Since opening the first Boisson store three years ago in post-Covid New York, Nick has made it his mission to 'curate the best of alcohol-free from around the world'. With an ecommerce platform, growing distribution network and eight bricks and mortar stores (with a ninth opening early in 2024) it has a real case for being the focus for non-alc in the United States.

'We help consumers and on-trade customers cut through the massive amount of new product offerings coming to the market, and select the best,' he says.

Nick is a big lover of the AF wine scene, thinking that while there are big improvements in quality taking place, the fragmented nature of the category - particularly compared to, say, beer - means that we're 'seeing small pockets of innovation', but thte next three to five years could be inspiring.

At WAFA 2024 he says that he's really looking forward to trying the competition's aperitif entries. 'Not just the traditional analogues, like amaros, Campari and Aperol, but truly new categories of aperitifs.'

Nick put himself through university by working as a professional club DJ. He keeps looking for a comeback moment, but is regretfully accepting that this might never happen - particularly since he now has a young family and is rarely up past midnight. Perhaps we could put a couple of decks up in the corner of the judging area for him...?