Founder Q&A with Imme Ermgassen of Botivo

Following on from the non-alcoholic cocktail recipes we shared, we caught up with Botivo’s co-founder, Imme Ermgassen to chat about the story behind the botanical drink that has been created to be enjoyed by everyone. Botivo is one of my personal favourite tipples, so it was an honour to find out more about how and where it is made, and how co-founders Sam and Imme intend it to be enjoyed. 

– Could you tell us the story behind how Botivo came about?

Botivo was created by my co-founder Sam, who still makes every batch of Botivo by hand today in Hertfordshire. He is an amazing drinks maker and was hand picked to make the drinks for the royal wedding in 2018, as well as at the parties of other amazing private clients like Kate Moss and Ellie Goulding. 

Botivo was originally created as the non alcoholic option for private events, but when people kept asking where they could buy it, Sam realised he needed to bottle and sell it. He created a website, and had started selling Botivo as a side project when I tasted it a few months later and it blew my mind! I am an alcohol drinker and never expected to get so obsessed with a non alcoholic drink, but I found myself drinking it everyday – it’s so complex and addictive. After a chance encounter with Sam at 2am on the dance floor of a mutual friend’s wedding, I just knew I had to be part of it. My background is in brand building, so I approached Sam with a proposal to be his business partner and redo the brand and bottle, then relaunch. That’s the brand you see today!

– What roles do you and Sam play in the company?

Sam is the maker and leads all production on Lannock Farm in Hertfordshire with Niki, who works alongside him on production after joining Botivo from the world of brewing. We make every bottle of Botivo ourselves, using no flavourings, essences or preventatives. It’s a process that takes over 1 year to make because that’s what makes the best taste. Flavourings can never replace the taste experience that raw and real ingredients can. 

I do all things brand, marketing, sales and investment raising – which means the storytelling and visual world around it. We want the brand to be magical and a lot of thought goes into every single detail.

– Is there a meaning behind the name?

Yes! It is Botanical + Aperitivo mixed together – Botivo.

Botivo is made from a base of aged apple cider vinegar and honey, infused with botanicals: rosemary, thyme, gentian, wormwood and orange zest. The flavoury profile is inspired by aperitifs so combining botanicals and aperitivo in the name is an ode to that!

– When and how is Botivo designed to be enjoyed?

It’s for that moment when you clock off work and ease into the next stage of your day. You deserve something super special in that moment, whether with pals or alone, and that when Botivo is designed for. It has a ritual around it: we want people to get out ice, mix Botivo with soda and then slice a juicy orange and garnish the drink with it. We call that moment ‘the yellow hour’, our play on the golden hour.

– How and where is Botivo made?

It’s made on Lannock farm in Hertfordshire in a process that takes over one year. British apple cider vinegar is aged to soften it and reduce its acidity, before it is infused with 5 bittersweet, herbal and citrus botanicals. It is then balanced out with organic wildflower honey. There are 2 hand blending stages – it’s a true craft process that is very labour intensive! 

– What are the ingredients in Botivo and what does it taste like?

British Apple cider vinegar with a wildflower honey base (and a little natural fructose). The botanicals are: fresh rosemary and thyme for aromatic notes, gentian and wormwood for the bitterness and the orange zest for the citrus tang.

– Is Botivo a completely natural drink? And what is its shelf life?

It’s totally natural and has no preventives in it. It has a 2 year shelf life, 1 year when open which is remarkable! That’s because apple cider vinegar and honey are natural preservatives and don’t go off.

– You have a Slow Food UK approval: what does this mean and what sustainability measures do you have in place?

Slow food movement means we support good farming practices and also are championing real food . We don’t believe in anything ultra processed and want to make everything ourselves, with our own hands.

– What is your personal favourite way to enjoy Botivo at Christmas time?

I love the OG, which is Botivo + Soda over ice with an orange slice. I also love drinking it with alcohol as it’s such a powerful flavour so I will add a splash into a tequila soda or make a white negroni out of it (just equal parts Botivo + gin +white vermouth + water stirred down with a lemon twist over ice).

Find out more about Botivo and discover our hand-picked non-alcoholic cocktail recipes.