Continuing our Q&A series, we chat with Daniel Incropera, Director of Sales and Partnerships at Craftmix, whose mixers are featured in this month’s Sober October box, One Margarita. Learn about his journey at Craftmix from internship to becoming their first official employee, all the way to a glimpse of what’s ahead. Let’s get into it!
Where did you first get involved with Craftmix, and what drew you to the brand?
I was in Graduate School post pandemic, living in my childhood bedroom, and wanted to get an internship from home. I found Craftmix via LinkedIn, and reached out to the Founder in every way imaginable to make sure my application was looked at. I ultimately got the internship, worked for free for a year under the Founder, then was brought on as the first full-time employee in the company's history in 2023. I always wanted to make an impact in a company, and not just be another number to a set of board directors who don't even know my name. In order to do that, I needed to sacrifice my time to prove my worth, and it paid out beautifully! We've grown exponentially and continue to grow each day
What’s your favorite part of your role & what makes the work exciting for you?
The flexibility is great, both from a meetings/calendar perspective, but we also all know that every person in this company is working hard, so there's no need to track activity on the day-to-day. Our Social Media Team knows I work hard, just like I know they work hard, and we're all striving for one common goal.
What’s one partnership or collaboration that stands out to you as particularly meaningful?
It's hard to pick one, but there is one retailer in Newport, Rhode Island that I stumbled across this summer and dropped some samples off to their managers. They ultimately liked the product, and ordered wholesale to sell in their shop, and within a matter of days they become our #1 selling retail location in the country, selling hundreds of units per week of product. As a New England kid, those hometown partnerships feel extra special.
What’s your go-to Craftmix recipe right now?
Funny enough, I don't drink LOL! But, as a non-alcoholic powder, Craftmix has really leaned into the Mocktail world these last few years. Our Espresso Martini mocktail is bang on, just 3oz of water, and a packet. As simple as that. Give it a good shake and the drink actually foams up like a real barmade Espresso Martini.
What do you hope people feel when they’re creating a drink with Craftmix?
I hope people feel included. Like I said, whether you're a cocktail enthusiast, or a cocktail rookie, or a Mom-To-Be, or someone trying to give up alcohol for their lifestyle, any and everyone can utilize Craftmix, and it's so cool seeing the wide variety of customer demographics we have. Heck, my 11 year-old brother LOVES Mango Margaritas!!
How do you see products like Craftmix changing the way people gather?
Our Variety Packs add a great element to a party because there's something for everyone. Whether you like tequila, vodka, or rum, there's a flavor selected just for you. It also allows the selected "bartender" for the night, to make quicker drinks and spend more time enjoying the company that they're with, instead of in the kitchen making drinks.
What’s one recent win you and your team celebrated?
Our Social Media Team CRUSHES it. It seems every week there's a new milestone with them, but when they reached 250k on TikTok, that was a massive accomplishment. Growing the page from nearly nothing to where it's at today is much harder than it seems, and Sarah/Tessa are rockstars!
The Craftmix social media pages always crack us up. What inspired this unique approach, and why do you think it connects so well with people?
We didn't want to be like every other Food/Beverage brand on socials, where their videos are basically just sales pitches. We wanted to do something that captivated our audience, and had people coming back for more. As well as something that was repeatable. People love the videos because they're close to being relatable, while still being out of the box. A ton of corporate employees sit on those boring Zoom calls, where I'm sure in their head they wish they could prank their boss. We just bring that to life!
How do you think Craftmix fits into conversations around mindful drinking and inclusive social experiences?
The Mocktail world is massive, and that's where we really thrived with inclusivity. Not only non-alc options, but we're also providing a better-for-you mixer that's made from real fruit and low calorie/low sugar, so any diet can enjoy as well!
How has working at Craftmix changed the way you think about cocktails, hosting, or even community?
The key for me is *mocktails*. My close circle also doesn't drink alcohol, so having something fun and tasty that we can sip on while we hang out or go out makes the night that much more fun. Plus, it's super easy, I don't need to buy certain bulky liquid bottles, and we can take them out anywhere we go! And that community of people with similar use cases is growing by the day.
Have people used Craftmix in ways you didn’t expect? What surprised you the most?
We have a location in Arizona that actually orders wholesale from us and serves them at their bar location. So we're on their menu with a few flavored mocktails which is super exciting, and they do very well. So the bar and restaurant industry is another avenue that we think we can take over eventually, slow but steady.
What’s one ritual or habit in your day that keeps you grounded and inspired?
Fitness is huge for me. I'm able to get in and out of the gym before our West Coast Team is firing off emails for the day, and I try to go for mini walks throughout the day to stay active when I have time between meetings. Serves great for brain fog!
Any fun news or launches coming up you can share?
We always have some things in the works. One major flavor launching in 2026 is one of the most popular savory cocktails in the World ;)
Cheers to Daniel and the team for building Craftmix with purpose and creating delicious mixers that elevate at-home drinks.”