The project, which is sponsored by Adnams, Diageo, Lucky Saint and Thatchers, aims to educate and inspire the opportunities in the low & no products on-trade category that are currently only being taken advantage of by a few operators.
Lucky Saint Hazy IPA
Alcohol-free beer brand Lucky Saint expanded its portfolio earlier this year with its Superior Hazy IPA.
The serve, which is sugar free, brings together New World Hops and California Ale Yeast alongside a combination of Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops, resulting in a juicy, hazy IPA with notes of tropical fruit, citrus, and fresh pine.
After being in development for two years, the launch marked the second beer for Lucky Saint and its first release since the brand’s inception five years ago, joining its award-winning alcohol-free Superior Unfiltered Lager.
Regarding the launch, Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase said: “Five years after the launch of Lucky Saint’s Unfiltered Lager, I am beyond excited to announce our Alcohol-Free Hazy IPA.
“I’m extremely proud of the IPA we’ve created, following two years of development.
“The ambition was to brew an alcohol-free IPA that captures the magic of new world hops, balanced with exceptional body and the perfect level of bitterness. Here’s to the next five years.”
Lucky Saint alcohol-free Superior Hazy IPA is availble now direct from the brand’s webshop in packs of 12 or 24x300ml cans at RRP £22 and £42.50 respectively.
The serve will also be launching into the on trade in 20x330ml bottle on 24 June, available from a range of on trade wholesalers.
Captain Morgan 0.0%
Last summer Diageo released an alcohol-free version of its popular Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.
Diageo, which owns Captain Morgan, said the innovation had been carefully developed over a two-year period to offer "intricate layers of flavour", starting with notes of caramel, molasses, vanilla and warm brown spices.
Captain Morgan Spiced Gold 0.0% can be used in place of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold in any cocktail or drink.
Simply pour 50ml of the alcohol-free spirit over ice, mix with cola and add a slice of lime to create a refreshing tasting alcohol-free Captain & Cola.
The new alcohol-free rum joined Diageo’s alcohol-free portfolio, following the successful launch of Guinness 0.0%, Tanqueray 0.0% and Gordons 0.0%.
Diageo liquid scientist Amanda Brown said of the launch: “It’s been an exciting journey working on Diageo’s first alcohol-free dark spirit.
"When creating Captain Morgan 0.0%, we went through more than 400 recipes before we were able to capture the iconic rum and spice flavour of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold, but without the alcohol.”
Britvic J20 Mocktails
In October 2023, soft drinks producer Britvic unveiled a new portfolio of RTD mocktails under its J20 brand.
The range is available in three flavours, Strawberry & Orange Blossom Mojito, White Peach & Mango Daiquiri, and Blackberry & Blueberry Martini.
Britvic director of foodservice and licenses Adam Russell said: “We know consumers are looking for more premium experiences when they visit on-trade outlets, and the launch of J2O Mocktails offers the great taste of their favourite cocktails, all in one convenient non-alcoholic can.”
With the soft drinks category now worth more than £7bn to the on-trade, according to the latest data from Britvic, the segment should be a key focus for operators as consumers look to reduce their alcohol intake.
Russell added: “The canned format of our J2O RTD Mocktails also ensures that bartenders can produce consistent serves every time – ensuring no compromise on taste or quality, even when the bar is busy.”
J20 RTD Mocktails are available now in 250ml can format at RRP £3.49 direct from Britvic.
Kingfisher Zero
In January this year, world beer, cider and spirits company KBE Drinks introduced Kingfisher Zero, an alcohol-free variant of its biggest brand.
The firm said Kingfisher Zero embodies the same flavour as Kingfisher Premium, without the alcohol, brewed from only natural ingredients to replicate the taste.
Kingfisher senior brand manager Andy Sunnucks said: “We are delighted to announce the arrival of Kingfisher Zero, a long-requested addition to our portfolio.
“After successfully repositioning the brand last year, we want Kingfisher to continue to lead the Indian beer category and have a credible offering to meet the current growth in alcohol free occasions.
“It was also important to us that we’re not just ticking a box and the new liquid is not only of good enough quality to replicate the original, but also stands on its own as a quality drink.”
Kingfisher Zero is available to outlets now in 330ml bottles with a wholesale RRP of £19.99 for a pack of 24 bottles.
REAL Rosé
Naturally fermented sparkling tea brand, REAL, last May introduced its first alcohol-free rose, Peony Blush.
Made from hand-picked white peony tea leaves grown in China, Peony Blush offers aromas of strawberries, cherry summer fruits and creamy butter notes that pairs well with fresh spring salads, chargrilled fish and charcuteries.
REAL founder David Begg said of the launch: “The rosé category has seen incredible growth and with the arrival of spring, at REAL, we believe the time for an alcohol-free rosé is now.
“With rosé becoming more popular every year, we have an opportunity to reach a new audience & introduce them to our world of Naturally Fermented Sparkling Teas.”
The new serve is available now direct from the brand’s webshop at RRP £9 per 70cl bottle or £28.38 for a case of 6.
Nirvana’s trio of new brews
Alcohol-free brewer Nirvana has released three new variants so far in 2024.
The first to be released was the brand’s new Chocolate Porter, a rich and dark brown beer that combines notes of roasted malts and chocolate alongside hints of spice, coffee and caramel.
Next came Nirvana’s Cloudy Lemon Lager (0.2% ABV) and its traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen (0.3% ABV).
The Cloudy Lemon Lager drew inspiration from the ‘radler’ beer tradition in southern Germany – mixing Nirvana’s existing Helles lager 50:50 with sparkling natural lemonade, resulting in a light refreshing beer with tart undertones.
Whereas the Bavarian Hefeweizen variant is a naturally cloudy wheat beer that pays homage to one of Germany’s most revered brewing styles, with its high percentage of wheat yeast offering a sweet and soft taste with hints of banana, cloves and spice.
Nirvana founder Becky Kean said: “We pride ourselves on having a great range of no and low brews - ones that are genuinely accessible and cater for the bulk of beer drinkers, as opposed to ones that are niche and challenging.”
All Nirvana serves are available now direct from the brewery.
Franklin & Sons Peach and Mango
Earlier this month, independent soft drinks brand Franklin & Sons expanded its portfolio with the addition of a new Peach and Mango sparkling soft drink.
A light, refreshing product with a strong flavour profile, Franklin & Sons’ new launch blends natural white peach and mango with sparkling water.
The product development was driven by a 30.7% year-on-year growth in peach and mango flavour variants within the category, according to NIQ data.
Brand manager Lauren Edwards said: “It’s been exciting developing a product specifically with our customer in mind, tapping into trending flavours to meet evolving tastes, and bringing such a versatile soft drink to market.
“From those looking for a refreshing beverage for family days out, to adults seeking a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative, Peach & Mango is the perfect choice for venues looking to enhance their premium soft drink offering.”
Franklin & Sons Peach and Mango is availble now at RRP £14 for 12x275ml bottles through Good Time In.
Big Drop on keg
Going back to March this year, alcohol-free craft brewer Big Drop announced it had released a range of beers to the on-trade in keg format.
Available direct from Big Drop, Reef Point Craft Lager and Pine Trail Pale Ale joined Paradiso Citra IPA in its year-round offering of 30L key kegs, all brewed under licence at Fourpure in Bermondsey with its parent company - In Good Company.
The Suffolk-based firm said the decision was made after a trial run of the initiative in January contributed to a record sales month.
Established in 2016, Big Drop uses a Reduced Amylase Brewing process, which allows for a fully fermented brewing cycle without rising above 0.5% ABV so nothing is extracted from the beer to retain the flavour and characteristics of full-strength equivalents.
Big Drop founder Rob Fink said: “Why restrict choice just because, for whatever reason, someone’s not drinking?
“Any decent-sized venue these days can allocate a line to alcohol-free and rotate it year-round so it’s not always all about the lager.”
