About Optimist…

OPTIMIST Drinks are designed to enhance social connection. We’re living through challenging times; isolation and loneliness are the root cause of many mental health issues, particularly among young people. We’ve never been more ‘connected’, and we’ve never been more alone.  Alcohol, or not drinking, shouldn’t be the barrier that stops us from getting together. (Lockdown is another story.) When we talk about optimism, we don’t mean mindless, uninformed positivity. To be an optimist takes grit; a commitment to looking at things clearly, no matter how dark they may seem. It is a life-long practice; helping us to build resilience and envision a better future.

Beyond creating a range of products that give people a choice, the freedom to experiment with their drinking rituals and strengthen their social connections, OPTIMIST has a broader mission to promote mental and social well being: creating tools for optimists. Our drinks are fuel for Optimists, making sure that opportunities to connect aren’t dependent on alcohol. It’s about inclusivity, letting people come together, without compromising your mental or physical wellbeing. If alcohol isn’t your vibe, for whatever reason, you can still enjoy a crafted, distilled drink, and there is no longer a void where the taste should be.

OPTIMIST will direct 2% of sales to provide access to mental wellbeing services for underserved youth in our communities. We are proud to announce our launch partner is Safe Place for Youth, a Venice CA based non-profit organization that empowers young people experiencing homelessness to thrive by providing lasting, holistic community driven solutions.

OUR FOUNDERS

OPTIMIST was born out of our desire to stay social and keep connecting, without compromising our physical or mental health.  We’ve always spent a lot of time in the kitchen; we are deep into flavor. Tom is a keen mixologist, and I grew up in East Africa, and have a long running obsession with the perfect G&T sundowner.

Beyond this, we wanted to create a company that is future-facing, that is mindful of our community, and the future of our planet. The mental health epidemic sweeping the world (compounded by the pandemic) has long been a concern. Young people are particularly affected, and isolation is a big part of the problem. As parents we want to play an active role in addressing this. All these things are interlinked, and have gradually led to the creation of Optimist Drinks. 

(OPTIMIST was created by Tommy Johnstone + Lisa Farr Johnstone)