ARTICLE / THE MAKING OF... SERIES
The making of...
Sodasmith.
In a world where craft spirits and boutique wines have taken centre stage, Monica Callinan, winemaker-turned-beverage visionary, spotted a glaring blind spot: why weren’t premium Australian mixers and sodas holding their own? Armed with a deep love for local ingredients and a determination to see people ditch the overseas imports, Monica launched Sodasmith in 2022. From lockdown cocktail experiments to partnering with the Good Food & Wine Show, Monica’s journey is a masterclass in spotting gaps, staying lean, and crafting a brand that’s as thoughtful as it is delicious. This is The making of… Sodasmith.
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The making of... Series
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#sodasmith #branding #brand #startup #scaling #scaleup #sellingbusiness #founder #founderstories #foundermindset #entrepreneurlife #strategy #simplesells #brandsuccess #themakingof
Hey Monica, thanks for joining us. With such a rich background in wine and craft beer, it sounds like you came into this with a real passion for premium drinks. So, how did SodaSmith come to life? What sparked the idea for the brand?
Hey, thanks for having me. Well, the idea for Sodasmith was born from a long-standing passion for premium, locally crafted beverages. After many years working in production and distribution, my original founding partner and I noticed a gap in the market for Australian-made soft drinks and mixers that could stand alongside the quality of the wines and craft spirits being made here. Sodasmith was created to celebrate exceptional local ingredients and bring a more refined, adult perspective to soda.
Monica Callinan, the founder of Sodasmith
You mentioned spotting a gap in the market for quality local mixers, did this idea grow out of any personal experiments or research?
Remember that two-year period when we had to make all our cocktails at home? I became a bit of an aficionado, experimenting with different mixers and combinations. I had a margarita phase, a negroni phase, a gimlet phase, but Gin & Tonics were always a household favourite. I became really upset when I realised that the premium mixers Australian distillers were using, recommending, and sending to me in my subscription gin packs were made and bottled (in glass) in England, on the exact opposite side of the planet! This led me to dig deeper into what was available locally, and I quickly saw a clear gap in the market for high-quality, locally made mixers packaged in cans. I also really wanted to feature the gorgeous native ingredients that many of the Australian distillers get to use.
So, Sodasmith was really born out of a frustration with the status quo and a desire to champion local quality and ingredients. Did those early frustrations translate into many tweaks before launch, or did you hit the mark pretty quickly?
To be honest, the first iterations of our product were pretty close to what you taste now. We had a good idea of what we wanted our sodas to taste like, and fortunately, we only had to make a few minor tweaks to ensure the quality of the local ingredients shone through. We launched with four products: the three tonic waters and the Finger Lime Soda. The Dry Ginger Ale, Grapefruit Soda, and flavoured Sparkling Waters have all been added to the range as a direct result of customer feedback.
Impressive to get so close to the final product out of the gate! That kind of precision usually takes a lot of time and money. How did you fund the launch and initial growth phases?
We initially funded Sodasmith ourselves through savings, keeping the business entirely bootstrapped from the start. We have focused on staying lean, reinvesting early revenue, and scaling gradually.
We love the lean startup approach. Now, with your background in craft beer and firsthand experience with packaging trends, how did you decide on the look and feel for Sodasmith’s branding? Did cans always feel like the right home?
I worked in craft beer here in Australia during the shift from bottles to cans, so I saw firsthand how packaging can influence perception. There’s often an assumption that bottles feel more “premium,” especially in the eyes of consumers and stakeholders in the on-premise. But cans are actually the better vessel. They preserve freshness, block out light (which helps maintain taste and aroma), and have a more airtight seal than most bottle caps, reducing the risk of CO₂ leakage and better maintaining carbonation over time. They’re also lighter and more compact, meaning they take up less space in transport and require less fuel to ship, helping to lower carbon emissions. On top of that, they're infinitely recyclable without any loss of quality, resulting in a significantly smaller environmental footprint. That experience really shaped my thinking for Sodasmith. Choosing cans was a deliberate decision, driven by both quality and sustainability.
Design then became critical: the packaging needed to reflect the premium nature of the Sodasmith range and look good enough that people would want to proudly stock it in their fridge or serve it at the table. The pastel colour palette was chosen to evoke the soft hues of Australian landscapes and create subtle associations with natural ingredients and artisanal processes. It reflects the delicate native botanicals and Tasmanian spring water at the heart of the product, reinforcing our focus on provenance and authenticity. Unlike the bold, primary colours often used in mainstream sodas, our colour palette signals sophistication and maturity.
Packaging that tells a story, protecting quality while celebrating place, that’s a winning combo. Now, building brand awareness and scaling can be huge challenges for any new brand. How have you been getting the word out there and engaging with consumers and industry folks so far?
One of our best decisions early on was partnering with the Good Food & Wine Show. We’ve been fortunate to be the mixer sponsor for the past three years, and it’s been an invaluable opportunity to get liquid on lips. It has also allowed us to build strong advocacy among some of Australia’s leading craft distillers. By travelling the country year after year, we've had the chance to engage not only with thousands of consumers but also with retail buyers and hospitality professionals, many of whom have become passionate supporters of the brand in their own businesses.
Sounds like that face-to-face connection has been invaluable in building genuine support. Looking ahead, what hurdles do you see on the horizon for Sodasmith?
The beverage market is becoming increasingly crowded, with new competitors emerging regularly. As we continue to grow, building and maintaining customer loyalty is crucial. We also have to keep our key selling points at the focus of everything we do. Sodasmith products are delicious and desirable for a reason.
The retail landscape is also growing more competitive (if that's even possible!), with product rationalisation becoming a prominent trend. The major retailers like Coles and Woolworths are streamlining their offerings and focusing more on own-brand products, so it will be vital for us to ensure that our products not only stand out but also remain indispensable on the shelf.
Tough terrain but a smart focus on quality and loyalty will no doubt set you apart. We’ve got a hunch things will keep going gangbusters. Ok, Monica, we’re reached final question time… with all you’ve learned launching and growing Sodasmith, what advice would you give another founder just starting out?
Build and nurture a strong network of support, whether that’s mentors, fellow entrepreneurs, or industry connections. The people you surround yourself with will not only offer valuable advice but can also open doors and help you navigate the tough moments.
