Daring and bold, Étienne Boulay has always done things his way. With Atypique, his line of non-alcoholic drinks, the former football player continues to score points.

“When I got sober, a little over four years ago, I quickly noticed that there was nothing interesting for me to drink at parties. Most of the time I had to settle for water. When Jonathan Robin, the founder of the NOROI distillery in Saint-Hyacinthe, spoke to me about his idea to create a line of non-alcoholic beverages, I didn’t hesitate for a second, before embarking on the adventure. Our first ready-to-drink cocktails (Gin & Tonic, Mojito, Spiced Rum & Cola and Spritz) were immediately successful, and proof that we were responding to a need that wasn’t being met for people wanting to reduce their consumption of alcohol, wholly or partially. That made us want to take it even further, and that’s how our three new drinks were born, two spirits with which we could create all sorts of cocktails without alcohol. —Étienne Boulay