USA: AB InBev launches four new no- and low-alcohol beers

The market for no- and low-alcohol products in the U.S. is expected to grow about 32% between 2018 and 2022, and Anheuser-Busch is taking note, Adweek reported on January 15.

The beverage company, known globally as AB InBev, has introduced four new no- and low-alcohol beers (NABLAB) to its portfolio. The new products, which are made by craft brewers owned by AB InBev, arrive as more consumers are ditching alcohol for new beverage options that fit into a sober-curious lifestyle.

Adam Warrington, vice president of corporate social responsibility for Anheuser-Busch, said the company is continuing to build its NABLAB portfolio in response to the sector’s projected growth. The company aims to have 20% of its global beer volumes come from no- and low-alcohol products by 2025.

“From an innovation point of view, it’s about understanding what consumers want and moving quickly to get those products on the market,” Warrington said. “It’s also about offering variety [to consumers] who are much more mindful about what they’re drinking during different occasions.”

The new products include So-Lo from Goose Island, a 98-calorie beer with an ABV of 3%. Gilt Lifter from Four Peaks Brewing Company aims to reach consumers looking for a healthier lifestyle option or participating in the keto diet; it’s a malty beer with 7g of carbs and an ABV of 3.4%.

Resolution Blueberry Acai Golden Ale from Breckenridge Brewery aims to cater to drinkers who want to cut back in the New Year; it’s infused with electrolytes with an ABV of 3.5%. The final new product is Mango Cart Non-Alcoholic Wheat Ale from Golden Road Brewing, a light beer that has an ABV of less than 0.5%.

All of the products are available nationally this month except for Mango Cart, which will be released in California next week and nationally in the spring.

The four new products join Anheuser-Busch’s existing NABLAB beverages, including O’Doul’s—arguably the most well-known nonalcoholic beer—which turns 30 this year. The company also owns Busch NA, a fermented, alcohol-free version of Busch beer.

Anheuser-Busch isn’t the only big-name beer company growing its alcohol-free offerings. Heineken recently released a January Dry Pack with 31 cans of Heineken 0.0, the brand’s new zero-alcohol beer.

Nonalcoholic beverages also aren’t the only new products Anheuser-Busch is pushing out to consumers. The company released its own spiked seltzer under its Natural Light brand in 2019, and will promote Bud Light Seltzer in one of four ads in Super Bowl 2020.

16 January, 2020