Here’s another topic that could currently take off just as well as meditation apps did in their time. The trick is that 23% of the adult population are household drinkers, and 51% are in the risk zone. And this problem is now intensifying for a reason that’s not immediately obvious. Moreover, the solution to this problem is very simple. And it doesn’t even require making people quit drinking 😉
Project Essence
Sunnyside is an app designed to help users drink less, meaning to consume less alcohol.
The basic mechanics are simple.
First, the user sets a goal for how much they intend to allow themselves to drink, distributing this amount over the days of the week: some days none, and some days 1-2 glasses.
Then, their task is to log every glass, cup, or shot they drink in the app.
The app tracks each drinking instance and sends the user daily, weekly, and monthly reports on how well they are sticking to their plan, offering congratulations or trying to steer them back on track.
To create stronger motivation, the app counts not just the amount of alcohol consumed, but also how much money the user saves by not paying for drinks, how many nights they sleep better without suffering from hangovers, and how many extra calories they avoid.
Regarding calories, it might be unknown to some that alcohol is one of the most calorie-dense products. The stronger the alcohol, the more calories it contains per serving. Additionally, cocktails, liqueurs, and sweet wines also contain a lot of calories from sugar and/or fructose.
To get that plan in place, users first need to complete a questionnaire in the app, during which the app determines their current alcohol consumption habits and desired goal. Afterward, the app suggests a plan to achieve this goal with a corresponding reduction in alcohol intake.
In the app, users can also talk to a live consultant who can support their motivation and suggest ways to avoid excessive alcohol consumption during corporate parties, vacations, or any other “occasion to drink.”
Interestingly, while the consultants provide advice to users, they can refer to an internal AI machine trained in sober living tips. However, the communication with users is done by a real person, not a machine.
The startup claims that in the first month of using the app, users, on average, drink 30% less than usual, save at least $50 on drinks, and their bodies receive 1,500 fewer calories.
The basic subscription to the app costs $99 per year. There is a premium rate for $298 per year, which guarantees quicker responses to user queries in the chat and the opportunity to meet with their sobriety consultant every week in a live online meeting.
The startup claims that since the launch of the app in 2020, it has helped 200,000 people drink 13.5 million fewer alcohol servings.
In the latest funding round, Sunnyside raised $11.5 million, bringing the total investment in the project to $14.6 million.
What’s Interesting
Sunnyside is not about quitting drinking altogether; it’s about drinking less. And there’s a big difference between the two! Plus, the app is ready to adjust to temporary or occasional deviations from the regimen – relaxing during holidays, partying on one’s birthday, etc. The main principle is no judgment of users: we’re all human, and life happens.
In the same vein, Sunnyside does not aim to combat alcoholism as a disease. Real alcoholics should seek medical help.
Sunnyside targets what is called “household drinking,” which has not yet turned into alcoholism. This type of drinking has 3 stages:
- Episodic drinking, when a person occasionally overindulges during holidays or other occasions.
- Systematic drinking, when a person frequently drinks but believes they can stop at any moment.
- Habitual drinking, when it becomes a routine to drink every evening on the couch in front of the TV or laptop. As aptly described in the picture above, for such people, “having a drink is like eating or sleeping.”
Sunnyside labels intensive alcohol consumption, essentially household drinking, as a growing trend. Household drinking is not alcoholism and might not turn into it – but it can already cause health, weight, and relationship issues.
According to health authorities, “intensive” alcohol consumption starts from 10 “drinks” over 2 consecutive weeks.
A “drink” is defined as one can of beer, 100 milliliters of wine, or 50 milliliters of strong alcohol.
Roughly speaking, 1-2 glasses of wine or cans of beer every day or every other day is already the third stage of household drinking.
The first stage, “episodic drinking” (binge drinking), is when a person consumes 5 drinks within 2 hours at least once every 2 weeks.
59 million Americans are in this stage, accounting for 23.3% of the U.S. population over 18.
In total, 131.2 million Americans or 51.7% of the U.S. population over 18 drank in the past month.
Thus, half of the adult U.S. population is at risk, and nearly a quarter has already crossed the line. Unexpectedly or expectedly, this represents a huge market targeted by Sunnyside.
Where to run
Haven’t you felt that we’re all almost universally household drinkers? 😉 If so, you can create an analog of today’s Sunnyside to solve your problem and simultaneously for tens of millions of other people.
It’s important to note that Sunnyside does not aim to cure people of alcoholism or make them stop drinking altogether. That’s a much more complex task. And, as cynical as it sounds, it’s a much smaller market, as there are far fewer real alcoholics and binge drinkers than household drinkers.
Even in the market of full abstinence from alcohol, there’s the popular organization “Alcoholics Anonymous,” with 2.1 million members, 1.3 million of whom are in the U.S.
Therefore, services for reducing household drinking could have tens of times more users – because the task is simpler and the audience larger.
By the way, one might wonder, “why now?” to which an unexpected answer could be, “because of remote work” 😉 For two reasons:
- First, the rise in popularity of online and remote work modes is increasing the sense of loneliness for many people. And what’s the simplest way to relieve stress if not to have a little drink?
- Second, sitting at home or in a cafe with a laptop, you can even have a glass of wine or beer during the day, which wouldn’t be possible in the office. So, it’s not unlikely that such services could not only be useful but also very timely.
About the Company
Sunnyside
Website: sunnyside.co
Latest Funding Round: $11.5M, November 15, 2023
Total Investments: $14.6M, Rounds: 3