Welcome to the Track & Food podcast. Host Jamie Mah is a writer, bartender and sommelier in beautiful Vancouver, BC. With co-host Mickey McLeod, they take regular deep dives into everything food and culture in the city and around the globe.

Trends in the food industry happen all the time. We can usually spot them a mile away. Ten years ago, craft beer took Vancouver and British Columbia by storm, when the market saw an opening and took full advantage of what was needed and desired.

I believe we’re on the cusp of another big movement – this time, with the non-alcoholic sector. New entrants are emerging regularly and consumers have taken notice. They want quality and variety.

With that being said, I wanted to find out who’s doing what, and there’s no better way to do that than by speaking with two new upstarts in the field: Nick Devine, from Edna’s Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Company, and Lane Matkovich, co-founder (with his brother, Leigh Matkovich) of Nonny Beer. Both businesses have just gotten off the ground (Edna’s, literally the day of airing) and I only predict big things ahead for them both. In this episode I seek to learn about their process, their brands, and how they see this market evolving with them in it.

I also recently caught wind of The Flipside a new publication from wine pro/sommelier/journalist Kurtis Kolt, about his low-booze/no-booze journey to understanding the non-alcoholic sphere. With his background in reviewing wines and spirits, Kolt brings a curious bent to the conversation.

With all three of them on board, the resulting conversation is informative, at times funny and, in my opinion, definitely worth your time!