Widening the Appeal of Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Non‑alcoholic beverages are booming in major metros, with California alone accounting for $128 million in off‑premise sales and growing 20% year‑over‑year. The five leading states—California, Texas, Florida, Colorado and Massachusetts—represent 37% of U.S. non‑alcohol dollars, each posting double‑digit growth. Direct‑to‑consumer channels have surged 208% YoY, giving brands a distribution edge over traditional alcohol that must use the three‑tier system. While shipping costs pressure margins, many brands accept lower profits to drive trial and build loyal followings.
What’s the Outlook for Craft Beer in 2026?
Craft beer volumes fell 5% in 2025, mirroring a 5.7% drop across the broader beer category. Despite the decline, craft brewers nudged their market share up to 13.3% and held 24.6% of total beer retail dollar sales. Value sales slipped...
The Billion Dollar Beverage Opportunity
Nielsen IQ reports that non‑alcoholic beer, wine and spirits exceeded $1 bn in off‑premise sales in 2025, posting a 22% year‑over‑year increase. Although the segment represents only 0.8% of total alcohol volume, it is expanding rapidly as health‑focused moderation gains traction...
Is Coffee Ready for the EUDR?
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will take effect on 30 December 2026, forcing coffee exporters to prove that their beans are free of recent deforestation. Over the past two years, the sector has accelerated geo‑referencing, farm mapping and traceability investments, with Rainforest...
New Beverage Launches: Patrón, Nestlé, Starbucks, Prebiotic Soda and More…
June 2024 saw a wave of premium beverage launches across coffee, spirits, soda and dairy. L'OR introduced recyclable coconut‑flavored iced coffee capsules in the UK at about $6, while Nestlé and Starbucks rolled out Starbucks Coffee Craft, a cold‑brew concentrate...
Iran Conflict: The 5 Biggest Pressure Points for Food and Beverage
Weekend peace talks between the United States and Iran ended without an agreement, sending oil prices above $100 per barrel and prompting a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. The spike in oil costs is inflating freight rates for ocean‑borne cargoes...
Protein Soda: Why the New Craze Is Going From Strength to Strength
Protein sodas are emerging as a functional beverage, packing roughly 10 g of protein in a standard 12‑oz can while retaining the familiar soda format. The category targets everyday health‑conscious consumers rather than gym‑focused macro‑trackers, positioning itself as a low‑calorie, low‑sugar...
Gut-Friendly, Prebiotic or High Fibre? Navigating the Terminology
Poppi, the gut‑health soda, launched in the UK in February offering 3 g of fibre per can but cannot label itself as prebiotic due to strict local regulations. The UK’s health‑claim register limits wording, requiring at least 6 g of fibre per...
Coffee Prices: Why 2026 Is Set to Be a Roller-Coaster Ride
Coffee prices, after hitting record highs, have begun to recede but remain well above historical norms. A stronger 2026‑27 Brazil harvest, projected to rise 17% year‑on‑year, could increase supply, while Vietnam’s market volatility and new EU deforestation rules keep the...
New Beverage Launches: English Wine, High-ABV Beer and More…
This week’s beverage launches span rum, sparkling wine, high‑ABV beer, flavored water, RTDs and plant‑based protein powders, reflecting a shift toward format innovation, clean‑label ingredients and higher strength. English rum maker Vapoura earned a B Corp score of 91 and...
Private Label Beverages Pour on Growth as Innovation Accelerates
Private label beverages are shedding their cheap‑brand image, capturing a larger share of the U.S. aisle. In 2025, private label dollar sales hit a record $282.8 billion, with beverage sales up 4.8%—outpacing national brands’ 1.2% growth. Retailer‑owned brands such as Kirkland...
Gen Z Habits Shift Energy Drinks Towards Flavour and Drinkability
Gen Z’s digital‑centric habits are turning energy drinks into longer‑lasting, flavor‑focused beverages rather than quick caffeine spikes. Consumers now value balanced taste, light mouthfeel and sustained drinkability for marathon gaming, studying or social sessions. Brands such as YATÉ, Monster and...
How GLP-1 Drugs Are Opening up a Huge Opportunity for Nutrition Shakes
GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are reshaping the food‑and‑beverage market by creating a new demand for ready‑to‑drink nutrition shakes. These beverages are moving beyond simple hunger relief to serve precise nutritional goals, especially high protein and collagen content....
Africa’s Beer Market: The Road Ahead
Africa’s beer market is booming, with 2025 sales topping $32.5 billion and a 6.5% rise in supermarket channels. Urban hubs such as Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town are driving demand for premium and craft offerings, while South Africa still supplies roughly...
The Next Generation of GLP-1 Drugs: And How They’ll Reshape Food and Beverage Again
The FDA approved Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 tablet Foundayo (orforglipron) in April 2024, pricing it at $25 per month with insurance or $149 self‑pay. New pipeline candidates—including Eli Lilly’s triple‑agonist retatrutide, Novo Nordisk’s high‑dose Wegovy and CagriSema, and Amgen’s monthly‑dose MariTide—promise greater efficacy,...
New Beverage Launches: Nestlé Functional, MOMO and More…
Functional beverages are moving from niche to mainstream as brands add vitamins, minerals and gut‑health claims to everyday formats. In the UK, Nestlé launched the Buxton Peak functional water line, Bio&Me introduced a probiotic kefir range with 100 bn live cultures,...
Strait of Hormuz: How Are Beverage Commodities Under Pressure?
More than 30 nations will meet virtually on April 2 to address the escalating Strait of Hormuz crisis, a chokepoint that moves the bulk of the world’s oil and a growing share of beverage commodities. The blockage is already hitting tea,...
Tetra Pak Urges Rapid Food Innovation to Ease Supply Chain Strain
Tetra Pak has opened its twelfth Product Development Centre (PDC) in Rayong, Thailand, marking the most innovation‑focused facility in its global network. The centre combines a fully integrated pilot plant for liquid foods with a kitchen‑equipped development lab, enabling products...
What Next for Modern Soda?
Modern soda, a term coined by Walmart in 2024, now emphasizes functional benefits over merely lower sugar. Brands such as Zevia, Olipop and Poppi are adding adaptogens, nootropics and other health‑focused ingredients to stand out. Experts say generic clean‑label claims...
Vanity-Led Demand: Vitagen Taps Female Audience with Beauty-Focused Drinks
Malaysia Dairy Industries is targeting women over 25 with Vitagen Collagen Less Sugar, a probiotic drink that adds marine collagen and vitamin C while cutting sugar. The product leverages the growing vanity‑led demand for functional beauty, positioning gut health and skin...
Mood Beverages: The Ingredients Spurring the Category Forward
Mood‑focused beverages are experiencing rapid growth as consumers seek natural ways to manage stress and emotions. Trust in botanical ingredients has risen sharply, with 66% of shoppers now viewing them as safer than conventional drugs, up from 38% two years...
Building an Alcohol-Free Beer Brand: Secrets to Success From Athletic Brewing and Lucky Saint
Lucky Saint has become the UK’s leading independent alcohol‑free beer, now on tap in roughly 10,000 pubs, bars and restaurants, including 85 Michelin‑starred venues, and was the first independent brand to launch draught non‑alc beer in 2020. Athletic Brewing, founded...
Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman in Merger Talks
Pernod Ricard and Brown‑Forman have entered exclusive talks about a merger‑of‑equals that would combine two of the world’s largest premium‑spirits producers. Both companies are similarly sized, with Brown‑Forman valued at $11.8 billion and Pernod Ricard at roughly $11.8 billion (≈€15.6 billion). The combined entity would...
RTDs and Protein Yogurts Boost Fonterra as Billion‑dollar Payout Nears
Fonterra’s half‑year results were buoyed by strong demand for high‑value dairy ingredients, especially protein‑rich RTD drinks and 20‑gram‑plus yogurts, which posted 10% and 65% annual growth respectively. The co‑op posted NZ$13.9 bn (≈$8.3 bn) revenue, NZ$1.23 bn (≈$0.74 bn) operating profit and is set...
Future of Coffee: How It Must Adapt to Survive
Climate change is eroding Arabica coffee’s traditional growing zones, with up to 20% of current areas projected unsuitable by 2050. Farmers are countering the stress through irrigation, shade trees, and heat‑tolerant varieties, while Robusta, a more resilient species, is expanding...
Danone Swoops to Buy Meal Replacement Brand Huel
Danone announced plans to acquire UK‑based meal‑replacement brand Huel, a move that bolsters its Renew strategy and expands its foothold in the fast‑growing complete nutrition segment. Huel reported over £200 m in revenue and nearly £14 m of pre‑tax profit for the...
Alc-Free Growth: Free AF Ramps up US Plans with Whole Foods, Kroger Launch
Free AF, the alcohol‑free beverage brand, is expanding in the United States by adding Whole Foods and Kroger to its retail network, bringing its presence to over 4,000 stores. The rollout introduces the Margarita Variety 4‑Pack and Apero Spritz 4‑Pack...
Brewers’ Global Search for Growth Opportunities
The beer industry in the United States and Western Europe has stalled at pre‑COVID volume levels, reflecting a broader shift toward low‑alcohol drinks and reduced consumption. Analysts label this a long‑term structural stagnation, prompting brewers to look beyond mature markets....
Low Alcohol, High Ambition: Future Château Eyes up Demand for Mid-Strength Wine
Future Château launched a premium low‑alcohol wine at 5% ABV, using traditional winemaking to retain classic aroma and structure. After a successful first vintage, the brand refined grape selection and blending, delivering a second vintage that 100% of blind‑taste participants...
Low and No Alcohol Wine: What to Look Out for in 2026
The alcohol‑free wine market is accelerating, with winemakers investing in premium grapes and refined dealcoholisation techniques to deliver wines that taste closer to their traditional counterparts. Brands like Eisberg are launching higher‑end tiers that preserve terroir and balance earlier in...
Why Instant Coffee Could Be Added to EUDR - and Implications for Industry
Instant coffee is currently omitted from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), a gap experts attribute to an oversight. The exclusion allows imports of instant coffee to bypass the regulation’s deforestation due‑diligence checks, creating a loophole for brands. The European Commission...
Tilray Brands Acquires BrewDog
Tilray agreed to acquire BrewDog's intellectual property, UK brewing operations and a portfolio of eleven profitable brewpubs for £33 million ($44 million). Separate talks are ongoing to purchase BrewDog's assets in the United States and Australia. BrewDog, once valued at roughly £2 billion,...