Apothékary

Apothékary is a plant-based herbal wellness brand founded by Shizu Okusa, a former Goldman Sachs / Wall Street professional, and based in Lorton, Virginia (launched January 2020). The brand makes adaptogen-rich tinctures and powdered blends rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Japanese Kampo, positioning herbal "farmacy" remedies as clean alternatives to conventional supplements and, in several cases, to alcohol. The company has expanded into retailers including Whole Foods Market and Ulta Beauty, backed by an $8 million pre-Series A round that included a strategic investment from Shiseido.

In the non-alcoholic space, Apothékary is best known for Wine Down, an alcohol-free, red wine-inspired liquid herbal supplement taken as drops or mixed into a beverage. It blends L-theanine (50 mg) with botanicals such as elderberry, California poppy, hawthorn berry, blue vervain, Ceylon cinnamon, and black pepper to support relaxation and sleep without alcohol. The brand reports an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (80 participants) in which 97% of participants reported drinking less after two weeks.

Blue Me Away is the brand's caffeine-free "blue botanical" powder, built around blue butterfly pea flower, adaptogenic eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) root, chlorella, and coconut milk powder to support mental clarity and focus. It is sold in jars of roughly 20 servings and is described as tasting nutty and earthy with a slightly sweet coconut finish. Other alcohol-alternative and functional blends in the lineup include Take the Edge Off and Chill the F* Out.