SINGAPORE: Non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks are shaking up the global beverage industry amid the growing wellness movement around the world.
Sales of low alcohol wines, beers and spirits rose by 8.1 per cent, with non-alcoholic versions doing even better, rising by 33.2 per cent. Industry insiders and market watchers said that the preference for non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks has risen as people become more health conscious. Restrictions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic also played a part.
“What we've done is selected Asian botanicals ... So on the nose, you have floral, fruity, goji berries, pomegranate," said Ms Lorin Winata, founder of Melati. “It’s actually a lot more work there ... You have more ingredients that go in because you have to dissolve it in water rather than an alcohol. Most of them make smaller batches so the costs for the producers are higher. Logistics are also very costly these days,” said co-founder Olivier van Hardenbroek of Wisecrack Drinks.According to Euromonitor, the growth of the non- and low-alcohol sector will be one of the leading post-pandemic trends.