«J’aime les expériences où chacun peut partager le même moment» : Omar Sy investit dans le vin sans alcool
The actor, who is among the French people's favorite personalities, is coming to the aid of the Petit Béret brand, a company in difficulty in a sector that is nevertheless booming.
Actor Omar Sy has acquired a stake in Le Petit Béret, a pioneering non-alcoholic wine company founded in 2015. This strategic support comes as the company, founded and managed by Fathi Benni from the Hérault region, aims to establish a center of excellence for non-alcoholic beverages and a bottling facility in the Occitanie region, thanks to the actor's investment. A consumer of non-alcoholic drinks himself, Sy described this investment as a well-considered choice in an interview with Le Figaro. "Anything that brings people together, unites them, and breaks down barriers resonates deeply with me. I love experiences where everyone can share the same moment, in the same way, without distinction or exclusion. It's in this spirit that I consume non-alcoholic beverages and enjoy being a part of it," the actor explained.
Convinced that "consumer trends are evolving structurally, as evidenced by the strong growth of non-alcoholic beverages over the past few years," this figure, ranked among the most popular personalities in France, believes that this segment is "no longer a niche market." Technically, Le Petit Béret develops beverages made from grapes without alcoholic fermentation. Unlike processes that remove alcohol after fermentation, the company focuses on developing aromas from the outset: "We work with grapes like wine. I work on acidity, not sugar. That's what differentiates us from fruit juice." "When there's no alcohol, the issue becomes preservation. Our R&D approach avoids chemical additives in our beverages. It offers a product positioned in a market segment between viticulture and the food industry," explains the CEO, a former executive at Mondelez (Milka, Côte d'Or...). Thus, Le Petit Béret claims to offer "a category of consumers who do not drink alcohol, but who are still looking for an aromatic profile close to what a wine lover is used to drinking."
While the company has found a pleasing balance of taste among its management and the public so far, Le Petit Béret is struggling to achieve financial stability. The company has never been profitable, accumulating €4 million in losses over the last four published fiscal years (with annual revenue of approximately €2.3 million). It has been under court-ordered restructuring since November. "We will break even by 2026," promises Fathi Benni, who declined to comment on Omar Sy's financial stake. The only available information is that the company claims to have raised €6 million since its inception. It has officially disclosed only €1.5 million raised through 2022. To get back on track, the product range has expanded to include non-alcoholic beers and "0% spirits," including "a gin with zero alcohol and zero sugar."
To date, 60% of revenue comes from wine products, but the strategy is also shifting towards spirits. Exports already account for 40 to 45% of sales, with a wide variety of destinations. This development phase has come at a price, which explains the company's current financial situation. "We invested in R&D, and that has a cost. Scaling up production and international expansion are losing money. There are no surprises here. We had to go through this initial phase," emphasizes Fathi Benni.
The arrival of Omar Sy, now the second-largest shareholder, at the beginning of 2026 marks a turning point. "Omar is a key supporter in our development phase; his involvement will allow us to scale up from a start-up to an international brand," the founder emphasizes. Meanwhile, the company will quickly focus on creating a Non-Alcoholic Excellence Center (NAEC) in Occitanie. It will be dedicated to R&D for Le Petit Béret but will also be open to other brands. The site, whose location is still under discussion, could be operational within 18 months. The amount of the investment remains confidential.
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