Sober October might be ending next week but that won’t halt the growing demand for more alcohol alternative beverages. But innovation isn’t found exclusively in a can or bottle. An increasing rise in non-traditional beverage formats – think powders, tinctures, sachets or concentrates –are being developed for the sober curious community.

For some, the convergence of the non-alc movement and wellness trends have sparked organic growth in unexpected places. Not initially focused on the sober curious community, wellness brand Apothékary started diving into zero-proof with a powdered herbal red wine-inspired blend called “Stop Your Wine-ing” and has extended the line with rosé and white wine alternative tinctures, or “drink drops,” that have mood enhancing and stress relieving benefits. 

Those products are now among the brand's top sellers, while alcohol alternatives represent about 30% to 40% of Apothékary's business at this point, according to founder and CEO Shizu Okusa. The brand is readying a new “wine flight” marketed towards non-drinkers for launch during the holiday season.

Just as in the broader non-alcoholic beverage space, zero-proof brands are exploring how smaller, convenience-oriented formats can extend their reach with consumers. Launched as a carbonated RTD in 2018, California-based brand Sun Chaser shifted to individual powdered packets to both save money on shipping but also fill a gap in the non-alc category for an on-the-go mocktail. The e-comm exclusive company will introduce two new flavors next month and is considering a “smaller format” liquid concentrate version for future release.

Elsewhere, some non-RTDs have found traction in culinary settings. Jukes Cordialities – makers of a concentrate that consumers add still or sparkling water to in differing amounts to make a red, white or even rosé. – is targeting boutique wine and spirits shops and fine dining restaurants. In cannabis, Zack Squires, founder of Maine-based Squire’s Specialty Edibles, is bringing his talents as a chef to create THC-infused mixers made from fruit flavors and local ingredients that can be used for everything from sparkling water to topping ice cream.

There's also Sayso, which has partnered with subscription-based zero-proof platform Raising the Bar and offering promotional giveaways with NA spirits brands like Sobrii 0-Spirits or Spiritless to pair with its sachet cocktail mixes.

As Okusa explained, the sober curious movement has become a “gateway drug” that is helping drive consumers further into wellness platforms like Apothékary. If zero-proof trends continue to extend beyond a couple of months out of the year - a trend millennials seem to be driving – it seems like consumers will find new and versatile offerings across format types that they can integrate into their day-to-day routines.

Cool beans! For the first time in its 60+ years of existence, Coffee Mate is branching outside of the creamer category. In an Instagram post, the Nestlé-owned brand announced the launch of its Iced Coffee in French Vanilla and Caramel Flavors. The non-dairy products are crafted with coffee, sugar, canola oil and micellar casein (a milk derivative). 

Coffee Mate isn’t the only creamer brand to get into iced coffee this year. In March, nutpods announced the launch of its first coffee-based, dairy-free RTD product in Vanilla Caramel and Classic flavors. Nutpods’ Creamy Cold Brew can be found in the refrigerated section at Sprouts for $5.99 per 32 oz. carton. 

Check out this week’s full NPG on BevNET. 

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Just like raising them, kids present a challenge when it comes to building a drink brand for them. But after hopscotching its way down from Canada, Gnubees has hatched a plan to bring its BFY, juice-adjacent pouch drinks to over 5,000 doors across the country. We talked with the brand and chief strategy and ideation officer Autumn Kendrick to hear why she believes the six-year-old product is finally “in its time.” 

🚚 Earlier this month, the company unveiled a new partnership with Coremark that will bring it to convenience stores and rest stops – a placement intended to further hone its position as an easy, on-the-go snack. Up until now, Gnubees products have been sold through natural and conventional grocery stores. 

🔌 Brandi Heindl, the team’s external sales strategist, added that at NACS earlier this month, the product garnered plenty of excitement from c-store buyers. On top of an already evolving rest stops and corner stores consumer base – Heindl explained why she thinks Gnubees also has the potential to capitalize on new shopping habits driven by the rise of electric vehicles.

Read the full story on BevNET.

The New Beverage Showdown is the leading business pitch competition for the beverage industry. The competition will take place at BevNET Live Winter 2023, taking place December 3-5, creating a platform for the hottest new beverage brands to gain awareness amongst the industry and share their plans with judges who can help take their business to the next level. Apply to pitch by the end of the day today, Friday November 3.

A new in-store cooler program for emerging brands, created by L.A. Libations this summer, has led Albertsons to pick up Saint James Iced Teas and Hawaii Volcanic for national distribution, with the former now rolling out to 1,800 stores across 11 divisions and the latter is entering around 700 doors in five divisions.

🛒 Called “Taste Tomorrow,” the program began in July by introducing six-shelf coolers into 102 Southern California retailers, including Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores.

🏛️ The first cohort of brands was drawn from L.A. Libations’ SIP incubator program and included Saint James, Hawaii Volcanic, Don’t Quit!, Purps and Coco 5. The current class of brands will be cycled out for five-to-six new brands at the end of November.

Read the full story on BevNET

We didn’t intend to run a roundup of new celebrity-backed spirit launches this week, but the Beverage Gods had other plans in mind. And they delivered us Matthew McConaughey, pantless.

👖 Watch out George Clooney, another Oscar-winning leading Hollywood man is angling for a share of the tequila business. And he's doing it... without pants? On Wednesday Matthew and Camila McConaughey announced the launch of Pantalones Organic Tequila, a line of "super premium" organic tequila. The super star announced the news with a cheeky nod to the celebrity tequila industry, asking "when did tequila stop being tequila?" as the couple rides off in motorcycles pantsless.

🎙️ Now that Pepsi’s bubly experiment seems to be petering out, singer Michael Bublé is on to his next beverage venture, announcing the launch of Fraser & Thompson Whiskey, a collaboration between distiller Paul Cirka and celebrity spirit developer, WES Brands. A new whiskey was teased when WES Brands announced a partnership with Kentucky-based Heaven Hill back in August, where the new whiskey is bottled.

👙 Supermodel, actress, and entrepreneur Kate Upton has joined Vosa Spirits as co-owner. The RTD company, which was founded in 2021, launched two new lines now available in Florida and Michigan as part of the news: Vodka Water, a non-carbonated flavored vodka “cocktail” and High Line, a sparkling version with a slight uptake in ABV. Not much could make us drink a flat vodka water, but maybe Upton will offer Mom Water fans some variation.

Campari has fared better than other global spirit companies so far this year, but positive results over the nine-month period were tempered by a weaker Q3. Here are the numbers reported yesterday:

📈 Fueled by strong performances from its aperitifs, tequilas and bourbon, Campari reported 10.5% organic growth in the nine month period and 4.4% in the quarter. Espolón kept up its double-digit growth in the U.S. (Q3 +32.4%) driven by both volume share gain and positive pricing. 

😐 Did the spritz hit its peak? Aperol’s Q3 performance was positive overall (+9.0%) but in the core U.S. market barely compares to last year’s Q3 +110.3% growth. 

We’re still on the lookout for the Italian spirit group’s next move after increased shareholders’ voting rights possibly carved a path towards a potential big acquisition, but with CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz on his way out in Spring 2024, that may not happen for a while.

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This week we take a look at Bollywood, a Women Owned certified company making Indian-inspired sparkling lemonade and limeade beverages that are packaged in 12 ounce sleek cans. Are they ready for the spotlight?

Read the full review on BevNET

Blue Bottle Coffee has announced the return of its merch and coffee bundle collaboration with NIGO, the founder of streetwear brand Human Made. The limited edition capsule collection is made with the Blue Bottle logo pressed onto Human Made’s core items. 

👚 Now available on Blue Bottle’s website, the collaboration features a long sleeve t-shirt ($120), a popover hoodie ($265), a crewneck sweatshirt ($245), a hat ($65), a key chain ($30) and a Blue Bottle x Human Made Coffee Bundle Past and Future Blend ($50 per bundle).

🇪🇹 According to a press release, the Past coffee blend features a darker roasted Ethiopian coffee mixed with a lightly roasted Ethiopian coffee while the Future blend takes a bright, fruity Ethiopian coffee and combines it with a sweet, rich Colombian coffee. 

🛍️ Blue Bottle first collaborated with NIGO in 2021 to celebrate the opening of its cafe in the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo, the designer’s hometown.

Today we’re unveiling the Community Call Podcast – an audio-based version of our dynamic and interactive series of expert conversations designed to engage and empower food and beverage businesses. Read the story.