Girl bosses! Jen Batchelor and Bella Hadid are the power team when it comes to the success of Kin Euphorics, the non-alcoholic, social beverage brand. Batchelor exclusively talked to Us about how Kin came to be, what it’s like working with Hadid and her biggest successes.
Hadid’s career consists of long workdays and a hectic life, which led her to look for a unique solution. “That also tethers on burnout, meaning she was constantly working on overdrive – she didn’t have a tool to help her properly unwind,” Batchelor told Us.
Kin was the perfect fit, and Batchelor has had a blast working with Hadid. “Our partnership is all play. We love creating together and imagining a world where Kin can fit into any aspect of your intentional lifestyle,” she said. “[Hadid] helps me keep the embers burning for that future-world vision and also honors my love for the scientific and decidedly nostalgic.”
Batchelor launched Kin Euphorics in 2017 with the goal to transform the social norm of drinking into helping others take better care of themselves – taking something bad for you and turning it into something to make you feel good. The beverages are made with adaptogens, which help decrease stress, and nootropics, which enhance the brain’s cognitive function and other ingredients to give you a euphoric boost.
Batchelor has accomplished a lot when it comes to Kin Euphorics, as she is the first Latina woman to raise over $15 million in venture capital for a beverage brand. She’s started a movement – and she’s just getting started.
Batchelor’s passion for beverages started at a young age – which has much to do with being the daughter of a Saudi Arabia-based distiller of desert moonshines.
“The love I have for drinks is deeply rooted in their rituals and a love for craft inspired by my family,” the founder said.
When talking about the motivation behind Kin, the Miami native felt “no matter how much I invested in myself, alcohol ultimately got in the way of the work I was putting in, especially when I was drinking by default rather than desire (think: free wine at a conference or first dates).”
“Ultimately, I didn’t see what I wanted to drink on bar menus, so I started making them myself and bringing them to bars,” Batchelor continued. “I figured, why does ethyl alcohol have to be the only ingredient I can enjoy to relax or find community around?”
Batchelor wanted non-alcohol drinkers to no longer feel left out of social situations. “With Kin, I remember one of the first goals I had was to bring people something sexy to drink so that they don’t feel like they’re missing out on the party because they’re not having alcohol,” she said.
In 2021, Hadid, the supermodel and fashion mogul, joined the Kin Euphorics team as co-founder and partner, alongside Batchelor, elevating the brand to a new level.
“It was all a coincidence,” Batchelor said when explaining how Hadid got involved. “We like to say that the universe placed Kin in her fridge and then Bella personally reached out to me to discuss what a partnership between us could be.” She continued: “I remember her telling me that Kin had changed her life for the better and she wanted to help spread the message about ‘euphorics.’ ”
Since Hadid became co-founder, according to Batchelor, the company has changed for the better.
“She brings a whole new perspective to the business and has energizing ideas about how we can evolve. She’s a true artist and wildly resilient as she is hardworking. I respect and admire her process so much,” she said. “We’re really lucky to have her passion and keen eye on this love labor of ours when she’s not being whisked around the world for much more glamorous pursuits.
Batchelor wants to “allow for more celebratory moments without compromise.” She continued: “In the almost five years we’ve been around, we’ve seen a drastic reduction in stigma around making the choice to moderate or abstain from toxic alcohol culture. I think one of the biggest successes for Kin is seeing the impact we’ve had on culture and how it’s changing.”
Batchelor is proud of the social norms Kin is helping break down and its accomplishments over the years.
“While we still have a lot of work to do, the stigma of choosing not to drink is slowly fizzing away. I’m already seeing smart, sophisticated, and fun non-alcoholic options being the social norm and a staple on every bar menu, home bar cart and mass grocery offering,” Batchelor explained. “Our overarching mission is resonating in a meaningful way and leaving a long-lasting effect on people, and that is what I truly find to be the biggest success with Kin.”
