Hey guys! This is similar to another article we put out about alcohol alternatives in the industry. Today we're focusing more on specifically the NA market, and what to know about it and what to consider in your opreations.
NA beer is one of the fastest-growing segments in beverage alcohol. If you've been ignoring it, it's worth a look—both the numbers and what it takes to produce a credible NA offering.
While overall beer volume has been soft, non-alcoholic beer has been a standout. Nielsen data from 2024–2025 shows NA beer growing at roughly 26% in dollar sales and 21% in volume year over year. The growth is driven by health-conscious consumers, sober-curious drinkers, and occasions where alcohol isn't desired but beer flavor is. For craft breweries, the segment represents both an opportunity and a technical challenge.
What Is Driving Growth
The drivers are well documented. Moderation trends, wellness culture, and the "sober curious" movement have expanded the audience for alcohol-free options. Legal developments around cannabis and changing attitudes toward alcohol consumption have also played a role. NA beer fits into occasions—lunch, driving, fitness, work—where full-strength beer does not. The growth is not coming from existing beer drinkers switching entirely; it is incremental occasion expansion.
Quality Has Improved
Early NA beers were often thin, sweet, or flawed. Modern dealcoholization techniques—vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis, arrested fermentation—have closed the quality gap. Craft NA offerings from established breweries and dedicated NA brands now compete on flavor, not just on the absence of alcohol. That has made the segment more appealing to core beer drinkers who might have dismissed it a decade ago.
Technical and Operational Considerations
Producing NA beer adds complexity. Dealcoholization requires additional equipment or contract processing. Arrested fermentation requires tight process control. NA beer may need separate handling for TTB reporting and tax treatment. Breweries entering the space need to factor in capital, process, and compliance before committing.
Market Structure
The NA segment includes both traditional brewers extending their brands (e.g., Athletic Brewing, Heineken 0.0) and craft breweries adding an NA option to their lineup. Retail placement—often in a dedicated NA section or alongside full-strength beer—varies by retailer. On-premise, NA options are increasingly expected as a standard tap or can option. Breweries that add a credible NA offering can capture occasions that would otherwise go to another brand or category.
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