A combination of talented UNSW graduates and commercial know-how has resulted in the world’s first tea-based zero alcohol beer, which is now paving the way for improved sustainability practices in the brewing industry
Health-conscious beers have been on the market for years, with products that tout zero carbs, zero sugar and zero alcohol. The latter continues to grow in popularity, with a range of household names such as Heineken, Budweiser and Carlsberg offering low to zero alcohol alternatives.
In the past few years, the non-alcoholic beer market has experienced significant growth globally and in Australia – which is only second to Belgium in its sales growth. But, with such big names already dominating the market, how does a new name compete?
Alinta Furnell is the co-founder of Sörzero. She says what sets her zero-alcohol beer product apart from others on the market is its commitment to eco-friendly practices throughout its production.
The science-backed brewing process uses three times less energy than traditional processes. It’s also the world’s first tea-based non-alcoholic beer and one of the lowest calorie options on the market.
“We don’t employ a fermentation process,” says Furnell, an alumnus of the UNSW Sydney School of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences. Sörzero is a demonstration of the potential for sustainable processes in the brewing industry.
“With my co-founder Ismat Kabbara’s scientific expertise, we developed a new science-backed brewing process that uses food chemistry instead of fermentation,” Furnell says.
The result with Sörzero is an amber drink distinct from other beer varieties – its malty flavour is infused with Assam tea, along with notes of hops and citrus.
Notably, it is also one of the only non-alcoholic beers in the world to achieve an actual 0.00% alcohol by volume.
“Surprisingly, research studies have shown that because of fermentation, a lot of ‘zero alcohol’ beers have a higher alcohol content than what the label says.”
As a 2024 Vogue Codes Future Innovators Awards finalist, Furnell says she has known since her teenage years that she wanted to harness natural systems to improve lives. This includes supporting stable and sustainable supply chains for renewable materials, as part of the renewable energy transition.
Sörzero is a passion project that Furnell and her business partners created as a test of resilience to pressure test their team dynamic.
Furnell and Ismat Kabbara met while completing their research studies at the UNSW School of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences. In 2021, they joined forces with Vivid Savitri-Hampton, a seasoned startup founder and product designer. They met when Furnell and Kabbara attended a mentorship program facilitated by the UNSW Founders program. The success of Sörzero validated the trio’s strength as a team and provided the foundation for further impact.
“Together, the three of us are also the founders of Synbiote,” Furnell says. “We are developing biomaterials to replace non-renewable materials in industry, starting with the energy sector.”
Synbiote’s focus is on creating sustainable and resilient solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. As CEO, Furnell brings her background in commercial biotechnology to the group, having also conducted her honours project on commercialising Antarctic fungi at UNSW.
“I love the startup space, it’s where I know I can make the most impact with my work.”
At the start of Synbiote’s development, the team received a grant of USD$100,000 from Alexis Ohanian – the founder of 776 Foundation and cofounder of Reddit – to carry out work in the biomaterial space.
Furnell says there is a diverse but complementary skillset between her, Kabbara and Savitri-Hampton.
“Sörzero was our proof point to see how well we can work together,” she says. “Products will always change and develop – but at the end of the day, the team stays the same.”
While Synbiote focuses on research and development, their operations will ramp up in 2025 as they continue integrating and optimising their biomaterials.
“I feel so lucky to be able to do this,” Furnell says.
