Lémonesse Quickly Raises Funds on Kickstarter: A Chic Non-Alc Option Comes to the Table

Drink responsibly. Drink organically. Do both when drinking Lémonesse, an organic bottled lemon water campaign on kickstarter.

With the help of 62 backers, Chicago founder and owner Adam Leja quickly exceeded his $7,500 goal by nearly $1,000 with 13 days remaining on his campaign. Funds will go toward Lémonesse’s national distribution, an upgraded bottling line, sleeker box packaging and a new capper.

Targeting fine-dining establishments, Chicago-based Leja currently supplies Lémonesse to Chicago Cut Steakhouse, Gene & Georgetti’s, Trump 16 (Sixteen Restaurant at Trump Tower), and Joe Fish Chicago. Lémonesse’s upcoming May 1 distribution via European Imports will place his product in many more restaurant locations, but for the moment, not in upscale grocery stores.

According to Leja,

“Our strategy is to stay on premise: fine-dining. We do plan to penetrate the fine grocery market in the future, but if people prefer to try the product in the comfort of their own homes, this kickstarter project will be there only opportunity. We don’t have plans for online sales anytime soon.

We want to focus on the fine-dining market, due to a lack of nonalcoholic beverage options in fine dining. People feel obligated to drink an alcoholic beverage while dining out because of the look and feel of an alcoholic beverage, or simply because of the social factor. If all their friends at the table are drinking, they want to drink as well.

Let’s face it, the current nonalcoholic beverage options are boring. I wanted to create a nonalcoholic beverage with the same look and feel of an alcoholic beverage minus the alcohol.”

Rewards for Lémonesse backers include cases of Lémonesse Organic Lemon Water and Reidel Ouverture Crystal Stemware (“premium stemware for a premium beverage”) for $500, a limo-chauffeured ride and dinner for two at the famed Chicago Cut Steakhouse (the limo will be fully stocked with Lémonesse cocktails) for $1,000 and a flight to Chicago for two with a 2 night stay at a premiere Chicago hotel, dinner for two at Chicago Cut Steakhouse, an architecture boat tour and an Uber transportation chauffeured by Adam Leja for $5,000.