by THE STAFF

Zachary Poelma , senior vice president , supplier strategy & insights at Southern Glazer ’ s Wine & Spirits .

NO- AND LOW-ALCOHOL BEVERAGES

No- and low-alcohol beverages continue to gain traction nationwide . Some 25 % of Americans over 21 participated in Dry January last year , according to research group Civic Science . And with the amount of beverage options that are now available , it ’ s becoming easier to take part in this month-long sober activation .

“ While the beverage alcohol industry faced a challenging year in 2024 , the low and no trend continues to be a clear bright spot for the industry , benefiting from changing consumer preferences driven by moderation and health and wellness trends ,” says Zach Poelma , senior vice president , supplier strategy & insights at Southern Glazer ’ s Wine & Spirits .

Poelma notes that the alcohol-free segment is currently dominated by beer ( 85 % share ), followed by wine ( 11 %) and spirits ( 5 %). “ While small , over the last three years , no-alcohol spirits have gained 3.3 points of dollar share within the Beer / Wine / Spirits Non-Alcoholic segment ,” he says .

Beverage brands across the globe have taken note of the rising consumer interest in the no- and low-alcohol segment . Hotel conglomerate Hilton has even started offering alcohol-free cocktails on select bar menus , featuring zero proof spirit brands such as Lyre ’ s to curate healthier concoctions .

Hilton ’ s Hasta la Matcha , for example , contains 2 oz . of Lyre ’ s Agave Blanco , 0.75 oz . of lime juice and 2.25 oz . of matcha mix . This mocktail is offered at the hotel ’ s Times Square location .

At-home cocktail maker brand Bartesian has also recently released some no- and low-alcohol options for consumers to

Offered at their Times Square location , Hilton ’ s Hasta la Matcha Mocktail is a delicious alcohol-free option for health-conscious consumers .

choose from .

“ Consumer feedback is overwhelmingly positive for this feature . It gives users the option to experiment and customize their drink for the occasion or time of the day / week ,” says Bartesian founder and CEO Ryan Close . “ Our team of expert food scientists are always looking for new ways to deploy the Bartesian and are currently experimenting with options that would specifically address the no / low alcohol segment .”

This doesn ’ t necessarily mean that no- and low-alcohol options will drive alcohol beverages out . In fact , Poelma notes that almost every consumer that buys alcohol-free products is also purchasing alcohol products .

“ More than 93 % of non-alcohol buyers are also purchasing alcohol versions of beer , wine and spirits ,” he says . “ Per Nielsen , this means that buyers are highly engaged with beverage alcohol , resulting in more value to total alcohol .”

While beverage brands continue to pivot and enter the low and no-alcohol space , there are some that have become fan favorites among consumers .

At Southern Glazer ’ s , Poelma has noticed that Ritual Zero Proof , Mionetto Alcohol Removed , Freixenet Alcohol Removed , CleanCo Zero Proof Spirits , Fre and Seaglass are among some of the most popular alcohol-free wines and spirits .

“ On the low alcohol side , Kim Crawford Illuminate and Waterbrook Clean are among the most popular wines that continue to show strong potential ,” he says .

If you ask anyone in the industry , they will likely say that the no- and low-alcohol movement is here to stay , especially

14 Beverage Wholesaler • Spring 2025 www . bevwholesaler . com