ADULT DRINKING
The next generation of non-alcohol spirits
Healthier lifestyles mean lower alcohol consumption, which in turn has increased demand for high-quality alcohol-free products. A fi rm favourite is non-alcoholic beer: the crafty and fl avour-bursting brands available today have come a long way from the watery and unbranded options available back in the ’00s. In recent years, non- alcoholic spirits have taken a serious hold of the low and no-alcohol scene, opening up even more possibilities for beverage companies. Erika Ollén, founding partner of Gnista, discusses this growing trend.
he non-alcoholic spirits industry has a lot to thank the bold movements promoted by brands such as Seedlip and Distill Ventures for, which managed to educate and promote a ‘cleaner’ way of drinking, fi nally giving people a way to opt out of alcohol without having to forego their social lives. Challenger brands have slowly but surely emerged, all with a similar brand proposition, such as distilled drinks intended to replace gin. Although these companies vary in terms of branding and design, they all convey a modern twist of freshness and cater to health-conscious adults. It’s a drinks category that gives confi dence back to the consumer and adds additional value through the touch of botanicals – a taste that is soft on the palate – and, of course, its low-calorie content.
T Not just a drink, an experience
That’s all good, except that there is a big – and growing – crowd that, above all, prioritises the real social-drinking experience. These people love to celebrate and socialise with friends, but sometimes or always want to skip alcohol. These days, there are so many reasons for this: too little time to be hungover, social media shaming or just a mindset that booziness isn’t that cool anyway. And, at the centre of this group, there are bartenders and mixologists. Challengers by nature, they love to push the boundaries while keeping the drinking experience central at all times.
Swedish non-alcoholic spirit brand Gnista (meaning ‘spark’) was born out of the sense that
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