The functional beverage space is getting a major shakeup thanks to Huzzy Smart Sips, the innovative non-alcoholic cocktail brand founded by Black woman entrepreneur Mahisha Dellinger, well known for creating the CURLS haircare empire. In the words of Dellinger herself, “Huzzy Smart Sips embodies a lifestyle choice that prioritizes health, wellness, joy, and social responsibility,” said Dellinger, CEO and founder of Huzzy Smart Sips.
“It’s our mission to provide a celebratory experience that aligns with sober living, offering a guilt-free alternative to alcohol while making a meaningful impact on the community, all within an accessible price range.”
The Vision: From “CURLS” to Smart Sips
Mahisha Dellinger’s journey toward Huzzy Smart Sips is one of transformation. After feeling the toll that entrepreneurship and stress had taken on her mental and physical health, she realized many women were seeking satisfying alternatives to alcohol. “The demands of being an entrepreneur took an incredible toll on my mental and physical health. As the pressure mounted, my drinking intensified,” Dellinger said. Deciding to find a better solution, she began to innovate new beverage blends “good for my liver, good for my gut, good for my waistline”.
Taking inspiration from her own life, Dellinger wanted to redefine the term “hussy”—once used negatively to refer to “a woman of low moral value”—and instead celebrate it as “a strong, courageous woman who’s taking charge of her life.” This rebrand is reflected in both product and purpose.
Unique Formulation: Buzz Without the Fuzz
Huzzy Smart Sips stands out in a crowded beverage market because its drinks are not just low-calorie and vegan, they’re functionally designed with “organic teas, fruit extracts, antioxidants, adaptogens, and nootropics like passion flower & lion’s mane extract.” Rather than relying on traditional buzz-giving substances, Huzzy leverages nootropics for cognitive support and adaptogens as natural mood enhancers. “A key thing to note is that we are the only non-alcoholic functional cocktail that focuses on protecting your liver and your gut with those antioxidants. That’s a unique difference with us,” Dellinger stated.
The brand omits ashwagandha due to potential liver/gut impacts, and instead utilizes stars like “lion’s mane, passionflower, lemon balm, schisandra berry, jujube fruit, holy basil, chamomile tea, chicory, turmeric, and cordyceps mushroom.” These blends are “vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, low carb, low calorie, zero refined sugar, and caffeine-free,” guaranteeing enjoyable, hangover-free vibes.
Product Lineup: Flavorful, Functional, Mindful
Huzzy Smart Sips launched with six flavor-forward options:
- Berry Banger Margarita
- Spill The Tea-Long Island
- Pow Wow Moscow
- Golden Elixir Whiskey Fixer
- Honey Pop Lemon Drop
- Siesta Sipper Sangria
Each can retail at $5.99, with four packs available for $19.99.
Partnerships Amplifying Impact
Reflecting its wellness mission, Huzzy Smart Sips recently announced high-level collaborations with Nike, Lululemon, and PETA. Together, these alliances represent a powerful intersection of health, performance, ethical living, and sober empowerment. Nike will feature Huzzy at select athlete training and wellness recovery lounges; PETA and Lululemon will engage in mindfulness and wellness initiatives, embedding Huzzy Smart Sips in events that promote self-care and intentional living.
Dellinger additionally partnered with the Sad Girls Club, an online mental-health platform founded by Black women, donating 1% of product proceeds to support women’s access to mental health services.
“Sip Smart” and Social Responsibility
Huzzy Smart Sips made its festival debut as the official “non-alcoholic beverage partner” at Taste of Lauderdale Lakes Food & Beverage Festival in September 2024, showing a commitment to reach diverse communities and expand mindful celebration—“offering a variety of options for all guests, and Huzzy Smart Sips provides a delicious, elevated alternative that enhances our festival’s diverse culinary landscape”.
Looking Ahead
With its “buzz without the fuzz” guarantee, functional ingredients, accessible price, and robust mental-health mission, Huzzy Smart Sips marks a new era of transparent, intentional drinking and celebratory self-care. “It’s our mission to provide a celebratory experience that aligns with sober living, offering a guilt-free alternative to alcohol while making a meaningful impact on the community,” Dellinger reaffirms.
As women everywhere chase health and happiness, Dellinger’s new brand proves that the future of “going out for drinks” just got a lot smarter.
