Industry

NA beer share growth slowed in January, showing potential category maturation and early saturation signs. (brewbound.com)

Younger consumers reduce alcohol spending and shift social activity toward fitness and wellness experiences. (institute.bankofamerica.com)

Luxury hotels add celebrity bakeries to attract younger guests seeking affordable indulgences over alcohol. (semafor.com)

Amass Brands opens investment opportunities as it expands its portfolio in the beverage and wellness space. (amassbrands.com)

Investors now prioritize sales velocity, repeat orders, and margin discipline over rapid distribution expansion. (newrulesbev.com)

Michelob ULTRA Zero became the top-selling non-alcoholic beer within one year of launch. (mybeerbuzz.com)

Consumer brand leaders use panels, creators, and diverse teams to stay aligned with Gen Z preferences. (fastcompany.com)

Amanda Thomson discusses NOUGHTY’s growth, market evolution, and future plans for premium non-alcoholic wine. (linkedin.com)

Proposed New York legislation would permit licensed liquor stores to sell THC-infused beverages. (bevnet.com)

BERO hires Director of Brand Activation and Partnerships to expand experiential marketing and cultural partnerships. (linkedin.com)

Cann CEO lobbies Congress to prevent federal restrictions on hemp-derived THC beverage sales. (wsj.com)

Fritz-Kola built durable growth through disciplined positioning, selective distribution, and intentional early expansion limits. (garethbath.substack.com)

ISH expands into functional NA beer, testing whether all-category breadth builds retailer trust or dilutes focus. (dryatlas.com)

Beefeater expands global rollout of its 0.0% gin to reach new non-alcohol consumers. (linkedin.com)

Only marquee and programmed sports events consistently drive on-premise bar traffic and beverage sales. (proofpoints.substack.com)

Non-alcoholic beverages and mocktail demand increasingly reshape mixer strategy and retail positioning. (bevnet.com)

Emma Wykes reflects on building Seedlip and leadership principles shaping premium non-alcoholic brand growth. (medium.com)

Business of Drinks Podcast: The Pathfinder drove growth by prioritizing single-SKU focus and distribution depth before portfolio expansion. (youtube.com)

Health-Ade expands distribution across value, travel, and c-store channels following Generous Brands acquisition. (bevnet.com)

Non-alcoholic brands expand into experiential and alternative retail channels to drive trial and brand awareness. (bevnet.com)

Brands must adapt marketing and data strategies as AI agents increasingly mediate consumer discovery and purchasing. (hbr.org)

Dionilife strengthens leadership team with senior hires from major global beverage companies to scale growth. (drinks-intel.com)

Club Soda launches European no/low alcohol summit in Amsterdam to connect buyers, brands, and investors. (drinksretailingnews.co.uk)

Moderation and “zebra striping” behavior drive rapid growth of non-alcoholic beer sales. (foxnews.com)

LvlUp Ventures plans to invest in 250 early-stage CPG brands across multiple consumer categories. (linkedin.com)

Sippin & Selling Podcast: ALTR develops membrane technology enabling wineries to reduce alcohol while preserving wine flavor and structure. (youtube.com)

AllStar Podcast: InvestBev CEO explains private equity strategy, diligence, and investor expectations in beverage industry funding. (spotify.com)

Health

Study finds cannabis beverages may help reduce alcohol consumption through harm-reduction substitution. (sciencedaily.com)

Weight-loss drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro) shows promise in cutting alcohol consumption by blunting the brain’s reward response, reducing binge and relapse-like drinking in early animal studies. (neurosciencenews.com)

Alcohol boosts dopamine short term but increases long-term risks for cancer, heart, liver, and brain health. (nytimes.com)

Culture

Alcohol historically enabled social bonding and collective trust, raising questions about what replaces its societal role. (thefuturemarket.substack.com)

Nearly one quarter of drinks industry workers consider leaving due to harassment, discrimination, and drinking culture pressures. (thedrinksbusiness.com)

Pittsburgh emerges as an early adopter of non-alcoholic drinks. (axios.com)

German soccer derby to sell low-alcohol beer instead of imposing alcohol bans to reduce fan violence. (sports.yahoo.com)

Wine’s sugar myth reflects wellness anxiety reshaping alcohol perceptions and accelerating moderation and non-alc curiosity. (sfchronicle.com)

Young Chinese consumers are embracing traditional medicine cocktails as “punk wellness,” blending social drinking with health rituals and cultural nostalgia. (thedrinksbusiness.com)

Non-Non-Alc

Nostalgia gives brands built-in trust and cultural legitimacy that marketing spend alone cannot buy. (whyisthisinteresting.substack.com)

BrewDog founder James Watt moves toward a last-minute deal as the company navigates ongoing industry pressures. (thegrocer.co.uk)

K-Beverages ride Korean pop culture as soju cocktails and makgeolli find U.S. momentum. (beercrunchers.substack.com)

Industry consolidation is squeezing distribution, leaving fewer paths for emerging beverage alcohol brands. (medium.com)