Industry

NBA star Kevin Love and The Angel Group invested in Shift Naturals, backing its hemp-based drinks and functional wellness gummies. (finance.yahoo.com)

LvlUp Ventures invests in Cheeky Cocktails. (linkedin.com)

Restaurants are adapting to declining alcohol consumption by offering premium non-alc pairings, improving staff environments, and maintaining revenue. (theguardian.com)

California’s wine industry faces its worst crisis since Prohibition as oversupply, tariffs, and shifting drinking habits crush demand. (wsj.com)

Beverage brands win distribution by proving demand through consumer pull, local traction, and measurable data. (linkedin.com)

Named VinePair’s Rising Drinks Brand of the Year, St. Agrestis’s Phony Negroni showed that quality, not alcohol, drives modern cocktail culture. (vinepair.com)

Craft beer’s decline stems from gimmicky labels and hop excess; it needs authenticity and balance again. (nytimes.com)

Treasury Wine Estates advances its 2030 net-zero goal with renewable energy and a new low-alcohol facility. (simplywall.st)

BERO, Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand, built on NetSuite early to scale smoothly and credibly. (diginomica.com)

Liquid Death hires ex-PepsiCo and Health-Ade exec Ricky Khetarpaul as CFO to lead expansion into energy drinks. (fooddive.com)

The DTC Newsletter Podcast: WYNK thrives by turning THC industry friction into growth advantages through smart engineering and compliance. (spotify.com)

Low No Drinker Podcast: KAM Insights founder reveals how moderation, not abstinence, is transforming UK drinking habits and creating major pub opportunities. (spotify.com)

Profits on Purpose Podcast: FABRIC’s co-founder shares how hemp-based, non-alcoholic drinks balance profit, purpose, and mental health impact. (spotify.com)

Profits on Purpose Podcast: FABRIC’s co-founder shares how hemp-based, non-alcoholic drinks balance profit, purpose, and mental health impact. (spotify.com)

Health

Alcohol’s impact shifts with age, posing highest risks in youth and old age, and lowest in adulthood. (telegraph.co.uk)

One-third trying to cut drinking use no/low-alcohol substitutes, but links to success are unclear. (sciencedirect.com)

Lower intelligence in youth predicts a higher likelihood of developing alcohol use disorder later in life. (psypost.org)

Culture

Republicans are leading a surprising U.S. shift toward sobriety, with health, faith, and wellness culture driving the trend. (theguardian.com)

The U.S. right’s culture war has expanded into beer, turning Bud Light backlash into a broader anti-alcohol crusade. (slate.com)

New Zealand’s Muttley’s Estate launched non-alcoholic catnip-infused “wines” like Purrno Noir and Sauvignon Bark for pets seeking stress relief. (barrons.com)

Germany, once defined by its beer culture, now leads the world in non-alcoholic brews embraced for health and balance. (washingtonpost.com)

Portland’s women-led non-alcoholic brands like Roaming Nobles, Lolo Hops, and Dappled Tonic are redefining sophisticated sober drinking. (oregonbusiness.com)

Mid-life drinkers embracing moderation face social rejection, revealing how deeply alcohol still shapes identity and belonging. (lownodrinker.substack.com)

Charleston fine dining embraces the zero-proof trend, with restaurants like Zero George and Sorelle offering premium N/A pairings. (postandcourier.com)

Trader Joe’s expands into non-alcoholic drinks with standout sparkling teas, NA wines, and craft-inspired canned spritzes. (bonappetit.com)

Non-Non-Alc

Startups are outpacing Big Food as consumers shift spending toward niche, culturally relevant brands with premium appeal. (wsj.com)

A $19.99 price ceiling is stalling craft beer growth, pushing breweries toward 12-packs, singles, and variety formats. (beercrunchers.substack.com)

Heineken will cut 400 jobs in Amsterdam as part of its Evergreen 2030 restructuring, streamlining operations and boosting digital agility. (fooddive.com)