Ten intriguing trends set to shake up alcohol in 2025
Savory serves, protein cocktails and ‘brothtails’… what are some of the coolest and craziest trends emerging in beverage alcohol?
Low & no alcohol drinks
UK consumers more open to low-no alcohol drinks over the festive season
Consumers are increasingly interested in having a ‘Dry Christmas’
Apothékary secures additional funding, bridges beverage, beauty categories
Apothékary continues its expansion in the wellness space, securing additional funding for its Series A round from global Japanese beauty brand Shiseido and launching on Ulta.com as the retailer’s first alcohol alternative product.
Innovation watch: Alcohol-free
Europe's leading the way in alcohol-free. How is innovation shaping up?
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.
Retail’s the right way for alcohol-free: AF drives growth with Sprouts, Target, Walmart listings
New Zealand alcohol-free brand AF has set its sight on tripling sales over the next twelve months, thanks to US listings in Target and Walmart. That visibility in retail is key for growing the category, the brand’s founder tells us.
LVMH invests in luxury alcohol-free wine, French Bloom
Moët Hennessy – the wines and spirits division of LVMH – has acquired a minority stake in premium alcohol-free sparkling wine brand, French Bloom.
Diageo makes another big play in non-alc spirits with acquisition of Ritual Zero Proof
Diageo North America has acquired Ritual Zero Proof Non-Alcoholic Spirits: the top non-alcoholic spirit brand in the US.
Rising wellness trends: Zero-proof is ‘the next wave of beverages,’ foods for anxiety relief see ‘varied results’
Zero-proof beverages are gaining market traction as health-conscious consumers moderate their alcohol consumption while many shoppers also seek out functional foods to combat stress and anxiety, market research company Circana shared in a recent webinar...
What is zebra striping?
More than a quarter of drinkers embrace 'zebra striping', according to recent research. How can brands engage with this trend?
Top trends in beverage alcohol
What are the top trends driving the global beverage alcohol market forward - and how can we expect the industry to evolve?
Pernod Ricard acquires minority stake in Lewis Hamilton’s non-alcoholic agave spirit
Pernod Ricard has acquired a minority stake in Almave: the non-alcoholic blue agave-based spirit brand co-founded by Formula One star Lewis Hamilton.
Push to profitability: Asahi sees major growth in local non-alcoholic beverages and ASEAN region despite Oceania decline
Japan beverage giant Asahi has seen significant growth in its RTD alcoholic beverages category as well as the South East Asian market as major contributors to profitability over the past six months, despite negative impacts from Oceania sales.
What are the risks of non-alcoholic beer on tap?
Without the antimicrobial properties of ethanol, non-alcoholic beer can be riskier even than soft drinks when sold on tap. How can this be mitigated?
Tequila cocktail trends
It’s not just about margaritas. National Tequila Day (July 24) puts the spotlight on the huge variety of cocktails now embracing the trending spirit.
Seven summer beverage trends for 2024
What's hot this summer? We take a look at the top beverage trends.
The wine officially endorsed by WW
TRACES has become the only wine officially endorsed by the global weight management company, WW, in the UK and Ireland. But its potential could go far beyond the program: does lower-calorie wine hold the key to appealing to the next generation of drinkers?
How AB InBev tackles stigma in non-alcoholic beer
Social stigma continues to plague the non-alcoholic beer category, according to AB InBev. How is the world’s largest brewer working to overcome this hurdle?
Making 0.0% ABV beer with body and aroma: Inside the brewery with AB InBev
How has non-alcohol brewing evolved over time? The world’s largest brewery reveals how it develops body and aroma in 0.0% beer.
Natural Products Expo West
Expo West trends: Non-alcoholic category keeps it refreshing with hop-infused beverages
Non-alcoholic beverages were on full display at Natural Products Expo West 2024 last week, as hop-heavy brands like Hoplark, H2OPS, and Lagunitas shared how they are tapping into consumer demands for bold and interesting flavors.
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?
Growing an alcohol-free brand: Days Brewing talks TikTok triumphs and pint bottle launch
Alcohol-free beer Days Brewing has grown the brand through witty advertising and cheeky TikTok videos. Co-founders Mike Gammell and Duncan Keith tell us about their 2024 plans to drive brand awareness, availability and the right formats for modern beer...
‘They still want to go out and enjoy themselves’: Non-alcoholic beer consumers want fun, flavour and pints on tap
The market for non-alcoholic beer has steadily shifted away from niche in recent years, with many big brands releasing their own 0.0% and alcohol free brands. But consumers who drink alcohol-free beer are often looking for the same thing as those who...
‘New words for a new lifestyle’: What’s the right language to use with alcohol-free drinks?
Does the word ‘mocktail’ accurately describe a non-alcoholic cocktail - or does it make it sound like an inferior counterpart? Does ‘teetotal’ do a good job of explaining alcohol-free - or does it smack of puritanism and prohibition? Nomenclature is...
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...
Can alcohol-free wine see the same success as alcohol-free beer?
Alcohol-free wine has been slower to take off than alcohol-free beer. Why is this – and are there signs that the category’s fortunes are changing?
What's hitting the shelves? New launches in low and no alcohol
From canned cocktails to alcohol-free liqueurs, we take a look at some of the new products launching in the low and no alcohol category this month.
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...
How to market alcohol-free alternatives responsibly
Alcohol-free alternatives provide a welcome option to the increasing number of consumers who choose not to drink. But there are growing concerns that branding similarities to alcohol could mean that alcohol-free alternatives act as a gateway into alcohol...
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.
What does the global low/no alcohol market look like in 2024?
It's January - meaning the spotlight is well and truly on the low and no alcohol category. The latest data from IWSR sets the scene and pinpoints where future growth is most likely to come from.
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...
What’s stirring this Dry January? Canned mocktails, extra hoppy beverages, functional drinks
Non-alcoholic beverages continue to gain a foothold, cutting into the overall alcohol market, as brands like Longbottom, HOP WTR, and hiyo tap into consumer demands for quality, functionality, and health.
Profile series: Innovators in the low/no alcohol industry
My Drynuary: 'My goal as a winemaker is to create wines that make consumers feel there is a product that was made just for them'
California’s lower alcohol Cupcake Lighthearted wines (8% ABV) were inspired by winemaker Jessica Tomei, who craved a lighter option to fit in with her active lifestyle. In this series profiling brands in the low/no alcohol industry, we talk to Tomei...
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...
Tesco predicts record demand for low and no alcohol drinks this Christmas
Tesco is ordering in extra stock to accommodate demand for low and no alcohol drinks this Christmas: as it predicts a record season for the category in the UK.
White Claw launches electrolyte-enhanced 0% Alcohol: ‘It’s a fundamentally new kind of drink for every kind of adult drinker that could only come from White Claw’
Hard seltzer pioneer White Claw is launching White Claw 0% Alcohol in the US in January: ‘a radically new beverage’ that is designed to combine White Claw flavors with hydrating electrolytes while replicating the complexity of alcohol.
‘Aggressive measures’: Kirin outlines plans for beer and sugar-free product innovation amid profits slump
Beverage heavyweight Kirin Holdings has outlined plans to implement ‘aggressive measures’ across beer and sugar-free innovation, to recover from the negative impact of cost increases.
Chr Hansen bets on bubbling growth for alcohol-free trend: ‘We expect the taste and quality of beers to advance’
The quality of non-alcoholic beer is on the up. So too is the number of consumers opting for alcohol-free tipples for different drinking occasions, observes Chr Hansen, who is expanding its offerings for the non-alcoholic brewing industry.
How could changing the definition of ‘alcohol-free’ reshape the UK market?
England is considering raising the upper limit for an ‘alcohol-free’ drink from 0.05% ABV to 0.5% ABV. How could this change the burgeoning alcohol-free market in the UK?
Are young adults really a generation of non-drinkers?
Young adults are increasingly presented as a generation of non-drinkers. But how accurate is this?
Festive drink trends: Tradition meets tequila and tropical twists
What drinks trends can we expect for the upcoming festive season? Experts share what they’re looking out for in the UK.
‘The times they are a-changin': Alcohol has gone out of style and out of the music charts, research reveals
As surveys find that Gen Zs are drinking less than any other age group, new data also shows a significant decline in chart-topping songs that reference being drunk.
Sober October: New beverage launches in the low and no alcohol category
From alcohol-free tequila alternatives to sweet & spicy low alcohol wine, we take a look at some of the latest innovations in the low and no alcohol category.
Natural Products Expo East
Non-alcoholic industry shakes off stereotypes, embraces new merchandizing strategies to drive 30% yoy growth
Once relegated to the bottom shelf in the back corner of a store or hidden among the sparkling water or cocktail mixers, non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits are breaking free from the stereotypes of who drinks them and when, and in doing so are setting...
England looks to change ‘alcohol-free’ definition
England currently considers an ‘alcohol-free’ drink as one containing less than 0.05% ABV – differing from a number of other countries that use 0.5% ABV as the definition. A public consultation is now seeking views on whether to raise the threshold for...
Labatt Breweries of Canada to distribute two more non-alcoholic brands
Labatt Breweries of Canada (AB InBev) becomes the distributor across Quebec of Duvernois Creative Spirits’ non-alcoholic portfolio, which features the Romeo's Gin non-alcoholic and Bockale brands.
Understanding the consumers driving growth in alcohol-free: Part 2
A fifth of Americans plan to cut back on alcohol. What’s motivating them to drink less?