A night out with friends for nondrinkers may pose a few problems, the primary being the lack of sophisticated alcohol alternatives. According to a Guardian UK article, “The proportion of Brits regularly drinking is at its lowest (56.9%) since 2005.” This decrease in alcohol consumption is somewhat due to an aging population but primarily because of the health benefits of mindful drinking. This new trend has created a new market for craft style non-alcoholic beverages and entrepreneurs have emerged to fulfill this consumer demand.
A Financial Times article entitled Thirst for Soft Drinks Grows highlights some of the companies that are trying to break through into this market. One example is Britvic, who launched their first non-alcoholic drink called Thomas & Evans. According to the FT article, Ounal Bailey, head of new ventures at Britvic, says “Thomas & Evans takes processes, fine ingredients and a fresh bouquet with a botanical twist, so it gives an adult, complex-led process when you drink it. It’s catering to people looking for a more elevated experience, to make them feel part of the social occasion when they go out and are not drinking alcohol.” These new beverage companies are looking to create an experience for their customers and are therefore introducing brand loyalty through their product.
Seedlip, founded by Ben Branson, is the first non-alcoholic spirit created and has generated interest amongst drinks companies. Last year, Diageo who owns popular alcohol brands like Smirnoff and Baileys, took a minority stake in Seedlip, their first venture in a non-alcoholic drink. Diageo explained their reasoning for this partial acquisition, saying, “We realise there are occasions when people aren’t going to drink..People are becoming more aware of what goes into their body, so we want to be able to offer options that cater to different lifestyles.” This funding from Diageo has allowed Seedlip to expand in around 400 UK bars and restaurants and is sold in European cities, the US and Australia.
In my opinion, these new drinks will fulfill the demand for a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink, a product that is in between a cheap soft drink and an expensive cocktail. However, I do not think these drinks will fully replace alcoholic drinks. In Western society, alcohol is a socially acceptable drug, an easy way to loosen up after a stressful week. Often times, people drink alcohol for the purpose of feeling more at ease with a situation. Removing a drink’s ability to make a problem feel less significant detracts from the purpose of drinking alcohol. Therefore, the primary consumers of these non-alcoholic products would be health conscious individuals in addition to those who want the experience and classiness of an “adult beverage”, without the effects of alcohol.
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