Mixed Things

Industry

In 2024, breweries including Heineken and BrewDog are tackling Dry January head-on, diversifying with non-alc products in response to a 6% drop in craft beer retail volume sales and adapting to the evolving consumer landscape and economic factors. (goodbeerhunting.com)

With 29% participating in Dry January last year and 44% likely this year, brands like Heineken adapt; Heineken 0.0, now America's top-selling non-alc beer, accounts for 7% of Heineken's total sales. (fastcompany.com)

Jump Ship Brewing opens Scotland's first non-alc brewery in Midlothian, following a successful crowdfunding campaign. (heraldscotland.com)

Pre-Christmas in the UK, low/no beer sales surged 43%, outpacing overall beer growth at 0.6%, with Guinness 0.0 and Lucky Saint driving the trend. (drinksretailingnews.co.uk) 

Ghia's Ghia Berry, a new non-alc apéritif, saw over 5,500 orders in the first weeks of Dry January, with retail sales up 132% from last year. (forbes.com)

Creating non-alc wine poses challenges in retaining complexity and mouthfeel, but brands like Studio Null are exploring aromatic varietals and dealcoholization techniques to craft quality alternatives. (vinepair.com)

Surely will continue to expand its headcount in Austin. (axios.com) 

The Ivy Collection, in partnership with Zero Zilch Zip, introduces the UK's first alcohol-free fine wine list, featuring 10 premium non-alcoholic wines at six of its restaurants.(uk.finance.yahoo.com)

Sales of non-alc beverages grew by 30% in 2023, surpassing $500 million, and are projected to increase by 25% by 2026, driven by health concerns and sobriety periods like Dry January; 51% of Dry January participants prefer mock alcoholic alternatives. (adage.com)

GT's Living Foods is using social media to engage with consumers and create new SYNERGY kombucha flavors through fan co-creation, emphasizing genuine influencer partnerships for brand credibility. (beveragedaily.com)

Craft breweries should explore making hop water to meet the demand for non-alc beverages, capitalize on potential revenue, and complement their core beer business, despite challenges. (vinepair.com)

Minnesota craft breweries are embracing non-alc beer due to rising demand, aided by local alcohol removal technology, NA bottle shops, and an open attitude, despite production challenges.(racketmn.com)

Brands including Botivo and Lockdown Liquor have launched the Maker's Alliance, a collective spotlighting craft beverage development and championing innovative brands in emerging drink categories, such as non-alc alternatives and RTD cocktails, with a focus on transparency and unique taste profiles. (thespiritsbusiness.com)

SeedFund Capital makes an investment in Happi, a cannabis-infused seltzer company. (linkedin.com)

Travel brands like The Standard and Virgin Voyages now prioritize non-alc cocktails and spirits, responding to the "booze-free" movement, with airlines such as JetBlue and Alaska offering non-alc beer and mocktails. (washingtonpost.com)

Athletic Brewing is educating moderation-minded drinkers about the nutritional benefits of its products, aiming to retain them beyond Dry January, as it captures a third of the non-alc beer category, which grew 35% in 2023, according to Nielsen data." (fooddive.com)

HOP WTR has chosen WSI as its trusted 3PL partner to execute nationwide fulfillment. (linkedin.com)

Cut Above partners with KeHE Distributors to go nationwide with its large retail partners. (linkedin.com)

Bella Hadid shifts from modeling to entrepreneurship, co-founding Kin Euphorics, highlighting wellness and mental health after a health-focused hiatus. (wwd.com)

The "no-lo" movement has had an impact on wine sales by leading to a consumer backlash against high-alcohol wines---many domestic wines with alcohol levels of 14.5% or more have faced declining sales. (creators.com)

Podcast: The rise of zero-proof beverages and their impact on the beverage industry and social events with industry leaders from companies like Tilden, Hoplark, Zero Proof Nation, and Loren's Alcohol-Free Beverages. (firebellymarketing.com)

Launches + Collabs + More

Schilling Hard Cider introduces Excelsior Ground Control: Cherry Non-Alcoholic Cider with 0.0% ABV. (brewpublic.com)

Remedy Place and Boisson partner to offer a curated NA cocktail menu available at the Remedy Place in-club restoration bars, host a bi-coastal ‘free-spirited’ happy hour series, and ignite an integrated content campaign. (linkedin.com)

Peloton Instructor Robin Arzón X Kin Euphorics

Huzzy Smart Sips, a non-alc cocktail company focused on empowering women with low calorie, low carb, vegan drinks featuring adaptogens and nootropics, gets ready for a spring launch. (forbes.com)

Schlafly's releases non-alc Pale Ale. (pastemagazine.com)

Trejo Spirits introduces Gin Alternative.

Giffard's debuts line of non-alc liqueurs in the U.S. (forbes.com)

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Health

Alcohol-related deaths are on the rise in Pennsylvania, with the state's rate nearly doubling between 2009 and 2021, exceeding drug overdose deaths. (axios.com)

AI can identify surgery patients at risk of alcohol-related complications by scanning their medical records, potentially enabling better pre-operative education and intervention. (sciencedaily.com)

Culture

Vanilla Sex won the top prize at the "No ID" Alcohol-free Cocktail Competition in Chicago. (chicagotribune.com)

The legendary Hong Kong Café in L.A.'s Chinatown, known for punk shows, has reopened as Stay, LA's first alcohol-free cocktail lounge. (variety.com)

The author stopped drinking and struggled to find the right words to explain her sobriety, highlighting the need for a more nuanced and stigma-free vocabulary to discuss alcohol-related decisions and experiences. (thecut.com)

Non-Non-Alc Splashes

In the US, spritzes surpass espresso martinis. (thespiritsbusiness.com)

Analyzing the expansion of Japanese brewers into the American beer market. (vinepair.com)

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