Its innovative Social Blend technology helps drinkers unwind naturally, offering a true third choice beyond 'drinking' and 'not drinking' and pioneering a new category in functional drinking.

January 2025 sees IMPOSSIBREW launch a Crowdcube fund aimed at £500,000 investment, with pre-money valuation standing at £12 million. The fund opened to the crowd on 22nd January and, at the time of writing, has overfunded by 256% of the target; the total currently stands at £1,284,151 raised from 836 investors. The fund is live on Crowdcube here and is due to complete in mid-February. The added investment is aimed at accelerating growth through strategic customer acquisition, retention and continuous innovation, with a focus on expanding both their retail and trade presence.

IMPOSSIBREW Founder Mark Wong says of the raise: “We're overwhelmed by the incredible support, from our existing investors and community, reaching our funding target of £500k in just 35 minutes during the priority access phase, and surpassing £1.2M within 24 hours of public launch. We’re incredibly grateful for the over 800 who decided to support our mission to revolutionise social drinking.

“The funding will accelerate our patent-pending Social Blend technology development and expand nationwide availability, plus building a world-class team to support our ambitious growth plans with a focus on phased approach expanding our retail and trade presence nationwide through strategic partnerships – making the future of drinking accessible to everyone. It's humbling to see so many people believe in our vision, and we're excited for what the future holds as we move ever closer towards our goal of becoming the world's best alcohol alternative company.”

Dry January 2025

Dry January 2025 is seeing record sales for IMPOSSIBREW; January 2024 saw £340k total sales value, IMPOSSIBREW expect to double that in January 2025 to £700k in monthly sales value (Jan 1-7, 2025 saw the first 6-figure revenue week in company history). With revenue consistently doubling year-on-year for three consecutive years, IMPOSSIBREW has grown from an initial £1K monthly revenue at launch to over £700k in monthly sales value. Over one million cans have been sold in the last 12 months and this upward trajectory will be further boosted by the fund raise. IMPOSSIBREW is operating in a £1T global non-alcoholic beverages market, which is growing at 8.56% annually, non-alcoholic are drinks projected to surpass alcoholic drinks by 2026 (Statista).

The alcohol-free market is in growth

The alcohol-free beer market continues to grow, with 32% of Brits reducing their alcohol intake (according to Mintel) in the past year and 215,000 participating in Dry January 2024. Research shows 51% of drinkers primarily miss the 'buzz' of alcohol – a gap IMPOSSIBREW directly addresses (Source: PPS Consumer Survey, July 2024). With 70.6% of customers reporting relaxation effects and 87.7% reducing their alcohol consumption after discovering IMPOSSIBREW, the brand is meeting consumer demand for functional alcohol alternatives.

The IMPOSSIBREW story

At 18, Mark Wong's passion for beer and wine led him to become one of the highest-scoring French Wine Scholars. But in 2019, a devastating health diagnosis forced him to stop drinking entirely. Frustrated by existing alcohol-free options that couldn't replicate the authentic experience of traditional beer, Mark discovered an ancient Japanese text from 1211 AD – the Kissa Yojoki – detailing natural herbs with powerful relaxation properties.

Told it was ‘impossible’, Mark partnered with Durham University's Dr. Paul Chazot to develop Social Blend, a revolutionary patent-pending technology combining ancient wisdom with modern science.

Dragons’ Den

After appearing on Dragons' Den in 2022, just six months into launching the business, Founder Mark Wong turned the Dragons’ "too early" rejection into motivation. The Dragons passed on IMPOSSIBREW primarily due to concerns about pricing and market penetration, despite praising both the product and the founder Mark Wong.

Steven Bartlett was the first to decline, stating the product was great but he had concerns about the beers’ ability to stand out on supermarket shelves against competitors like BrewDog, however since then alcohol-free brands have gone from strength to strength even up against industry behemoths.

Sara Davies and Deborah Meaden expressed concerns about one-off purchasing and the high cost of acquiring new online consumers, however with the rise in ‘Zebra Striping’ and increasing numbers cutting down, and cutting out, alcohol, the category is growing at pace.

Touker Suleyman praised Mark as "the most credible 24-year-old that has ever walked through the Den's door," however he cited low turnover (around £10,000 at the time) as his reason for not investing.

Peter Jones acknowledged that Mark had done everything right in his pitch but ultimately declined due to concerns about product positioning, price point and market penetration potential.

Current growth shows IMPOSSIBREW has succeeded despite concerns and is well positioned as the UK's best tasting relaxing AF beer, the brand has proven its concept at a competitive price point, as customers will pay more for their health, and IMPOSSIBREW is seeing great success despite concerns about niche positioning.

Following in the footsteps of Dragons’ Den ‘rejects’ that have created enviable businesses, like Tangle Teezer, Pasta Evangelists and Brewdog, IMPOSSIBREW has since achieved 299% three-year CAGR (2021-2024), and the £45,000 investment the Dragons passed on would be worth over £1 million today.  

Wong says: "Dragons' Den was a pivotal moment for us. While we didn't secure investment, the experience gave us something far more valuable – validation that we were creating something people truly wanted. The response following our appearance was incredible, showing us there was genuine appetite for a third choice beyond just drinking and not drinking. Three years on, what started in that Den has grown into something remarkable. January has always been our strongest month, but we're seeing sustained growth year-round as more people embrace mindful drinking and seek enhanced alcohol alternatives. They're not just looking for alcohol-free beer – they want the complete experience that an enhanced beer can provide.

“I'm excited to tune into Dragons' Den this season and see the next wave of British innovation. While our journey took a different path than expected that day, the Den was undoubtedly a launching pad for what IMPOSSIBREW has become. Sometimes the best opportunities come from hearing 'no' and turning it into motivation to prove what's possible."