After a decade of work in the food and beverage world, we’ve learned a thing or two. Some may even say three. 😉
What’s that? You want the inside scoop? Ok – here are a few carefully curated facts about our brand, history and office-life and some photos of some really cute dogs.
1. Our Founder’s first flavor idea was basil, but the most difficult flavor to get right was Lavender DRY. Sharelle knew from the beginning that she had to have a sparkling lavender flavor, but “knowing” was easier than doing. She admits to trying countless extracts, combinations and recipes before landing on DRY’s signature mix. Sharelle says a lot of the trial runs were bad. Like really bad. But hey, if you want a successful beverage company, most would agree that you have to put your mind, body and soul into it. (This includes your taste buds.) And now Lavender is her favorite flavor. As for basil, she has wanted to produce this flavor since the beginning of DRY time (2005) and we allllllmost launched one this summer, but opted for our Reserve Edition Lemongrass instead.
2. Four of five people on DRY’s executive team are women. DRY has always been a company that has attracted great talent, and it just so happens there are lots of amazing women on our team. There are also a few fabulous guys sprinkled into the mix – we applaud them for dealing with all the gals each day! We are proud that so many strong, smart, driven females work with DRY. It is quite a rarity in the beverage business! (Also – before you ask about the image below – we do not make all our women wear pink dresses. Nor do we make our guys wear blue footie pajamas.)
3. We love being based in Seattle. Our HQ office is in the historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, the oldest part of the city. When we set our roots in 2006, it was pretty quiet in this area, but now it’s absolutely bustling! Here, you’ll find a multitude of amazing restaurants, gift shops, coffee houses and art galleries.
4. We have celebrity doppelgangers. Well, two of us do. Our VP of Operations has been mistaken for Taylor Swift in the airport more than once. She travels a lot, so we always love hearing these stories. Our Digital Marketing Coordinator has met Giada De Laurentiis twice… and we like to think that every time they cross paths, they look a bit more like each other. The rest of us look like normal humans.
5. We tried to make a Chocolate DRY and found it impossible… for now. Back in ’07, we really wanted to launch it alongside Vanilla Bean DRY. Chocolate + Vanilla… Genius, right? Until you try drinking it. We discovered chocolate really isn’t chocolate without its velvety, smooth texture and depth. Most of our sample batches tasted like liquified Tootsie Rolls or carbonated cocoa made with too much water. Now aren’t you glad we didn’t make you go through trying that? The things we do (taste) for you!
6. There’s a bar in our office! This is absolutely necessary for business, considering we host a happy hour every Friday at our space. These par-tays are private, but if you’re in the Seattle area and want join us, we dare you to send us an invite request via our contact form.
7. The only things we drink other than DRY are water and coffee. Ha! We kid, we kid. What would we do without wine, cocktails and the occasional beer? But seriously, we consume a lot of coffee at the DRY office. We’re lucky to have some amazing cafe neighbors in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. Although there’s no buzz in DRY, we’re certainly thankful for a caffeine boost from an outside source every once in a while. We even tried making a Coffee DRY a couple years back, but let’s be honest, it wasn’t anywhere near as good as cold brew, so we put a figurative lid on the idea.
8. Some of the worlds best dogs hang out with us on the daily. Lennox, @CEODRY’s kind-hearted German Shepard, often pounces on his own shadow, but he’s incredible. And he only responds to German commands, which we find totally endearing for some reason. August, a little black pug often graces us with his presence, and then today, Stanley the Frenchie put in his first 8-hour day at DRY. Also, an amazing fan recently took a photo of DRY with a baby Husky. We LOVE this photo. Please send another.
9. Our office is located just a block from Century Link Field, (home of the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders FC) and less than half a mile away from the Mariners’ Safeco Field. Although our team is mostly made up of women, we are big sports fans. Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, Formula 1 – you name it and someone from DRY watches it.
10. We put a message in each bottle. Have you noticed? Next time you’re sipping a bottle of DRY (or pouring from one of our 750 mL Celebration bottles), check the inside panel. You’ll find a little anecdote about your chosen flavor.
Ok – so now you know all the most important info about us! Still have questions? Send us a note via our contact form.
Cheers!