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The Zero Proof Acquires The New Bar, Merging E-Commerce Scale With West Coast Cultural Clout

TL;DR: On June 24, 2026, Atlanta-based The Zero Proof announced the acquisition of The New Bar, a Venice, California non-alcoholic bottle shop turned cultural platform. The deal combines The Zero Proof's national e-commerce operation, 400+ product catalog, and eight-figure revenue with The New Bar's hospitality relationships and event presence, including a first-of-its-kind non-alcoholic partnership with Coachella. The adult non-alcoholic category is projected to reach $5 billion by 2028.

On June 24, 2026, The Zero Proof, an Atlanta-based non-alcoholic beverage platform, announced the acquisition of The New Bar, one of the West Coast's most recognized non-alcoholic hospitality and cultural discovery platforms. The deal, disclosed via PR Newswire, marks one of the first acquisitions by a dedicated non-alcoholic platform and unites e-commerce scale with on-the-ground cultural reach.

The Zero Proof was founded in Atlanta in 2019 by Sean Goldsmith and Trevor Wolfe. The company has grown into one of the country's largest platforms for premium non-alcoholic beverages, offering more than 400 products across wine, beer, spirits, and ready-to-drink categories. The company has doubled revenue for four consecutive years and crossed eight figures in annual sales. Its owned and imported brand portfolio includes Lapo's, one of the top-selling non-alcoholic brands at Whole Foods Market nationally.

The New Bar was founded by Brianda Gonzalez, who turned a 450-square-foot bottle shop in Venice, California, into one of the most culturally influential platforms in the non-alcoholic category. The New Bar became the first non-alcoholic partner of Coachella, positioning the brand at the intersection of music, culture, and sobriety.

What the combined company looks like

The acquisition merges two distinct capabilities. The Zero Proof brings national e-commerce, owned brand portfolio, and retail distribution. The New Bar contributes relationships across hospitality, live events, and culture. The stated goal: a non-alcoholic company with presence across every consumer touchpoint — online, in grocery, at dinner, and at live events.

As part of the acquisition, The New Bar's leadership joins The Zero Proof. Brianda Gonzalez becomes Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships. Natalie Silbar joins as Director of On-Premise, California.

"We've spent years solving discovery and access, building the e-commerce and distribution that put non-alcoholic brands within reach for people across the country," said Sean Goldsmith, Co-Founder and CEO of The Zero Proof. "The next frontier is presence, showing up in the cultural moments where people actually gather, from dinner tables to live events. The New Bar has built exactly those relationships, and bringing them in lets us meet consumers everywhere they show up."

Why this matters now

The non-alcoholic beverage category is growing at a steady clip. Dollar sales were up 4.9% in the 52-week period ending June 13, 2026, according to NielsenIQ data analyzed by Goldman Sachs and reported by BevNET. The adult non-alcoholic category is projected to reach $5 billion by 2028, according to Goldsmith's LinkedIn announcement of the deal.

The acquisition comes at a moment when the non-alcoholic space is shifting from infrastructure to cultural influence. Brands like Dry Shot, which produces alcohol-alternative kava drinks, occupy a parallel lane — functional beverages that deliver a social experience without alcohol. The Zero Proof's move to consolidate distribution and cultural programming signals that the category is maturing past the fragmentation stage, where dozens of small brands compete for limited shelf space and consumer attention.

What This Means for the Alcohol-Alternative Market

The Zero Proof–New Bar deal is a consolidation signal. When the largest e-commerce platform in a category acquires the most culturally influential on-premise player, the message is that scale and cultural relevance are no longer separate strategies — they need to be the same company.

For brands in the alcohol-alternative space, including kava-based drinks like Dry Shot's product line, this matters in two ways. First, distribution consolidation can open doors: a platform with 400+ products and growing retail relationships means more shelf slots and more consumer discovery. Second, the cultural validation gap is closing. When the first non-alcoholic partner of Coachella gets acquired by an eight-figure e-commerce company, the category stops being a niche curiosity and becomes a recognized segment of the beverage industry.

The non-alcoholic market is no longer just about people who don't drink. It's about people who drink differently — sometimes, never, or in place of alcohol at social occasions. Kava, with its relaxing effects and Pacific Island cultural heritage, fits this shift. Read more about how kava drinks serve the sober-curious consumer on the Dry Shot blog.

FAQ

What did The Zero Proof acquire? The Zero Proof acquired The New Bar, a Venice, California non-alcoholic beverage bottle shop and cultural platform founded by Brianda Gonzalez. The New Bar was the first non-alcoholic partner of Coachella. The deal was announced June 24, 2026, via PR Newswire. Financial terms were not disclosed.

How big is The Zero Proof? Founded in 2019 by Sean Goldsmith and Trevor Wolfe, The Zero Proof offers more than 400 non-alcoholic products across wine, beer, spirits, and ready-to-drink categories. The company has doubled revenue for four consecutive years and crossed eight figures in annual sales. Its brand portfolio includes Lapo's, a top-selling NA brand at Whole Foods nationally.

What does this mean for the non-alcoholic beverage industry? The acquisition signals category maturation. The adult non-alcoholic market is projected to reach $5 billion by 2028, and dollar sales grew 4.9% year-over-year through June 2026. Consolidation between e-commerce platforms and cultural-event operators suggests the industry is moving past fragmentation into integrated distribution and brand-building.