Founding Principles with Bethan Higson from Mother Root

Brands of Tomorrow is Walpole's business mentoring programme for emerging luxury brands. Over the course of a year, we take up to 12 carefully selected, early-stage brands through a twelve-month programme of workshops and professional mentoring that will help develop their business skills and set them on a path to growth. Discover all of our Brands of Tomorrow 2025 here

Walpole: What is your career background – and how did that lead to launching your company?

Beth Higson: I spent my early career travelling the world for Moët Hennessy, soaking up everything I could about great drinks: the craft, the fermentation, the slow maceration that builds depth and flavour. But when I was pregnant and, later, a new mum, my relationship with alcohol changed. I wanted that end-of-day ritual – that first-sip exhale – but without the booze, and without compromising on taste or experience. That gap planted the seed for Mother Root.

Tell us about your company…

Mother Root is the non-alcoholic aperitif that makes you feel good. Bold, fiery, complex – made using the same craftsmanship as the best wines and spirits, but an entirely fresh approach to your end-of-the-day ritual. Because it’s more than what you take out, it’s about what you put in – whole ingredients, vibrant flavour, and a ritual that lifts you up.

Why was launching this company important to you?

Because life doesn’t stop being full, exciting or chaotic just because you’re drinking less. I wanted to create a drink that fit into a busy, modern life – school runs, big meetings, and the occasional stolen afternoon nap – and still gave you that moment of indulgence. Something that felt like a reward, not a compromise.

How does your company represent the future of British luxury?

The new luxury is about personal transformation, helping people live life to the fullest. We do that through the pleasure of ritual. A glass of Mother Root is about more than taste, it’s about delicious, elevated moments, ingredients that support your wellbeing, and a culture of choosing what feels good for you. Luxury you can feel, long after the glass is empty.

What’s an important value for you that you’ve ensured is part of your business?

Boldness. We make drinks as bold and interesting as the people who drink them. We’re not chasing the mainstream, our drinks are distinct: strong and fiery. They won't be for everyone, but we wouldn't want it any other way. Instead, we’re building a devoted community of brand obsessives who love flavour, love living fully, and love telling their friends about the drinks we make for them. We obsess over what they want and create something truly worth sharing.

Tell us about an obstacle you’ve experienced in establishing your business, and how you overcame it?

My biggest obstacle wasn’t external, it was mindset. In the early days I second-guessed everything, convinced I needed all the answers before I took action. I’ve learned that there’s no magic formula: you start small, you test, you fail forwards, you spot the wins and scale them. That’s where real confidence comes from – knowing your business better than anyone else and trusting your gut to lead the way.

What is your ultimate goal for your business? What’s the dream?

The Mother Root we're building is more than a drink – it’s a way of living. We’re here for the joy in the in-between moments.: the GRWM that involves Japanese floor exercises before a night at the theatre; the long phone calls with friends; the afternoon nap on the sofa; the zingy sip of Mother Root one night and a spicy margarita the next. Some call it balance, but we just call it doing what you like. We’re here to cure our relationship with health. To turn wellbeing into wholebeing. And to deliver a dose of good feelings while we’re doing it. That’s the dream.

What’s a key piece of advice you’d share with another entrepreneur that you’ve learned or been given on your journey?

Treat everything as an experiment. It makes you braver. You stop waiting for perfect conditions, you learn faster, and you discover that progress – not perfection – is what builds great businesses. The best ideas rarely arrive fully formed, but they always get better in motion.