Beverage landscape
The beverage industry has carbon-neutrality, traditional fermentation techniques and non-alcoholic beverages on their 2022 agenda.
Drinks brands are reinventing themselves as zero-carbon champions. From packaging to ingredient procurement, producers are actively seeking to reduce their supply chain impact.
Health continues to shape drink trends as non-alcoholic Ayurvedic tipples and next-generation wines emerge to boost the no- and low-alcohol sectors.
Sustainable Sips
Consumer demand for carbon-neutrality is now a key driver of innovation in wines, beers and spirits. From packaging to production and ingredient sourcing, producers are actively improving the eco-friendliness of their supply chain.
Diageo’s new Kentucky distillery will be powered by 100% renewable electricity as part of an effort to achieve carbon-neutral status. If successful, it will remove emissions equivalent to 25,000 cars running on the road every year.
Scotland’s BrewDog announced plans to become carbon-negative, removing twice as much carbon from the atmosphere than it emits every year. It has purchased 2,050 acres of Scottish Highlands with the ambition to plant one million additional trees.
Air Co, a new Brooklyn firm, aims to attain carbon-negative status from the start. Through a method that catches surplus carbon from the air, it claims to have made the world’s first carbon-negative vodka.
Remedy Drinks
Brands are modernising drinking rituals with a wave of no- and low-alcohol beverages that also provide functional benefits.
Many new remedy drinks are using Ayurvedic and traditional fermentation techniques to focus on wellness.
UK start-up Jin Jin, for example, has launched a cordial that uses traditional Japanese fermentation techniques to improve gut and mental health. Each bottle combines more than 35 fruits, vegetables and Lactobacillus, which helps better regulate the digestive tract.
Melati is the first company in Singapore to introduce a sophisticated non-alcoholic aperitif based on ancient Asian herbal treatments. The drink’s 26 Asian botanicals are cold-extracted and hand-blended in small batches, unlike standard spirits, to create a rich flavour profile with detoxifying properties.
Fungtn’s low-alcohol drink contains medicinal mushrooms that have been used for centuries to restore the immune system.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Next-generation winemakers are experimenting with low- and no-alcohol (NOLO) innovations, creating flavourful fusions that hint at wine’s post-category future.
Brands are fuelling a non-alcoholic wine market that is expected to be worth $10 billion by 2027, thanks to a slew of new entrants (source: Fact.MR).
Many non-alcoholic options pale compared to the genuine thing when it comes to food and wine combination. As a result, Acid League, a Canadian firm, has created Wine Proxies, which are designed to be carefully coupled with food. Taste tests are used to create the blends, which are then layered with acidity to guarantee that the blends are food-worthy and can be served with anything from high-end tasting menus to casual barbecues.
Wrap up
We hope that this report inspires you to adapt your beverage brand to this new era and evolve with these changing consumer trends.
We offer all companies a free strategy call with Davidson’s founder, Grant Davidson, to explore how brand purpose can drive your strategy and accelerate your business growth.
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If you need help creating a brand that pushes creative boundaries and inspires change, we’d like to offer you a complimentary strategy call with our Managing Director and Head of Strategy, Grant Davidson. Having nearly 30 years of industry experience working with groundbreaking brands, Grant has the experience and knowledge necessary to identify your core brand strategy and communicate it effectively.
