• by Tanya Gazdik , December 12, 2023

In what almost feels like an April Fool’s Day joke, White Claw, which popularized the “hard” version of a product that started as non-alcoholic, will now offer a non-alcoholic version -- AKA flavored seltzer water.

Just in time for Dry January, the brand is the latest to capitalize on the non-alcoholic beverage trend. Never mind that holiday parties are just hitting their peak and the New Year’s Eve toast is still a few weeks away — it’s time to sober up. 

The beverage “completely reimagines the idea of drinking by delivering the first ever elevated non-alcoholic choice with the complex taste and feel of a real drink,” according to the company. 

“The industry is ripe for disruption as demand for flavorful, non-alcoholic drinks is on the rise, but current options like excessively sweet mocktails, bland waters, and near-beers are disconnected from what today’s adult drinkers want,” said Phil Rosse, president, Mark Anthony Brands Inc, maker of White Claw, announcing the product.

Dry January is a public health initiative launched in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK in which consumers are challenged to remove alcohol from their diet for 31 days. “The idea is for people concerned they drink too much or too often to slow things down,” per UCDavis Health. 

Why did the U.K. start the health-conscious trend?  Apparently “pub culture” has made alcohol consumption the norm. 

“Drinking alcohol is deeply embedded in British culture, and it’s often the case people are quizzed about why they’re not drinking. Dry January gives people a great excuse/reason and the confidence to carry on saying no thanks to alcohol, even after January has ended,” per the National Library of Medicine. 

Last year, one in five adults participated in “Dry January,” but not everyone completed the challenge, per Hop Wtr, a non-alcoholic sparkling hop water offering its own spin on how to stay the course: a contest in which consumers can win a session with a hypnotist to help reinforce healthy habits, as explained in another Marketing Daily story.

New Year’s resolutions aside, non-alcoholic beverages are flourishing year-round as more Americans cut back on drinking, per PBS News Hour. “While non-alcoholic beer, wine and cocktails make up a small fraction of the overall market, sales are rapidly rising,” according to the story. 

Which brings us back to White Claw 0% Alcohol. The product’s alcohol-free formulation combines seltzer and existing White Claw flavors with secondary alcohol beverage notes and electrolytes. 

“White Claw developed the beverage in response to the growing number of Gen Z, millennials and alcohol drinkers that are interested in trying ‘sober curious’ and ‘damp’ lifestyles,” per FoodBusiness News. 

Other recent high profile non-alcoholic beverages to enter the category include Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic Belgian White Belgian-Style Wheat Brew, reaching stores this month.

Beer continues to benefit more than wine and spirits in the expanding alcohol-free space, according to MediaPost’s CPG Insider. 

“Our country’s drinking culture is always evolving,” Chris Vaughn, founder and CEO of alcohol delivery platform Saucey, tells CPG Insider. “Non-alcoholic options are not just about offering an alternative, but about inclusivity, promoting responsible drinking and offering healthier options.”