In two years, the non-alcoholic beer category has increased by 24.3 percent in Belgium. This is evident from figures provided during a press presentation by beer giant AB InBev, which will account for 60 percent of the non-alcoholic beer market in Belgium in 2023.
Worldwide, non-alcoholic beers currently make up 1.8 percent of the total beer market. In the European Union, non-alcoholic beers account for a segment of 4.9 percent and in Belgium it is even 5.1 percent. Between 2021 and 2023, the share of non-alcoholic beers in our country increased by no less than 24.3 percent.
The company does not want to reveal how large the share of non-alcoholic beers is in AB InBev’s total beer production. It is clear that it is gaining in importance: “Non-alcoholic beers are growing strongly,” said Jason Warner, CEO Europe of AB InBev. “We believe that growth will continue. It is an important part of our activities.”
Corona Cero, the beer that AB InBev recently presented as a focus brand in the partnership with the Olympic Games, is the fastest growing non-alcoholic beer in the company’s range. The first Corona Ceros, specially made for the Games, rolled off the production line at the factory in Leuven on Tuesday.
Successful technology
The non-alcoholic beers in Leuven are brewed using a vacuum distillation column, which extracts the alcohol from the beers at temperatures below 40 degrees Celsius. Previously tried techniques did not give the same effect: often a few tenths of the percentage of alcohol remained in the brew. The distillation column can effectively achieve 0.0 percent alcohol.
“We often add some natural aromas afterwards to achieve different refreshing flavors,” says David De Schutter, head of research and development at AB InBev. “We have now succeeded in producing alcohol-free beers that are just as successful as the well-known beers with alcohol. There are many different types and styles in our portfolio, but we keep experimenting with new flavors.”
In 2015, the brewer launched ‘Global Smart Drinking Goals’, with the most notable goal being to bring the share of non- or lower alcohol beers in volumes to 20 percent by 2025. That goal will not be achieved. “Dreaming big is part of our business,” Warner said. “But if we hadn’t had such big goals, we wouldn’t have achieved so much creativity and progress within our company. We continue to work to achieve the goal as quickly as possible.”
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Tags: Nonalcoholic beer rise Belgium increase percent years Drinks
