Spritz Tea: Women Empowering Women

The table is set, dinner is made and a group of close friends is gathered to celebrate life, each other and friendship. By morning this same group will be up early training for the most physically demanding race of their lives: the Ironman Triathlon. While in training, toasting with alcohol was not ideal, but a celebratory “Cheers!” was still desired. Kathryn Dougherty went to her kitchen, made a concentrate of her favorite herbal tea, mixed it with sparkling water and served it to her friends in beautiful glassware. It was at this moment that Spritz Tea was born.

The Spritz name comes from the representation of tiny bubbles to toast big celebrations or ordinary moments. Dougherty, founder and CEO of the company, believes everyone brings something to the table, and Spritz shows up with encouragement, inspiration and celebration. Spritz publicist Allison Bowers said that Dougherty wanted to create a healthy beverage that could be enjoyed at any point in the day, something more flavorful than sparkling water but with less sugar than a typical packaged tea drink.

“Sparkling tea is a newer category in beverage with a lot of room for growth,” Bowers said. “We think Spritz is perfectly positioned to expand as the tea category does.”

Bowers noted that “Spritz is lightly carbonated with no sugar, unlike many bottled teas that are often packed with sugar and fall flat (pun intended) for the health-conscious consumer.” The company promotes Spritz Tea as a morning alternative to coffee, a midday pick-me-up or a non-alcoholic alternative nightcap.

“With real benefits from real tea, zero sugar, zero calories, and being vegan, keto and gluten-free, Spritz stands apart from not only other teas in the category but from sparkling water as well,” Bowers said.

Left: Kathryn Dougherty, founder of Spritz Tea. Right: Spritz Tea is aimed at a health-conscious consumer.

Spritz Tea is available in four flavors packaged in 12-ounce cans. There is the bold and sweet Pink Guava, the complex Bright Citrus (with 50 grams of caffeine), the Wild Acai that looks beautiful in glassware and the Golden Peach for all the peach lovers out there.

Beyond the innovation and delicious flavor profiles, Spritz is proud to be a female-founded business that keeps a seat open at the table for every woman. A key part of the company philosophy is giving back to the community through quarterly donations to female-focused nonprofits and gender-equality initiatives.

“It was never just about tea. It has always been about celebration, empowerment and inspiration,” Bowers said. “By giving back to the community, we are opening up and holding space for other women. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams and that is why we donate 1% of all of our sales back to our community. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for all the women before who saved a seat for us at the table. Now it is our turn.”

Spritz has proudly supported the Women’s Small Business Accelerator, a training and mentoring organization for female entrepreneurs in Central Ohio, and looks forward to supporting additional organizations as the company continues to grow.

The Spritz team remains grateful for an incredibly supportive community in Columbus that has allowed them to continue their mission through a tough year. They also commend the Columbus community for banding around and supporting local small businesses. One advantage for any new business in Columbus is that the community has a multitude of savvy, accomplished business owners who are always willing to provide mentorship, partnership and support.

For Spritz, the focus is on the future and finding ways to grow. Spritz Tea products can be found today in many independent retailers in the Columbus area, but the company is working with national wholesaler KeHE Distribution toward the goal of becoming a nationwide brand by the end of 2021. The company also has launched a new consumer-focused website and loyalty program. Consumers can have Spritz shipped right to their door while earning points towards free tea.

Spritz will also be launching a new flavor in fall 2021, and Bowers promises that it will be worth the wait.

Learn more about the company and find out where Spritz Tea is sold at spritztea.com.