As sponsors of our International Women’s Day event, we chat to Founder of Nix and Kix, Julia Kessler about the inspiration behind their business and what International Women’s Day means to them.

What inspired you to create Nix & Kix?

Myself and my co-founder, Kerstin, created Nix & Kix because we were looking for a great tasting, healthy, non-alcoholic drink in the market but were unable to find one. We knew we would not be the only consumers looking for a drink like this. 

We started blending flavourful fruits with spices to make natural and delicious combinations that would bring healthy excitement to the category. With the first created product we headed to London Coffee Festival and sold out on the first day. 

We found that consumers loved the addition of cayenne which added a unique flavour and health benefits. Since then our full range has always included a cayenne Zing!

How do you think the consumer market has changed when it comes to natural sparkling/fizzy drinks? Have you seen the shift?

There has been a significant shift in consumers habits and needs from the soft drinks category as a whole. 

The first major shift is consumers awareness of what they put into their body. Therefore they expect brands to offer clarity & transparency about ingredients, both what is included and excluded. Consumers want to be healthy but also retain enjoyment from their soft drinks. We have always been proud of the ingredients we include in our drinks only using the highest quality and adding nothing artificial, which allows consumers to have a great tasting drink which is also good for them.

Secondly, and more recently, consumers have been hit by the cost of living crisis meaning they are even more conscious about what they purchase. However, they are still willing to buy products that add enjoyment throughout the day. At Nix & Kix we have always strived to be an authentic brand that consumers something a little bit different!

Why did you want to partner with StrongHer for IWD?

We wanted to partner because we love what StrongHer stands for. As a female founder, I know how hard it is to grow in a male dominated industry. StrongHer help support growth in confidence to women by giving a platform for physical and mental wellbeing. An important part of Nix & Kix products, is not just to taste great, but also be healthy to support with physical and mental wellbeing. Therefore I believe we were a perfect fit to partner.

What does IWD mean to you?

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to shine a light on all of the strong women in the world that win in all fields, whether it be sport, business or with their family. It allows us all to break down barriers of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

Being a female founder there have been barriers along the way whilst trying to grow in an industry with a limited number of female founders. However, campaigns like this help to improve the landscape for women from all walks of life. Therefore we should continue to keep making ourselves heard which will continue to open doors and break down barriers for future generations.

Where should our readers keep up to date with all the latest news from Nix & Kix?

Your reader’s will be able to find us across our social media channels (@nixandkix). We share recipes, new product launches and make an engaging environment for people to interact with us as a brand.

We also have our website, where they can sign up to get the latest news, treats and special offers before anyone else does.