buyers' picks
Mary Guiver, principal category merchant
for beer, Whole Foods, Austin, Texas
• Clever Premium Mocktails, Assorted Flavors
• Giesen 0% Alcohol New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
• Lagunitas IPNA Non-Alcoholic IPA and Hoppy Refresher
• Mingle Mocktails, Assorted Flavors
• Sierra Nevada Hop Splash Hop-Infused Sparkling Water
• Wolffer Estate Spring in a Bottle Alcohol-Removed Sparkling Rosé
Jon Freeman, buyer, Rainbow
Grocery Cooperative, San Francisco
• Abstinence Spirits, Assorted Varieties
• Athletic Brewing Golden Ale
• Ceybon Happy AF Mushroom Wellness Drink
• Untitled Art NA Juicy IPA and NA Italian Style Pils
• Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo
NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER, WINE, SPIRITS
The non-alcoholic category boomed
in 2023, and the momentum is set to
continue throughout this year, with SFA
Trendspotters predicting that a bevy of
non-alcoholic products will gain market
share. Innovations in flavors, processes,
and aromas have helped propel growth in
the segment.
BY GEORGE HAJJAR
Gil Censits, general manager,
CoolVines, Jersey City, New Jersey
• Casamara Club Alta, Sparkling Amaro Soft Drink
• St. Agrestis Phony Negroni Non-Alcoholic Cocktail
• Wilfred's Non-Alcoholic Aperitif
• Zero Gravity Non-Alcoholic Hop Fizz Sparkling Water
"While it's true that methods and
technologies exist for removing the alcohol
from wine, beer, and other fermented and distilled
products, we have found that the most exciting beverages
are coming from creative makers who have expanded
the boundaries of this category, and have aimed to create
fascinating, epicurean beverages from naturally non-
alcoholic materials and methods, using ingredients like teas,
mushrooms, fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, plum), spices,
vinegars, even things like marigold pedals and pine sap."
—Gil Censits, general manager, CoolVines,
Jersey City, New Jersey
"In the past 5-6 years the ability
for brewers to create non-alcoholic
beer that provides the same experience as
full-strength beer has grown exponentially; they
cracked the code! Mouthfeel, flavor, and aroma
are all there—it's easy to mistake a non-alcoholic
for full-strength, whereas in the past you could
certainly tell. This new generation of non-alcoholic
products are not your grandpa's non-alc."
—Mary Guiver, principal category merchant for beer,
Whole Foods, Austin, Texas
PHOTOS: ST. AGRESTIS, CEYBON, CHANTELLE HORN
8 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
