Above: Free AF founder Lisa King.

Kiwi drinks brand Free AF is expanding into the UK this December, bringing its premium alcohol-free cocktails to Morrisons stores nationwide.

The expansion will see Free AF become the first New Zealand alcohol-free producer to secure UK supermarket distribution, with the range also being sold online via and af-drinks.com.

Lisa King, Free AF founder and boss, says: “Once known for its pub-led drinking culture, the UK is now one of the fastest-growing alcohol-free markets in the world.”

The rise of the alcohol-free market

According to Mintel’s 2025 Attitudes Towards Low- and No-Alcohol Drinks report, the UK low/no category is now worth £413 million, growing by18.7% in value and 12.4% in volume.

“Almost half of UK adults now choose low- and no-alcohol drinks, with many still drinking alcohol too. Led by Millennials and Gen Z, this shift isn’t about sobriety – it’s about moderation. A new wave of mindful drinkers is redefining what it means to be social, sophisticated and in control.

“Our launch comes at a pivotal moment, as alcohol consumption in the UK keeps dropping and more people are choosing premium low- and no-alcohol options that bring the flavour, the ritual and the social buzz – just without the booze,” says King.

Only the beginning

King adds: “We are now celebrating our fifth year in business. We’ve grown from a Kiwi start-up that launched around my dining table during Covid lockdowns to a company now sold in New Zealand, the US and the UK – three core markets that are shaping the future of the global alcohol-free culture.

“It’s certainly not easy to scale a business during these difficult times, so entering the UK market is a huge milestone for us. We’ve taken the early lessons learnt from launching first in New Zealand to help us expand into the US, and now the UK. Every stage of growth has been shaped by our customers here at home. Their feedback influenced everything – from flavour to purpose – and that’s what’s enabled us to scale globally.

“The shift we’ve seen in supermarkets has been phenomenal, and our launch with Morrisons marks just the beginning of what’s ahead.” 

Built to shift behaviour

“When I first stopped drinking, the question was always ‘Why aren’t you drinking?’, King explains. “Five years on, that conversation has flipped. The same people who once questioned it are now embracing alcohol-free options – not because they have to, but because they want to. Alcohol-free has shifted from niche to normal.”

Free AF is now the No. 1 non-alcoholic RTD in New Zealand and is stocked in 4,000 stores across Target, Walmart and Sprouts in the US.

The brand has also built strong cultural connections – poured at Coachella, New York Fashion Week and NZ Fashion Week – and has even been spotted in the hands of Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner and Machine Gun Kelly.

“From day one, Free AF was never built to sell drinks – it was built to shift behaviours, and offer positive change to the way people drink,” says King.

Bigger than sales

In November, Free AF also announced a new global partnership with The Nelson Mandela Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by Nelson Mandela.

A percentage from every can of Free AF sold globally will be donated to the foundation, for the next three years.

King says: “Every market we enter has to stand for something bigger than sales. The alcohol-free movement can – and should – create a social impact too. It’s about reshaping how people think and act around drinking, and creating more space for connection, choice and inclusion. If we can do that while growing globally, that’s success AF.”