Spencer McManes is a smart guy. He attended Blessed Trinity High School and Yale University where he studied political science and played football. He then moved to Washington, DC to work under Stanley McChrystal at the consulting firm, McChrystal Group, before moving to Austin, TX and taking on a career in technology startups.
His wisest decision and best move? “I went through a ‘sober-curious’ phase of my life when I realized that all of my challenges pointed back to alcohol. I live by the motto that ‘every day is the best day of my life’ and that everyone should ‘vacation every day,’ but alcohol was getting in the way. I knew I wasn’t alone, so I set out to find a better solution.”
Now living in Austin, he is the founder and CEO of Kaviva, a company that sells non-alcoholic drinks that give you a buzz. “As a consumer, I found a lack of options between non-alcoholic beverages and alcohol, especially at bars and restaurants, and I set out to change that,” says Spencer, who grew up in Alpharetta. “I believe people will always want to go out to a shared location to be social and will always want to feel an elevated experience from their normal ‘day-to-day,’ but that alcohol was not the best way to achieve this.”
While playing rugby in Austin, his Fijian teammates shared an ancient ceremonial tea called kava. Kava is a tropical evergreen shrub belonging to the pepper family, native to the South Pacific Islands. Its root and stems are made into a non-alcoholic tea, also called kava, which is consumed for its calming and euphoric effects, often after rugby matches as a way to bond with teammates and competitors. “There is no hangover, no addiction, yet a calming relaxing buzz and social uplift, similar to that of 1-2 alcoholic drinks,” says Spencer.
He created the formula with a team of food scientists using natural ingredients strong enough to feel the effects in one can. Friends helped out with taste-testing sessions. “Finally, we needed the can design to look and feel like the drink tastes… slightly sweet, refreshing, and a burst of good energy to fuel you to have the best day of your life,” says Spencer.
Kaviva is now sold in multiple markets, liquor stores, and bars in the Austin area. “We have received positive feedback across the board – from the calming feeling consumers experience after their first can, to the additional option to enjoy a social outing without having to drink boring water, and even the colorful can design,” reports Spencer.
He hopes to bring Kaviva to Alpharetta restaurants and bars. “Take a look around your favorite bar, restaurant, or market, and let them know if you think Kaviva would be a good fit! Maybe I can parlay my future business trips into dinner with my parents and brother, who live within walking distance of downtown Alpharetta!”