Some founders search for an idea. For Jennifer Roman-Matito, the idea found her. It arrived one summer afternoon with fresh herbs, coconut water, and a moment that felt too aligned to ignore.
As the co-founder of Mother’s Milk, Jennifer has created a ready-to-drink cocktail that blends culture, wellness, and joy. But the heart of the company is much deeper: it’s about trusting timing, following intuition, and building something that feels good in both body and spirit.
A Moment That Changed Everything
Mother’s Milk didn’t begin with a business plan, it began with a feeling. “Christie muddled a little bit of that fresh mint, that fresh shiso leaf… put some coconut water, some vodka in a pitcher… served it to us.”
The first sip stopped Jennifer in her tracks. “I looked at her and I go, babe, we should can this.”
As the afternoon unfolded, so did the clarity. “It’s waking me up… I was feeling great. I was feeling alive.”
Then came the sign, literally. “There’s a sign in the front that reads, try our new strain Mother’s Milk… everyone kept being like, that’s a sign.”
A recipe, a name, and a direction. It all arrived at once, and Jennifer recognized the moment for what it was: an invitation.
From Hospitality Roots to Building a Brand
Jennifer never expected to enter consumer packaged goods. But everything she had done until that point prepared her for it. “We’ve done every role in food and beverage that you can imagine… from cashier all the way up to running the events department.”
Still, the learning curve was steep. “We had no previous experience whatsoever in CPG… this has been a massive learning experience for us and definitely a challenge.”
Yet the clarity remained. She and her co-founder wanted something that simply didn’t exist — a drink made with clean ingredients, rooted in culture, and crafted to support how people actually want to feel. “One of the biggest reasons why we officially came to market… was because we realized that what we wanted to drink didn’t exist.”
Creating Mother’s Milk became both a calling and a responsibility.
Clean Drinking as a Non-Negotiable
As Jennifer became more connected to wellness, she became more aware of how alcohol affected her. “I just started to pay more attention to what I’m putting inside my body… I just can’t do like a bad margarita anymore.”
Clean ingredients weren’t a luxury — they were essential. “We were super specific… this is what we’re looking for.”
And transparency was part of the mission. “Label transparency does not exist in alcohol… alcohol is not regulated by the FDA.”
Mother’s Milk lists everything on the can. Real ingredients. Real macros. Real transparency.
It’s a drink built for people who want to enjoy life — without sacrificing how they feel the next day.
Finding Her Place in a Male-Dominated Industry
Launching a beverage brand meant stepping into a world where men occupy nearly every tier. “It is from top to bottom a male-dominated field… the manufacturers, the backend producers, the investors.”
But Jennifer found strength in the women walking the same path. “Overnight when you find them, you’re like my new best friend… it’s a judgment-free zone.”
Those relationships became momentum. Support. Encouragement. Reminders that bold ideas belong to everyone — especially women.
“Women are superhuman… if you have a cool, unique idea… do it.”
Her journey reflects that truth.
Letting Timing Lead
Jennifer describes the birth of Mother’s Milk with a sense of surrender, not struggle. “When I tell you this business happened to me… it literally happened to me.”
A restructuring at her corporate job created unexpected space. “They gave me a fantastic severance… and I said, this is my sign. I can for the next six months get paid to build my business.”
The timing was too aligned to ignore. She stepped into entrepreneurship not because she had everything figured out, but because she trusted the path unfolding beneath her feet.
A New Way to Drink
Jennifer sees a cultural shift happening, not toward abstinence, but toward awareness. “People are making different choices… do I wanna go all the way sober or do I just not like the options?”
Her own habits changed with age and intuition. “I just started to be more conscious of my hangovers… how gross I was feeling.”
Mother’s Milk fits into the space between wellness and celebration: a drink that feels good during and after, born from ingredients that support the body instead of working against it.
Recognizing the Wins Along the Way
Like many founders, Jennifer rarely stops to acknowledge her progress. “I’m already 10 steps ahead… it’s not enough.”
But then someone recognizes the brand — or congratulates her — and she feels the weight of what she’s created. “Every time somebody… goes, congratulations — that is a pinch-me moment.”
It’s those flashes of reflection that remind her she built something with heart, culture, and purpose.
Paradise, Wherever You Are
Mother’s Milk carries a phrase that Jennifer loves: “Paradise wherever you are.”
It reflects the spirit she brings to her work — joy, intuition, community, and the belief that wellness can be both nourishing and fun.
Her story is a reminder that some ideas arrive with perfect clarity, and that following them requires both courage and ease.
Mother’s Milk isn’t just a drink. It’s an invitation to feel good, live lightly, and trust the moments that ask us to pay attention.
