We loved chatting to Bethan Higson, Founder of Mother Root, about her reenergising alcohol-free pressed ginger juice. So interesting to hear how she started her business and what practices she uses to be more sustainable both at work and at home.

Please tell us the story behind Mother Root?

I started to make my Ginger Switchel while pregnant as a delicious alcohol-free alternative. Life as a new mum made me realise how much I really needed a feel-good, alcohol-free drink in my life. This was something I could look forward to enjoying at the end of another long day, but that would also nurture me. I realised that the “time for a drink” moment is about ritual and doing something pleasurable. So that’s why I knew I had to start Mother Root.

How do you source your ingredients?

I’m passionate about sourcing regeneratively and the majority of my ingredients are organic. Soon we’ll be 100% organic-certified as well as carbon neutral. For me, sourcing organic ingredients is part of a 360 degree approach to wellbeing. These ingredients help keep our soils alive, increasing biodiversity and offering us higher nutritional value. They also taste amazing, which is one of the most basic joys we all experience.

Why was sustainable packaging important to you and why did you choose Flexi-Hex®?

We believe that joy is the key ingredient in living well, and nature’s role in in facilitating joy is fundamental. So for us, it’s essential that we consider all aspects of our impact, and packaging is a huge part of that. Plastic packaging is hard to recycle, and clogs up landfills or ends up in our waters and oceans. We wanted to make sure that our packaging is as plastic-free as possible, and that all elements are easily recycled or reusable.

How else do you try to reduce your environmental impact both as a business and personally?

At Mother Root, we are doing a carbon footprint assessment which will enable us to offset our impact. More importantly though, it will shed light on which parts of our production have the greatest impact, and give us a roadmap for how we can reduce our impact going forward. While glass is inert and one of the more recycled materials out there, it’s highly carbon intensive. So we are currently working on sourcing a new bottle, that will be made using 100% renewable sources. This will have a huge impact on our footprint overall.

On a personal level, I reuse what I have as much as possible, and make easy swaps with daily essentials. There are amazing options out there nowadays, from quality shampoo bars, bamboo toothbrushes and period pants. Another thing we recently did which has had a big impact on our personal foot print was to finally invest in double glazing and switch to a 100% renewable sources energy provider.

What are some of the ways you look after your mental health and wellbeing while running your business?

Getting out in nature is key for me. After about 5 years of resisting, I have taken up running. I try to get out three times a week, just for 30 minutes or so, and it’s been transformational. After becoming a mum, I found it really difficult to find the energy to get out, but improving my sleep (going to bed slightly earlier, and banning the phone from the bedroom), and eating more greens, rather than surviving on grazing and snacking to get by, massively helped my energy and mood.

Sober October is coming up – anything exciting planned?

Sober October is a great time of year to focus on going booze-free. The evenings get longer, and things slow down a bit, and we start thinking about the dark winter season ahead, so it’s a great time to prioritise your mental and physical health, and set up some pleasurable and healthy rituals.

We have a series of collaborations with our favourite alcohol-free brands, shining a spotlight on the wonderful products that are now out there. And we’re planning a campaign with a number of Instagram influencers who will be documenting their experience of doing Sober October which will be really fun.

What’s your favourite mocktail recipe using Mother Root?

Our signature serve is still one of my all time favourites. It’s a simple spritz, mixing 1 part Ginger Switchel with 4 parts soda water (or sparkling water) over ice, and garnished with a slice of orange and a sprig of rosemary. It’s so refreshing and invigorating.

Any sustainable brands inspiring you at the moment?

There are more and more everyday which is the exciting thing. I love Finisterre, Haeckels and Wunder Workshop, for their integrity and values driven approach to business, as well as their wonderful products. They are really inspiring and encourage me as a new business-owner that you can run a successful business and be true to your values.