According to a forecast from market research gurus Wise Guy Reports, the worldwide alcoholic beverage market is expected to continue growing at compound annual growth of over 4% over the next six years.
But that didn’t stop the Brasserie Nationale brewery, more famous for its Bofferding and Battin brand beers, expanding its non-alcoholic range by launching a new mineral water on to the market in March 2020. Lodyss was marketed as coming from the “ice age”. Brand recognition via the brewery’s tied outlets will certainly not be a problem. And as we have seen, cider maker Ramborn has also branched out into the non-alcoholic market with a range of fruit juices and an apple soda.
Meanwhile, Fox, which had launched its low-carb, calorie-reduced beer in 2016, followed it with a sparkling wine in 2019. Its drinks are also vegan, right down to the labelling, which has allowed the firm’s founders to toast continued success.
But thirst for more traditional beers also shows no sign of slowing down. Tom Hickey, who knows his market in his role as senior partner (alongside brother Ray and associate Gabriel Boisante) in popular gastro-bars Urban, Bazaar and Paname, launched his own locally produced craft beer in the summer. Without much fanfare, Twisted Cat’s unfiltered pale ale proved a hit in the outlets that serve it, and has even been stocked in cans by selected Delhaize supermarkets.