The Sad Shelf Is a Business Opportunity. Most Brands Building for It Have Not Noticed: A Conversation with Ben Zumsteg, Founder, Disco Fizz

Ben Zumsteg stopped drinking three years ago. What he found when he went out after that – to bars, clubs, and parties in LGBTQ+ social spaces – was what he now calls the sad shelf. A traditional energy drink. A sports drink. Maybe a non-alcoholic beer. The usual fountain options. Nothing designed for the moment or the community.

He turned that observation into a survey. Then he turned the survey into a brand.

The Research Behind the Brand