Partner Content: Mockly
With a mission to bring indulgent, non-alc options to one of the country’s most cocktail-obsessed cities, Aimée Sedky is shaking up New Orleans’s drinking culture with Mockly. Rooted in the city’s bold flavors and festive spirit, Mockly isn’t about imitation. It’s about creating vibrant mocktails that stand on their own. In this interview, Aimée dives into the brand’s origin story, production challenges, and how a partnership with local music legend Trombone Shorty is helping spread Mockly’s message far beyond the Big Easy.
Dry Atlas: What inspired the creation of Mockly? After all, your hometown of New Orleans is best known for its cocktail culture.
Aimée Sedky: One of our favorite lines is, “If you can make it as a mocktail in New Orleans, you can make it anywhere.” Alcohol is deeply ingrained in New Orleans culture—it’s everywhere, at every age, and at almost every social gathering. That’s why it’s been incredibly rewarding to see people in such a heavy drinking culture embrace non-alcoholic options and view them as legitimate replacements in social settings.
My husband and co-founder, Tarik, has been sober for many years. Living in New Orleans, where nearly every occasion involves alcohol, we felt the need for something that allowed him to still be part of the fun without drinking. Soda and sparkling water just weren’t cutting it anymore. That vision inspired Mockly; we wanted to create a ready-to-drink adult beverage that stands on its own rather than trying to mimic a classic cocktail.
DA: How has New Orleans culture influenced Mockly’s brand identity and product offerings?
AS: Flavor, flavor, flavor! New Orleans is known for its bold and diverse culinary scene, and we wanted to bring that same complexity to our drinks. We combined familiar yet intriguing ingredients, focusing on simple but impactful combinations. We use real cane sugar, which is something we feel strongly about. We tested versions with natural sweeteners like Stevia but found they didn’t hit the mark. Embracing real sugar felt authentic to New Orleans’s culture of indulgence.
We also wanted our flavors to be visual and approachable. Much like how gumbo or jambalaya combine simple ingredients into something special, our mocktails are built to be flavorful, but not overwhelming.
DA: What challenges did you encounter during flavor development and production?
AS: Interestingly, flavor development was the easier part! We knew exactly what we wanted and worked with local mixologist Jesse Carr to bring it to life.
The real challenges came during production. Using all-natural ingredients and high juice concentrations (25–35% juice, compared to competitors’ 5–15%) created unexpected hurdles. We even had batches with exploding cans during early production rounds! So our drinks required special processing because of the high juice content and real ingredients. It was a learning curve, but production became much smoother once we figured it out.
DA: What do you think sets Mockly apart in the increasingly competitive non-alc space?
AS: I’m really proud that Mockly isn’t just a non-alcoholic replica of existing cocktails. We created original, adult-focused flavors that stand on their own. We also embraced indulgence while many non-alc brands lean toward low-calorie, health-centric messaging.
Another differentiator is how well the hospitality industry has embraced Mockly. Our on-premise business is booming, and places like the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans stock Mockly in their minibars and on menus. We’ve even seen Mockly being served to teenagers and tweens at restaurants as a more grown-up alternative to a Shirley Temple. We love to watch it be accepted across venues and demographics.
DA: Diving deeper into your New Orleans ties, tell us about your partnership with local music legend Trombone Shorty.
AS: Like many great partnerships, it started through a personal connection. A family friend who loves Mockly connected us with Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. Troy is a non-drinker himself, so there was an immediate alignment. We all felt that the partnership was a natural fit—two New Orleans icons coming together.
We recently had a big photoshoot with him, and his excitement was palpable. He said, “We’re just getting started,” which was music to my ears. Having someone like Trombone Shorty backing Mockly adds authenticity and supports our mission to bring bold, non-alcoholic options to more people.
DA: What’s next for Mockly? Are any new flavors or projects on the horizon?
AS: We’re working on a new flavor in collaboration with another well-known New Orleans brand. I can’t reveal too much yet, but it’s unique, delicious, and should be launching later this year or early next year.
As for expanding into other beverage categories, like alcoholic cocktails or THC drinks, that’s not on our radar. My co-founder is sober, so staying true to our non-alcoholic, non-psychoactive roots feels right. That said, Mockly mixes well with alcohol if someone wants to use it that way. We embrace flexibility and believe in letting people enjoy our products however they like, true to the “laissez-faire” attitude of our hometown.
DA: How do you see the future of social drinking evolving, and where does Mockly fit into that landscape?
AS: Social drinking is becoming more about flexibility and inclusivity. People want options—whether it’s zero ABV, low ABV, or full strength. Mockly fits into that shift perfectly. We offer a drink that can be enjoyed on its own or mixed, depending on what someone’s looking for.
I think more consumers are becoming mindful of their drinking habits. They’re not necessarily going fully sober but they’re definitely cutting back. We’re proud to offer a flavorful, indulgent option that still feels special, no matter where you want to be on the ABV spectrum.
DA: For someone who hasn’t tried Mockly yet, what’s the one thing you’d want them to know?
AS: That we’re a true New Orleans mocktail brand—full of flavor, culture, and fun. And if New Orleans can be a mocktail city, anywhere can!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
