Taste Radio

Ben Branson is not the kind of person you’d find at a cocktail party. In fact, he loathes socializing. And, yet, he’s deeply invested in its future. Ben is best known as the founder of Seedlip, the pioneering nonalcoholic spirit brand that was at the forefront of the now burgeoning category of zero proof beverages.  In 2019, Ben sold a majority stake of Seedlip to beverage alcohol conglomerate Diageo, which, at the time, described the brand as “a global drinks giant of the future.” While Ben is still a shareholder in Seedlip and continues to operate as part of its team, he’s set his sights on the next stage of development for non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails via a new venture called Pollen Projects.  The U.K.-based company introduced two brands this year: Seasn, which markets premium cocktail bitters designed to be “the salt & pepper for drinks”; and Sylva, an innovative take on dark non-alcoholic spirits. Both brands are the heart of Ben’s mission to shape “the second wave of moderation,” helping pe