Lisa King

Lisa King’s journey with AF Drinks began with frustration. Choosing not to drink alcohol, she struggled to find sophisticated alternatives. Rather than settle for the alcohol-free options available and the feeling of missing out, she launched AF during the Covid lockdowns, building a remote team and a brand from scratch. Her mission was simple: to make not drinking normal, enjoyable, and aspirational.

Lisa pioneered the alcohol-free RTD and spirits category in New Zealand, where AF now holds 39% market share. Her bold approach, which includes launching the country’s first alcohol-free bottle shop, hosting a podcast on mindful drinking, and pushing through complex US regulatory challenges, has led to reshaping public attitudes towards alcohol. 

AF’s products are enhanced with a warming botanical called Afterglow™, and are stocked in around 4,000 US stores including Target, Walmart and Sprouts, with Lisa securing US shelf space within seven months of launch. 5.6 million alcoholic servings have been replaced by AF, with that figure expected to double by 2026.

Lisa brings together a deep personal commitment to change with the practical instincts of a seasoned entrepreneur, as a past EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 2018 for Eat My Lunch. Lisa has built AF Drinks with strong values at its core, by prioritising sustainability, inclusivity, and transparency. Every product is crafted with natural ingredients, zero artificial sweeteners or flavourings, and packaged in recyclable materials.

Through her Drunk AF podcast and sober-curious advocacy, Lisa has become one of New Zealand’s leading voices for mindful drinking. She doesn’t just push for alcohol-free choices, but challenges why drinking is so often expected in the first place. AF is the result of Lisa turning her personal conviction into a global brand and leading a movement built on saying “no” without compromise.