Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Epstein.
Hi Monica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Ysidro began with a literal dream. I woke up one morning after dreaming that my husband, Seth Epstein and a friend Alex Dessouky, and I had co-created a drink together. What stood out wasn’t the exact recipe—it was the benefits that were crystal clear: gluten-free, sulfite-free, and non-GMO. I told my husband about it over coffee, and that morning on our walk to Hammonds Beach, we ran into Alex. I shared the dream with him, and the three of us stood there for a moment before deciding: let’s make this real.
That spontaneous yes launched everything. Seth, an Emmy-winning creative director as co-founder and CMO, while Alex brought 25 years of beverage industry expertise as our COO. Together, we created the Ysidro Sake Spritz—the first clean premium RTD made with 100% California ingredients: Junmai Ginjo sake, organic grapefruit, and sea salt. The benefits from the dream became our foundation.
Fast forward to today: we’re in over 300 accounts across California, with our real market differentiator being our presence in Michelin-starred restaurants. We’re expanding through Whole Foods stores and securing our first major venue partnership. What started as a dream is now redefining what a clean premium RTD can be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t been smooth—it’s been pioneering. When we launched, we faced two challenges at once: sake didn’t have a clear home in the beverage world, and “spritz” confused people even more. Buyers didn’t know where to place us: should we be treated like beer beer? Wine? RTD cocktails? And was a sake spritz even a real category? That double ambiguity made them hesitant to take responsibility for the purchase. We were asking them to champion something entirely new in a space that didn’t quite exist yet.
But we believed in what we were building. We knew sake’s moment was coming—we just had to get there first. And we were right. Now the consumer is marching toward sake. What we’re seeing today is that people are either already sake fans or sake curious. The category has opened up, and suddenly what felt like an uphill battle has become our competitive advantage. We didn’t just enter a market—we helped create one.
The early resistance taught us resilience and sharpened our story. Now, when we walk into accounts, we’re not just selling a drink. We’re offering buyers the opportunity to be part of the sake movement before it fully explodes.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As CEO of Ysidro, I do everything—fundraising, building partnerships, thinking through strategies—but what truly drives me is the clear vision I have for what Ysidro is and will become. I never stop thinking about this brand. I’m an evangelist for what we’re building and what premium RTD can be.
My approach is relatable and driven. I’m optimistic and outgoing, and I lead with honesty. We don’t hide behind marketing speak—we’re completely transparent about what’s in our drink and why it matters. Our growth has come through education and conversion. We don’t push product; we share our story, let people taste the difference, and watch them become believers.
What I’m most proud of? Landing a Thomas Keller account and all the Michelin-starred restaurants that followed. Launching in Whole Foods. Getting Ysidro into the Hollywood Bowl—a placement that’s incredibly difficult to secure and a huge achievement for any brand. These weren’t handed to us—we earned them by proving that Ysidro belongs in the most discerning spaces.
What sets me apart is that I see where this is going, and I’m relentless about getting us there. I believe in this brand with every fiber of my being, and that conviction is contagious. People feel it when they meet me, and they feel it when they taste Ysidro.
How do you think about happiness?
The moment someone tastes Ysidro and gets it—that instant when their face changes and they understand what we’ve created. That never gets old.
I’m happiest when I see the brand building momentum. Spotting Ysidro in the wild. Watching it grow within an account over time. When a buyer who brought us in reluctantly calls to place a reorder—that’s pure joy. It means we’ve converted a skeptic into a believer, and that validation fuels everything.
What really lights me up? Getting messages from people I met at events who are now introducing me to buyers or stores they think should carry Ysidro. That’s when you know you’ve created something people want to be part of—they’re not just drinking it, they’re championing it.
What makes me happiest is proof that this vision is real. Every reorder, every new placement, every person who becomes an Ysidro evangelist—it’s all evidence that we’re not just building a brand. We’re building something that matters.
Pricing:
- $20.00-$24.00 for a 4-pack
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ysidro.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drink_ysidro/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-epstein-2021/
Image Credits
The photo graph of my was taken by Lauren Ross www.laurenandabby.com
