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Haus — The Warby Parker of alcohol.
Today we’re launching Haus, an alcohol brand designed for the way millennials drink today.
We’re taking on an industry that hasn’t changed in almost 100 years by rethinking how it works, from product to distribution.
Think of us as the Warby Parker of booze.
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Replies
@efader First company to ever bypass traditional distribution system (which is eerily similar to Luxxotica pre Warby Parker).
Just ordered. Can't wait to drink it and share with friends! Love everything about the storey and brand. It feels honest and wholesome.
Heard about Haus through the grapevine, can't wait to order some.
Pros:Love the concept, the design, and looks like an awesome team.
Cons:Can't wait to try it.
Beautiful landing page—love the typography and photography!
The product, etc. are communicated well in my opinion... Definitely an "underserved" market! 😂
Only minor issues I noticed that could affect conversion rates:
1) The "Checkout" button is hidden below a vertical scroll on larger screens. This took a few seconds for me to find—it could be fixed to the bottom of the view with a higher z-index than the cart items. Screenshot: 
2) The "We recommend shipping to a business address" made me hesitate to order since it breaks my existing online shopping behavior where this is not a concern. Is this for more reliable deliverability during the day or due to outdoor temperatures in different regions?
Congrats on the launch!
2) The "We recommend shipping to a business address" made me hesitate to order since it breaks my existing online shopping behavior where this is not a concern. Is this for more reliable deliverability during the day or due to outdoor temperatures in different regions?
Congrats on the launch!Hi Jesse! 1) Yep, we're still building. Fixing bugs all day today. :) 2) It's illegal for us to ship without an adult signature at delivery. Recommending shipping to a biz address (or an address where an adult will definitely be there to sign it) cuts down failed deliveries by a significant percentage.
Love them and the product (obv biased on the brand!)
Pros:Delicious, light and beautiful bottle
Cons:Some physical store representation!
@helena I have been living in Buenos Aires for 4 years now and I became a fan of apéritifs, Aperol and Cynar mostly. Is it a healthier version without sugar? Excited to know more!
@marsnegrette Hi Mars! Exactly. We're starting with a line of aperitifs, redesigned to be more appropriate for the American palate. We have approx. 80% sugar than Aperol. You can read more about it here: https://www.fastcompany.com/9036...
@marsnegrette @helena "We have approx. 80% sugar than Aperol. " what does that mean?
@marsnegrette @coreycrossfield Oops, typo. We ran lab tests to measure sugar content of our product against other popular aperitifs. We found that we have 80% less sugar than both Aperol and Campari.
I worked in the beverage alcohol industry for 5.5 years doing M&A, strategy and innovation, and can attest that you've included more than enough detail and description on your site.
I also get the Warby Parker comparison as someone who knows the three tier system well, and the mammoths in the industry that you have to compete against. It's a perfect comparison :)
Haus also comes in a beautiful pack based on the pictures and has a lovely story. Plus the flavor profile seems amazing!
Unfortunately I'll have to wait until you come out with an alcohol free version as I've stopped drinking - I wish this existed a few years ago so I could have tried it :) Cheers!
I wish there was a way to try it without committing to the $70 purchase! Will you be doing in-person tastings?
@elisegraham Anyone who doesn't like it can return it for a full refund. Otherwise you'll be able to try us soon as pop ups/events, select wholesale partners and eventually our own brick & mortars.
Ok, so we have a whole blog post about nothing. No information on the product. No information on how you are revolutionizing the industry. No concrete stats about the actual issues your are solving... and finally no product... just a picture of a cool bottle. So at this moment the Warby Parker comparison is non-existent since there's no information on anything. I wish you success and hope to see this drink soon, but it is a miss opportunity to launch a product on ProductHunt for hype purpose when there's nothing to be hyped about.
@tostartafire I have to admire the vigor you bring to commenting on product hunt. Keep that fire buddy
@tostartafire @helena That is super condescending and I as well have no idea what you are selling. You market yourself as the "Warby Parker for alcohol" without going into the details of how you arrived at that label. Are you disrupting the supply chain? Are you changing how the alcohol is distributed? You say you are making the products with less sugar but sugar is still present in many liquors so how is less sugar better? This would be equivalent to me saying I am the Katy Perry of Rap without any support behind it.
Also on a more serious note, as a sober person, I find the marketing strategy of saying "it's a sober product" with alcohol still present as super misleading. I had struggles with alcohol which is what led me to being sober and you saying something is alcohol free or marketing towards inclining this is for sober people is wrong on many levels.
@tostartafire @coreycrossfield Hi Corey! You can find all of the information you're looking for on our website. I'm not sure where you saw that messaging - we have never said it's a sober product, we are an alcohol company. That said, we will be releasing products for non-drinkers soon. Cheers.
Hi @helena beautiful brand/site. Tried to pre-order but keep getting an empty cart with qty. 0. I'm sure ya'll are already on it just wanted to note.
I used to have a delivery company and we explored Alcohol delivery: Regarding 3 tier laws, I know you can sell DTC as the manufacturer in most (though not all?) states. But if I'm not mistaken this would rule out seeing Haus carried in a store or restaurant under current law? And if I recall, 12 containers is a limit for a lot of things? (I noticed the 12 option was coming soon)
@bryantajoseph Hi Joseph! We're federally classed as a wine, so we can do all of the things wine can do (distribute online, open brick and mortars, sell in bars and restaurants, retail, etc).
Can't wait to see Haus make its way into households across the US, and beyond!
Pros:Delicious, refreshing, perfect for any time.
Cons:Warby Parker has Buy a Pair Give a Pair, any plans to give back with Haus?
I read your Medium post and while it tells the nice little backstory to Haus, it really doesn't answer any questions. Sure, the "why" is there, but where's your "how" and "what"? You claim that the alcohol industry is "ruled by a three-tier system where distributors and bartenders are the gatekeepers, ultimately deciding what you drink." which at first sound ridiculous, but you reeled me back in with pointing out that commercial liquors are strong (I'm assuming you mean 80+ proof) and high sugar (unavoidable depending on the liquor, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt), and don't necessarily reflect evolving consumer trends.
So when all's said and done, I really don't know what Haus is supposed to be. The Warby Parker of alcohol is catchy but meaningless if I don't know what these seemingly unrelated brands have in common. Understanding your product shouldn't rely on familiarity of another, especially if their business model evolves over time. Liquors are pretty well defined by creation process, so are you offering an array of personalized liquors? Is the focus on more health-conscious alternatives and lower alcohol content? I'm confused more than intrigued, and would have greatly appreciated a more thorough explanation of your product and business plan. An explanation that doesn't rely signing up for a mailing list. Thanks.
@chris_germano more info on their first product in this forbes article:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/njg...
@john_mctavish Thank you for the link, the fact that none of those specifics are brought up in the aforementioned links is honestly more perplexing than anything. So it's a line of apéritifs, starting with "Citrus+Flower", okay. These pseudo-grandiose marketing angles "the [big name] of [unrelated industry]" just rub me the wrong way, so I can't pretend to be unbiased. It just feels like a lot of fluff, but purchasing alcohol and critical thinking rarely go hand-in-hand, so only time will tell. Thanks again, though.
@chris_germano You're welcome. I agree with you, but just decided to do some digging on twitter to see if there was more to the story.
@john_mctavish @chris_germano If you read my backstory and your first instinct is to assume it's a sham, I would agree that you might be biased.
@john_mctavish @helena I'm happy to see the current version of the website has concrete products and clearer language. At the time it was lacking both.
I never said sham, I pointed out that the marketing angle of using "the [big name] of [unrelated industry]" without explaining why or how lacked the substance and clarity needed to convert neutral observers. I asked questions more than anything. Curious audiences are a good thing when they're treated with respect.
Personally, I think I'd enjoy Haus as a product, but the branding leaves a bad taste in my mouth for the aforementioned reasons. Good luck with your venture.
From the back story in the description and links provided in the medium article about the millennial new needs and consumption style, it seems to me that your solution is oriented toward providing a "healthier" drink, which is in itself kind of an oxymoron.
The nocive part of a drink is the alcohol itself.
It's very commendable if you are trying to make a drink that would have less negative effect, but it remains alcohol nonetheless so selling as something healthy is misleading and dangerous.
But again, we don't know what it's in the product so we can't really tell.
Either way, like @chris_germano mentioned you should put an emphasis on the making process, the receipe, or ingredients. Which is like you said in your article, important for the consumers nowadays, and it's what make an alcohol of great quality.
But, if I were to guess, my best guess is that it's some kind of weak(er), less sugary rosé wine, in a cool packaging, maybe bubbly?
I also want to add that the tagline "Warby Parker of alcohol" + your mention in the medium article of the 3 tiers system, make it sound to me like you plan to be by-passing bar and restaurant and sell exclusively (or almost) from the internet? Which I wanna say is really risky for an alcohol brand. But I'm really interested in the business plan now
@chris_germano @ryan_alx_ibh Hi Ryan, it was a teaser page until today, and you can now find all of the information you're looking for.
platitudes. show us something, tell us more. don’t discount countless indy beer/wine/liquor makers putting out great product. story problems abound!
Hustle X