Alcohol-free beer is booming. Can alcohol-free cider enjoy the same success?
CHANCE Clean Cider (0.5% ABV) sees the opportunity for low and no ciders to enjoy the same success as alcohol-free beers.
Beverage entrepreneurs
How to build a beverage brand: Gut health superstar OLIPOP on creating the next wave of soda
When Ben Goodwin founded OLIPOP in 2018, his mission was to reshape the US’ soda addiction with a healthier alternative. This year, the brand is featured in Time100’s Most Influential Companies 2024. How has Goodwin built both a beverage brand – and a...
Luxury gin: Can brands such as Emma Watson's Renais take on tequila?
Premium gin Renais – founded by Emma Watson and her brother Alex Watson – is expanding to the US. Will the brand’s luxury positioning help it take on trending categories such as tequila and mezcal?
How to accelerate your startup journey in a crowded marketplace
BeyondSKU Accelerator is calling for innovative New Yorkers to join its upcoming cohort. Do you have what it takes?
Food and beverage start-ups: How to succeed where others fail
Starting a new business is an enormous challenge and takes a huge amount of courage. So what can you do to give yourself the best chance of succeeding?
How to increase consumer engagement through social media
Whether you’re a start-up or a long-established brand, continued consumer awareness and interest is fundamental to achieving success in the global marketplace. So how can you use social media to do this?
Carving out the white spaces in functional beverages
Brands that want to lead the next generation of functional beverages need to stop thinking about following the big trends: and instead set their sights on niche – but highly loyal – consumers. How do you identify these areas - and successfully build a...
Craftsmanship, collaboration and the ultimate non-alcoholic cocktail: Botivo on creating its aperitif-inspired drink
Sam Paget Steavenson created aperitif-inspired botanical drink Botivo with high-end occasions in mind (his background in events saw him create drinks for The Royal Wedding in 2018). Who better to ask what the secret to the ultimate non-alcoholic cocktail is?
Funding strategies: Mother Kombucha, Lil Bucks, Wildway share tips on raising money
CPG founders from natural brands Wildway, Mother Kombucha, and Lil Bucks shared their strategies for securing funding in a tighter capital market during a recent Naturally Chicago webinar.
How to build alcohol-free brands: Spirits of Virtue shares its secrets to success
Creating a great alcohol-free product is one thing: growing and scaling that into a successful business is another thing entirely. In the last five years, Spirits of Virtue has perfected a range of products; expanded to 16 countries including the US (a...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: ‘This year is a pivotal year for the non-alcoholic category in New Zealand’
After 25 years in the brewing industry – most recently as Heineken’s Global Director of Craft Beer in Amsterdam – Grant Caunter returned to his native New Zealand to start zero-alcohol brand State of Play Brewing. In our series profiling innovators in...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: ‘The beauty of the non-alcoholic space is that there are no rules! We're creating the category for the modern drinker'
Ryan Hanson co-founded non-alcoholic wine Surely in 2020, attracted to the opportunity to innovate in a very traditional category. In our series on entrepreneurs in the low/no alcohol industry, he takes us through what he’s focusing on as a leader of a...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: ‘‘Our calendar is packed with events, from mindful mixology classes to concerts, samplings and more!’
Los Angeles brand OPTIMIST makes botanical spirits that are completely free from alcohol, and this month debuts its first RTD canned cocktail. In our series on innovators in the low/no alcohol industry, co-founder Lisa Farr Johnstone tells us about the...
My Drynuary: ‘Our customers are our main source of inspiration'
Canadian non-alcoholic beer Partake Brewing was launched in 2017: and now sells its brews across Canada and the US. Evan Cohen, President and Chief Commercial Officer, looks at the two markets in this series on innovators in the low/no alcohol industry.
Profile series: Innovators in the low/no alcohol industry
My Drynuary: ‘One of the most common questions we receive is ‘Are you sure this is alcohol-free?’ That's the best compliment we can get!’
ISH Spirits offers a range of alcohol-free sparkling wines, spirits and cocktails: using a proprietary technique so that drinks mimic their alcoholic counterparts as closely as possible. In our series profiling movers and shakers in the industry, founder...
Profile series: Innovators in the low/no alcohol industry
My Drynuary: ‘Knowing there is a bigger purpose behind the role Wild Idol plays in people's lives is very inspiring’
Throughout January, this series will profile some of the movers and shakers in the booming low/no alcohol industry. Today: Paul Beavis, CEO of premium alcohol-free sparkling wine Wild Idol, tells us how the brand has built up listings in upmarket...
Indian anti-hangover first mover Morning Fresh eyes growth opportunities for RTD functional beverages
India-based Morning Fresh is actively expanding its portfolio across categories and formats to fulfil rising demand for functional products, particularly ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages.
How brands can rethink the single use plastic water bottle
The challenges for plastic water bottles are clear: their environmental impact is leading to a consumer backlash and even potential regulatory restrictions. But the future isn’t about a few brands moving into alternative packaging formats: it’s about...
Wecheer wins Coca-Cola HBC’s start-up challenge
Bottle-as-a-Service platform and app Wecheer – whose patented ‘smart bottle opener’ can track every bottle opened to pinpoint the time, location and brand of consumption – has been named as the winner of Coca-Cola HBC’s €100k Start-Up Challenge.
Serial snack entrepreneur with the Midas touch turns his attention on Junkless
Impact Capital - the private equity group of Mike Repole, best known for cofounding Vitaminwater and BodyArmor SuperDrink, which sold to Coca-Cola for $4.1bn and $5.6bn, respectively - has acquired a majority stake in the better-for-you chewy granola bar...
Odyssey Elixir partners with 7-Eleven and Wegmans to bring functional mushrooms “out of niche spaces”
As adaptogens and mushrooms continue piquing the interest of health conscious and sober-curious consumers, the sparkling, functional mushroom beverage brand expanded its convenience and grocery retail presence so “more people are able to experience the...
Optimism and challenges for US craft beer market
In a maturing market, US craft brewers are up against rising costs and supply chain disruptions. But the Brewers Association says its midyear survey indicates optimism for the second half of the year.
Guest article
'It’s a bold new colorful world!' New beverage brands are leveraging colorful brand palettes
The soda aisle is made up of iconic brands with red, blue and green products. But new beverage brands have other ideas, explains Amy Kosnick, CBX Director of Design Strategy, in this guest article.
Gipsy Hill Brewery debuts offset-free carbon negative brews: 'Revolutionizing our supply chain has really made the difference'
Gipsy Hill Brewery claims a world first in creating carbon negative beers without the use of offsets. And the concept, based on regenerative farming, could go well beyond its pints served in London. “By truly embedding sustainability into our brewing...
Coffee startup ansā looks to make a “good cup of coffee” more sustainable with novel roasting technology
Tech startup ansā is in the business of creating a good cup of coffee in all senses of the word with its unique roasting method and consumer appliance that circumvents the need for traditional roasters; all in the pursuit of a greener cup of Joe, company...
BrewDog Distilling Co: ‘2023 will be the year we set the groundwork for our future success’
BrewDog Distilling Co is ‘on a mission to create a world-renowned Scottish spirits brand’: having announced a new portfolio, new distillery, and new CEO. The brand tells us how it intends to create ‘some serious tidal waves’ in the craft spirits industry.
Guest article
Brewing a better future: How beverage brands can strengthen their sustainability credentials
Push those Margaritas, Cosmopolitans and Daiquiris aside. In 2023, clean and green drinks are top of the menu. But how can beverage brands show their commitment to a sustainable future? Giles Fuchs, owner of Gunner Cocktails, takes a look.
US CPG accelerator gears up to turn next cohort of brands into household names
BeyondSKU - a New York-based accelerator for consumer-packaged goods (CPGs) - has issued a callout for F&B startups to apply for the next programme in in September.
Boosting craft beer in Indonesia: Stark seeks to appeal to local tastes and increase category awareness
Bali-based Stark Craft Beer has revealed how it is differentiating its marketing strategy between regions, while cautioning that the fledgling Indonesia market is not yet ready for excessive flavour innovation.
Non-alcoholic market is at an “inflection point,” Ritual Zero Proof CEO discusses growth
Non-alcoholic spirit brand Ritual Zero Proof is tapping into the demand for more artisanal and craft mocktails with the release of its aperitif, as the overall market sees new growth from health-conscious and younger consumers, brand CEO and founder...
Feature
‘Our athletes bring everything to our brand’: STATE’s secrets to success in building its brand
Danish energy drink STATE has attracted a host of sporting ambassadors at the very top of their game – including footballer Christian Eriksen, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki and now Swedish cross-country skier and Olympic gold medalist Jonna Sundling. So...
Beverage, better-for-you are driving CPG deals in 2023
For all the talk of higher interest rates and tighter capital, large CPG food and beverage brands are still acquiring brands to bolster their portfolios, especially in beverages and the better-for-you category, John Siegler of BMO Capital Markets shared...
Craft beverage equipment suppliers merge in $100m deal to create ‘one-stop-shop’
Lotus Beverage Alliance, a collective of six US craft beverage equipment manufacturing companies, has officially launched as a company.
The latest US craft beer market figures: ‘In this maturing & competitive market, collective growth for the category is hard to come by’
In 2022, US craft brewers collectively produced 24.3 million barrels of beer, on par with 2021’s numbers, and craft’s overall beer market share by volume grew to 13.2%, up from 13.1% the previous year, according to the latest figures released by the...
PepsiCo launches ‘Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos Edition’ for Hispanic-owned brands
PepsiCo has launched its Greenhouse Accelerator Program: 'Juntos Crecemos Edition': the first-ever Hispanic edition, which will focus on driving growth of emerging Hispanic-owned food and beverage businesses.
Space Tea takes mission of improving wellness through mushrooms to Expo West
On a mission to promote wellness through music, meditation, and mushrooms, functional beverage brand Space Tea is readying its next step for retail expansion while taking an opportunity to demo its product at this week's Natural Products Expo West event.
‘Diversity breeds innovation,’ Waju founder discusses startup challenges, splashing into Sprouts
Upcycled beverage brand Waju — which uses water produced from the fruit concentrate process — is ready to step into the retail space with a launch in over 400 Sprouts locations in March, after spending the last year optimizing its packaging and...
profile series: innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'January used to be a massive spike for us - but now people are looking for alcohol-free options to fit their lifestyle all year round'
As January draws to a close, James Kindred, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer at Big Drop, highlights that demand for alcohol-free beers is now spread out across the whole year.
My Drynuary: 'The bar will look completely different in 10 years because of the work we're doing all together in alcohol-free right now'
David Fudge, co-founder and CEO of US non-alcoholic spirit brand Aplós, explains why he thinks functional ingredients are the key to reshaping the drinks category.
profile series: innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'Seeing how a product we created can positively impact a customer's life is the best feeling out there'
2023 will be a big year for Welsh brewery Drop Bear Beer, as it opens its own brewery and expands listings across the UK and beyond. Joelle Drummond, Co-Founder and Director of Sales and Marketing, tells us more in our series profiling entrepreneurs in...
My Drynuary: 'I'm inspired by brands that have revolutionized traditional F&B categories'
Mark Wong, founder of UK functional non-alcoholic beer start-up Impossibrew, sees many parallels between the alcohol alternative category and the meat alternative movement. In our series of interviews with movers and shakers in the industry, we hear how...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'We're seeing more craft brewers join the non-alcoholic movement'
Canadian non-alcoholic beer brand Harmon's expects to see more and more innovation in the industry as craft brewers sit up and take note of growth in alcohol-free. In our series of interviews with innovators in the low/no industry, we hear more about the...
My Drynuary: 'Our aim is that you can walk into any venue, anywhere, and ask for a Lyre’s'
Non-alcoholic spirit Lyre's is now available in more than 100 markets worldwide. In our series of interviews profiling innovators in the low/no alcohol industry, CEO Mark Livings shares his secrets to success.
My Drynuary: 'What inspires me? There are so many amazing brands within this space!'
In our series of interviews with innovators in the low/no alcohol space, California entrepreneurs Jordan Bass and Nick Taranto talk to us about their experience in founding and growing HOP WTR: an alcohol-free sparkling hop water with nootropics.
My Drynuary: 'Our jobs are very fast-paced - there's no traditional playbook as we are building something new'
System launched its hard seltzers to create ‘the drinking experience we wanted but didn’t exist yet’: a 9 pack with 3 cans at 0% ABV, 3 cans at 5% ABV and 3 cans at 8% ABV. In our series celebrating innovators in the low/no alcohol industry, co-founders...
My Drynuary: 'We’ve assembled a team that would give the Avengers pause'
Our series profiles movers and shakers in the alcohol-free category. Today we talk to Marcus Sakey, founding partner and chief brand officer of Ritual Zero Proof: a non-alcoholic spirit alternative founded in Chicago in 2019.
My Drynuary: 'It might sound cheesy, but we can really have an impact on people's lives with delicious non-alcoholic alternatives'
Kristina Roth founded US soft seltzer and non-alcoholic spirit brand MIXOLOSHE last year. In our series of interviews celebrating innovators in the low/no alcohol category, she tells us what inspires her.
profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'An alcohol-free drink has to taste good, look good, and help you feel good'
Drynuary 2023 is particularly exciting for entrepreneurs Vanessa Royle and Mariah Wood - they're debuting their new non-alcoholic RTD cocktail brand Tilden in the US. We talk to the duo in our series of interviews with innovators in the low/no alcohol...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'We're running an alcohol-free cocktail trail, cocktail masterclasses, and more!'
One of the early movers and alcohol-free cocktail shakers in the UK's low/no alcohol movement, Laura Willoughby MBE is a well-known face and source of inspiration. In our series of interviews focusing on the category, she tells us what she's working on...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'What inspires me? It’s awesome to find so many incredible female leaders in the industry'
This new series profiles innovators in the low/no alcohol industry. Here, Rose Bax, co-founder of Bax Botanics, tells us what inspires her and her brand.