Rising popularity of tequila-based cocktails including the Margarita & Paloma coincides with growing demand for mindful drinking and no-and low-alcohol alternatives.
In celebration of World Paloma Day today, the world’s leading independent alcohol-free spirits brand founded by Spencer Matthews, CleanCo, announces its nationwide listing with Waitrose for their Clean T (0.0% Tequila) spirit.
The expanded listing into all Waitrose stores, follows a successful trial in fewer stores over the past months. The announcement makes Clean T the only mass-available alcohol-free tequila on the UK market, with CleanCo set to cement the trending Clean Paloma as their hero serve of the summer.
Originating in Mexico in the 1950s, the Paloma – Spanish for “dove” – fuses tequila and grapefruit soda, with a hint of lime and completed with a salt rim. Once overshadowed by the Margarita, the Paloma is enjoying a remarkable surge in popularity, with some outlets reporting an 80% increase of web searches for ‘Paloma Cocktail’ (Ohbev.com). In the UK alone, it has been predicted that tequila sales will surge by 88% between 2021 and 2026. (Ohbev.com)
CleanCo’s award-winning alcohol-free tequila, Clean T, has been crafted by their team of flavour experts, using only the highest-quality ingredients. Delivering delicious notes of Green Agave, Olive, Sweet Melon, Black Pepper and Cedarwood for a peppery but cooling finish. Accolades for Clean T include a Gold Great Taste Award (2024), a Gold New York International Spirits Competition and Silver International Wine & Spirits Competition.
CleanCo have seen huge growth in Clean T sales in both the on and off trade, which have been attributed to the growing popularity of tequila and tequila-based serves, such as the margarita and paloma in the UK market. This is also trending in the full-strength space with Tequila being the only spirit category to show net growth in the first quarter of 2025 (Forbes).
Complementing its retail presence where it now has listings in 85% of UK grocery retail through Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys & Ocado, CleanCo is particularly enjoying accelerated growth in the on-premise with a +224% growth in UK & Ireland trade accounts serving Clean Cocktails in Q1 2025 already, with Clean T growing at a faster rate than all other SKU’s, including the staple gin alternative, Clean G.
Clean Palomas are available in bars and restaurants across the UK & Ireland including:
- Mr Fogg’s – Perfect Timing – Clean T, Everleaf Forest non-alcoholic aperitif, pink grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice and chipotle chilli-infused hibiscus syrup
- Barts London – El Patron – Clean T, falernum syrup, grapefruit sherbet, fresh lime juice and agave syrup, topped with prickly pear & grapefruit soda
- Tom Kerridge’s Butchers Tap & Grill – Sleeping Sun – Clean T, Grapefruit Soda, Grenadine
- Everly Hotels – Clean Paloma – Clean T balanced with Fever-TreePink Grapefruit Soda
- Hakkasan & Yauatcha – Za’atar Paloma – Clean T, grapefruit, lime, soda water & hint of basil
- Club Mexicana – Clean Paloma – Clean T, grapefruit soda, fresh lime
- St Martins Lane Hotel – Quaker Movement – Clean Clean T – Lime – London Essence Grapefruit Soda – Salt
- Hyde Hotel, Galway – NO ‘LOMA NO CRY – Clean T, Three Cents Pink Grapefruit, Lime, Jalapeno, Agave
- Taquila, Galway – CLEAN Paloma – Clean T, lime & grapefruit
The news of the wider listing in Waitrose coincides with the recent news of England Cricket Captain, Ben Stokes OBE joining the brand as its latest strategic investor, as part of a wider $5 million fundraise. Stokes’ investment comes at a defining time for the low and no category, which has seen the category double in size between 2023-2024 (IWSR), due to a considerable shift in consumer habits. Cutting back is no longer reserved for Dry January, as the data shows that consumers are looking to moderate, or go sober, as part of a permanent lifestyle change. Approximately 64% of all consumers across the top 10 markets globally are actively moderating their alcohol consumption year-round (IWSR)
Spencer Matthews, founder CleanCo, believes the Paloma’s ascent is no coincidence. “It’s easy to make, visually striking, and delicious,” said Matthews. “But most importantly, it’s a serve that works well in the mindful drinking space. I’m proud to be the first and only widely-available alcohol-free tequila on the UK market. CleanCo’s mission is all about providing consumers with the option to have a drink that’s equally as sophisticated and flavourful whenever they choose to not have alcohol. It’s about choice and for us that means having a comparable alcohol-free alternative to every major spirit. Our Clean T, has all the flavour and mouthfeel of tequila just without the alcohol”.
To celebrate World Paloma Day and the cocktail’s cultural resurgence, CleanCo will roll out a limited-edition Clean Paloma Kit in partnership with Fever Tree (£19.00 from www.clean.co) and collaborate with leading bars across the UK for a series of summer activations. These partnerships will highlight how the Paloma can be just as compelling without the alcohol.