Cocktail Culture To Conscious Living: Creating Healthy Rituals with Megan Klein, Little Saints

From Cocktail Hour To Conscious Choice Reimagining The Ritual Of Drinking

For Megan Klein, the idea for Little Saints did not come from a trend report or a branding brainstorm. It came from a deeply personal reckoning during the pandemic, when quiet nights, Zoom happy hours, and solo cocktails made it impossible to ignore how alcohol was affecting her health, focus, and sense of self.

What began as an attempt to drink less evolved into a bold mission to preserve the ritual, flavor, and social connection of cocktails without the alcohol. Today, Little Saints stands at the center of the sober-curious movement, offering non-alcoholic cocktails and spirits infused with functional mushrooms, botanical extracts, and intentional living.

When Wellness And Reality Collide

Megan’s turning point arrived during lockdown, when her social life shifted from bustling evenings out to drinking alone at home.

“I was working out, eating well, meditating, doing yoga,” she shared. “But I still felt this fog over myself, and I knew it wasn’t good for my brain.”

Like many people, Megan tried Dry January repeatedly and failed. When she finally committed to reducing her alcohol intake, she searched for alternatives that felt adult, grounding, and satisfying. What she found instead were sugar-heavy mocktails that lacked depth, aroma, and ritual.

“Nothing had a strong nose,” she explained. “Nothing smelled or felt like a real cocktail. And nothing had functional mushrooms, which I was already using for wellness.”

That absence became the seed for Little Saints.

Designing A Drink That Feels Like Belonging

From the beginning, Megan was clear that Little Saints would not be a juice substitute or a soda in disguise.

“There’s nothing worse than a juice mocktail,” she said. “People aren’t giving up alcohol just to drink sugar.”

Instead, she focused on recreating the full sensory experience of drinking. Aroma, mouthfeel, bitterness, packaging, glassware, and presentation all mattered. Megan wanted her drinks to signal nighttime, celebration, and inclusion.

“Humans have been raising a glass since we were living in caves,” she said. “That ritual still matters.”

This philosophy shaped every decision, from ingredient sourcing to mint green cans designed to look at home in a cocktail setting. The result was a product that allowed non-drinkers and mindful drinkers alike to participate fully in social moments.

Building Wth Plants, Science, And Intention

Little Saints stands out for its thoughtful use of functional mushrooms, including lion’s mane and reishi, chosen not for hype but for quality and extraction integrity.

“The potent part of the mushroom is the beta glucan,” Megan explained. “Ours are extracted using ultrasound technology, so it’s clean, solvent-free, and supplement-grade.”

At 70 percent beta glucan potency, the mushrooms used in Little Saints far exceed what most people would get from cooking mushrooms at home. The goal was never intoxication, but a subtle sense of ease and presence.

“I wasn’t trying to create a buzz,” Megan said. “I wanted something that felt like pleasure, without checking out.”

The brand is fully plant-based and vegan, aligning with values around animal welfare, transparency, and clean formulation.

Trusting Intuition In Business And On Shark Tank

Megan self-funded Little Saints for its first year and a half, later accepting money from friends and family. When she was invited to pitch on Shark Tank, she came prepared, asking for $500,000 at a $10 million valuation.

Despite receiving multiple offers, she ultimately walked away.

“It didn’t feel good in my gut,” she said. “And I knew any future investor would question why I gave away half the value.”

That decision proved pivotal. Following the episode, Little Saints more than doubled revenue, surpassing $14 million in trailing twelve-month sales. The exposure brought brand awareness, loyal customers, and validation without compromising ownership or mission.

“Sometimes doing the right thing means walking away,” Megan reflected.

Doing The Right Thing Even When It Hurts

One of the most defining moments in Megan’s journey came with the launch of Little Saints’ third non-alcoholic spirit, St. Oak. A formulation issue caused visual separation in the bottles, and Megan made the costly decision to discard 20,000 units.

“We could not put out something that looked wrong,” she said. “Even if it was food-safe.”

Rather than hiding the issue, the team reformulated, communicated openly, and labeled the product clearly.

“Always do the right thing,” Megan said. “And be honest with your customer.”

That commitment to transparency strengthened trust and reinforced the brand’s values.

A New Way To Raise A Glass

Little Saints is more than a beverage brand. It is a response to cultural fatigue around alcohol and a reimagining of what social connection can look like.

Megan’s story is a reminder that innovation often begins with discomfort, that intuition matters, and that businesses built on integrity have staying power.

For anyone navigating sobriety, moderation, or simply seeking a better way to unwind, Little Saints offers an invitation to belong without compromise.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Wild Party Podcast to hear Megan Klein’s story in her own words.

🍸 Explore Little Saints and shop their non-alcoholic cocktails and spirits at littlesaints.com . Use the code WILD15 for a special listener discount.