8-24-26-9 AM Club
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two former Indiana University student-athletes are proving a night out can come with a better morning. Luke Naas, co-founder of 9AM Club, discussed the brand’s growing ready-to-drink cocktail lineup and newest product launch.
“We were collegiate athletes at IU who couldn’t find a drink that fit our active lifestyle, so we built one ourselves,” Naas said.
The Hoosier connection
The pair launched 9AM Club while they were students in Bloomington. Naas graduated from IU’s Kelley School of Business with a degree in finance, while co-founder Peter Lemme studied neuroscience and is now attending medical school.
What makes 9AM Club different
The brand’s tagline is “Great night. Better tomorrow.”
The cocktails are made with real vodka and fruit juice. They contain electrolytes, zero grams of added sugar, and no carbonation.
- ABV: 8% alcohol by volume.
- Price: An eight-pack costs $20.
“We took vodka, fruit juice, electrolytes — things that we thought were better for you — and tried to put it together,” Naas said.
New variety pack
The company recently launched an eight-pack variety pack featuring four flavors:
- Blood Orange
- Cranberry
- Strawberry
- Agave Lime (the original flavor)
Naas said the variety pack gives customers a chance to try multiple flavors without “flavor fatigue.” He noted the pack offers twice as many drinks as some competitors at the same price point.
From college idea to Sun King partnership
Partnerships played a key role in turning the college project into a retail product. During his senior year, Naas asked his professors for advice on how to bring the drink to market…