as managing our home, which seems to be endless amounts of washing and tidying up. In all honesty, it all blends into one and runs pretty smoothly.”
Financing UNLTD.
Being partners in every sense of the word, Johnny and Antonia were able to finance UNLTD.’s inception out of their own pockets.
With the business enjoying early success, they have since embarked on two successful crowdfunding campaigns to help propel UNLTD. to the next level.
There have, however, been bumps along the way. After all, any success story wouldn’t be complete without them. In particular, Antonia has found the route to market to be a real struggle.
“As a small upcoming brand it’s difficult to get the big wholesalers to take us on,” she continued. “We’re definitely fighting a David vs Goliath battle but we’re starting to make some noise and finally getting people to listen.”
With people’s ears finally pricked, the pair have big ideas for the future. In three years time, Johnny wants UNLTD. to be available in all UK supermarkets and in most pubs, bars, and restaurants across the UK. Watch this space.
Now we’ve set the scene, I think it’s time you heard a little more from the couple husband and wife behind the hops.
Questions With Johnny & Antonia Johnson, Founders Of UNLTD.
How did you and Antonia meet?
Johnny: I was actually in a Drake & Morgan bar in the City, having a couple of Dutch courage beers ahead of a Tinder date that evening when I saw Antonia across the room.
We locked eyes on one another and as I was feeling a bit bold that evening, I decided to go over, tell her how beautiful I thought she was and ask for her number, which she gave me, eventually. I then went on my Tinder date.
Describe your perfect customer in 5 words.
Johnny: A beer drinker focused on health.
Antonia: Award-Winning, Nutritious, Elevated & Delicious.
Why should major retailers stock UNLTD.?
Johnny: Our beers not only taste as good as full-strength beer, but they’re also the healthiest on the market, tiny in calories, rich in B vitamins, sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
IG or TikTok?
Antonia: Instagram – I’m too old for TikTok and I’m sure Johnny would say I don’t have the rhythm to keep up with the trends!
Is there such a thing as work/life balance?
Johnny: Yes, but I think that regardless of “work-life balance” if one area fails then it all falls apart, so as much as we’d all like to be living on a beech and relaxing 24/7 that’s not reality and you just have to crack on, or as toni often quotes me saying, “just get it done”. If something needs doing, just get it done, it’s one less thing on the to-do list.
Name one area Johnny is great at in the business that you are not.
Antonia: Being the face – Johnny is great at public speaking and will never say no to talking about all things UNLTD. to a crowd of eager ears, but I’m much more of a backing singer than a Whitney.
What has been the worst moment of the journey so far?
Johnny: There have been several things which haven’t gone our way since we launched. Working with people who have taken advantage of our inexperience in this sector, and brewery partners who have let us down with production runs.
But the worst moment was probably when we didn’t win a big retailer listing that we had a feeling we were getting. It wasn’t all bad, the buyer from this retailer was super helpful and supportive and told us what we needed to do to get the listing. Within three weeks of that ‘No’ we had secured what the buyer said we needed to and we hope to win that listing very soon.
Name another drinks brand that exists that you’d love to own and why.
Antonia: Personally, I love DA-SH. I think their flavours are great, they’re really low in sugar which is hard to find in a tasty soft drink and I feel good drinking them without having to worry about what’s inside.
Let’s talk stockists. Where can people buy UNLTD. and where do you want to see it listed over the next 12 months?
Johnny: McMullens pubs, Gaucho restaurants, Drake & Morgan Bars, ETM Group (a number of sports bars in London), Twickenham Rugby Stadium, Eurostar, plus many many more pubs, bars and restaurants around the UK as well as independent retailers, all of which can be found on our ‘Find Us’ page on our website.
If you could name one sporting venue worldwide where UNLTD. would be stocked where would it be and why?
Antonia: If I had to choose somewhere other than our beloved Twickenham stadium where you can already find us in hospitality it would have to be Wimbledon. There’s nothing better than a refreshing, crisp UNLTD. lager to pair with your strawberries.
How important is health and fitness to your everyday life? What does a current workout and meal plan look like to you?
Johnny: I go to the gym four times a week, two days of weight training and two x 5km runs on the treadmill. I normally go at 6 am, which sets me up for the day ahead. At times when I have not been to the gym I definitely feel it hurts my productivity, I feel tired earlier and I’m less motivated.
I’m not getting any younger and want to be as healthy as I can possibly be, for myself, for Antonia and our 2 daughters who have bundles of energy and always want to play rough and tumble with their dad.
Antonia is an amazing cook and always serves up nutritional meals for all of us. I have yoghurt, mixed nuts and berries for breakfast which looks great in a bowl, tastes great and is also not too heavy so keeps my energy levels up for most of the day.
Are we expecting any further product lines in the near future?
Antonia: With two award-winning beers in our tanks, we have no current plans to expand but, never say never.
Name just one reason for someone reading this to try UNLTD.?
Johnny: If you like beer, but hate hangovers, then give UNLTD. a try. It tastes just like normal beer, but it means you can stay focused for the rest of your day, still go to the gym, or do whatever you want without feeling sluggish.
Where do you see the business in 12 months?
Antonia: We have big plans for UNLTD. and want to spread the word far and wide that you can still enjoy a beer without any of the negative effects so we are planning by this time next year we will be easily accessible to all, this means a big retail plan is on the horizon.
Next, learn more about Why We Love The Alcohol Free UNLTD Lager
