Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2025

Back to Tradition: Rye Straws Return to the Cocktail World

London, UK – October 2025 — The cocktail industry has spent the last decade reviving forgotten classics, from the Old Fashioned to the Tom Collins. Now, one of the oldest traditions of all is making its return: the rye straw.

Long before plastic or paper, bartenders in the 19th century cut hollow stalks of rye grass from the fields and slipped them into juleps, lemonades, and Collinses. At the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep was once sipped through rye straws, making them part of cocktail history.

Today, Naturally OG Straws, a Shaffer Farms brand, is bringing that tradition back. Made from Canadian rye grass, OG Straws are carbon-negative, eco-friendly, and a sustainable alternative to plastic. For every case of 500 sold, £5 is donated to community programs, connecting cocktails not only to their past but to a better future.

“Bartenders who use rye straws aren’t just choosing sustainability,” said Gerald Shaffer, founder of Naturally OG Straws. “They’re restoring a piece of cocktail heritage — one sip at a time.”

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Media Contact

Gerald Shaffer
Founder – Naturally OG Straws, a Shaffer Farms Brand
📧 gerald@shafferfoods.com
🌐 www.ogstraws.com