Beyond Beer

Two of Europe’s popular adult non-alc (ANA) brands – UNDONE, a global pioneer in non-alc aperitifs, wines and spirits, and Thomas Henry, a premium mixer company – have landed on U.S. shores, each with a unique value proposition and a lengthy track record.

Dust off your old trucker hats – Von Dutch is back.

Will Justin Glaze find love on this season of Bachelor in Paradise? Only time and reality TV producers who violate their non-disclosure agreement will tell, but we do have the scoop on Glaze’s new labor of love: a ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brand that launched Tuesday.

Barstool Sports boss Dave Portnoy is taking a starring role in the launch of PHX, a new 12 oz. canned line that aims to marry hydration and energy drinks.

Former sommeliers at The French Laundry, Ian and Carly Blessing have applied their hospitality expertise to All the Bitter Zero Proof Lounge: a non-alcoholic tasting lounge that combines on-site production of the couple’s bitters line, educational tours, cocktail flights, a full zero-proof bar, local snacks, and a curated NA bottle shop under one roof.

What do you get when you offer a taste of Fear and Loathing to the Shark Tank set? It may look a bit like the Hemp Beverage Expo, which held its second edition last week in Atlanta.

Once a niche liqueur with roots on the Italian coast, Limoncello is now riding the trend wave of Italian cocktails and liqueurs, and bubbling up on U.S. cocktail menus and store shelves in ready-to-drink (RTD) form.

Distribution shakeup continues in California. After moving top-selling ready-to-drink (RTD) High Noon Sun Sips over from Republic National Distributing (RNDC) to Reyes Beverage in April, Gallo is making the same move with its spirits portfolio and select wines.

Mixers sit at an odd place in the ever-evolving beverage industry. Last year, sales in mixers fell alongside a rise in adult non-alc (ANA) sales. In turn, mixer brands have positioned themselves as elevated zero-proof options and cocktail ingredients – some have even tried their luck in the ready-to-drink (RTD) aisle.

Adult non-alc (ANA) beverage retailer Boisson has brought in new leadership after clawing its way back from bankruptcy.

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) has been cleared to cut ties with distributor and bottler Reyes Coca-Cola, after a Texas judge ruled last week that the soda giant has a right to not renew a long term agreement with the company.

A handful of adult non-alcoholic (ANA) beverages came to the Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show this week to introduce themselves to the category and show off new product innovation in the growing alcohol-free RTD set.

With 38 investments since its founding in 2022, Pronghorn – the accelerator focused on cultivating the next generation of Black entrepreneurs and executives in spirits – has been one of the most active funds in the bev-alc space.

Half a decade after wading into distilling, Massachusetts-based Trillium Brewing is diving into the ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktail segment.