ANA Insider

Insights, news, events, and jobs for the adult non-alcoholic beverage industry

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Why "Adult" Matters - Introducing The ANA Insider

If I asked you "What is a "non-alcoholic beverage?", would you have an easy answer?

Sounds pretty simple, right?

Ask 3 people in the beverage industry and you'll get 3 completely different answers.

🔴 A distributor will say: "NA beer, dealcoholized wine, and zero-proof spirits."

🟡 A retailer will say: "Everything that's not alcohol - sodas, juices, water, energy drinks."

🟢 A data analyst will say: "Coffee, tea, kombucha, functional beverages... everything without ethanol."

They're all correct.

And that's exactly the problem.

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​But One Word Changes Everything

Adult.

Adult non-alcoholic beverages. ANA.

This one word defines an entirely distinct category.

As adult beverage expert Brandy Rand wrote in her article for Global Drinks Intel:

"If we don't define it, we can't sell it so people understand it."

👉 When we can't clearly define what we're talking about:

↳ We can't measure growth accurately
↳ We can't communicate market size to investors
↳ We can't help retailers understand where products belong
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What Makes ANA Different

Adult non-alcoholic beverages are:

→ Marketed to adults of legal drinking age
→ 0.5% ABV or below
→ Designed as alternatives to alcohol in adult social situations
→ Premium positioned alongside spirits, wines, and craft beers

Not coffee. Not tea. Not sodas. Not juices.

When someone orders an ANA beverage?
↳ They're looking for sophistication
↳ Ritual
↳ The social experience of an adult beverage - without the alcohol

That's fundamentally different from reaching for a sparkling water.

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Introducing ANA Insider 📬

Today, we're launching The ANA Insider - the official newsletter of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association.​

We named it The ANA Insider for the same reason we named the organization the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association:
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↳ Because clarity matters
↳ Because when we say "adult non-alcoholic," everyone knows exactly what we're talking about

Premium beverages for adults.

Not the entire universe of drinks that happen to lack alcohol.

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Why Now

The beverage industry is evolving faster than our language can keep up.

But we can get ahead of the curve by using terminology that creates clarity, not confusion.

The adult non-alcoholic category isn't just a trend.
↳ It's a fundamental shift in how adults choose to drink
↳ And it deserves to be understood, measured, and celebrated on its own terms

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​Welcome to The ANA Insider 🙌

Each issue brings you:

1. Innovation deep dives
2. Curated industry news
3. Brand insights and launches
4. Events + job opportunities

Let's build this category together - with the clarity and precision it needs to reach its full potential.
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We'd love to hear your thoughts on this launch. Share your perspective, join the conversation, or tag someone on LinkedIn who should be part of The ANA Insider community.
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Share Your Thoughts on LinkedIn →

​Marcos Salazar​
CEO, Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA)

Industry Insights:

Why Total Wine is Dedicating 20 Feet of Space to Drive Adult Non-Alcoholic Category Growth

Most retailers dedicate a few feet of shelf space to non-alcoholic beverages. Total Wine took a different path. They created destinations within their stores where consumers could explore the full spectrum of adult non-alcoholic beverages - and the results are showing up in their numbers. "Year-to-date across both wine, beer, and spirits, we're up about 18% in terms of non-alcoholic sales," Brian Gelb, who oversees all non-alcoholic categories at Total Wine, shared.
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Their target of 20 feet of dedicated retail space in every location across 285 stores represents the kind of infrastructure investment that signals category legitimacy to both consumers and producers. While most retailers allocate 80%+ of their non-alcoholic footprint to beer, Total Wine has created a more balanced category mix: 50% beer, 30-35% wine, with the remainder for spirits and functional beverages.
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Discover how they evolved from niche category to strategic priority, how they're building balanced category architecture, how their direct import capabilities enable breadth, how they're solving the merchandising challenge, and why their infrastructure investment matters for the entire industry.

Continue Reading →

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• Non-alcoholic beverages are entering a new era where social connection, wellness, and intentional drinking - not restriction, are redefining how people gather and celebrate. (Forbes)
• Canadian non-alcoholic retailers have united under a new national alliance to strengthen advocacy, visibility, and growth for the alcohol-free retail sector. (NEONI)
• As the non-alcoholic category matures, startups and restaurateurs must navigate regulatory, operational, and margin realities before entering the market. (Miller Kaplan)
• Differences in viscosity between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer are emerging as a key technical challenge impacting mouthfeel, quality, and consumer perception. (RheoSense)
• From pubs to supermarkets, alcohol-free options are becoming mainstream as younger consumers increasingly question traditional drinking culture in Ireland. (BBC News)
• Bars are rethinking menus, programming, and profitability as moderation and non-drinking reshape what guests expect from nightlife experiences (Restaurant Business)
• Hilton is partnering with cocktail expert Derek Brown to elevate non-alcoholic beverage programs across Tempo by Hilton properties. (Hilton Stories)
• Grand Rapids’ first dry cocktail bar is betting on Gen Z’s reduced alcohol consumption to build a new kind of nightlife experience. (Crain’s Grand Rapids)
• A new alcohol-free members’ club in New York City blends hospitality, design, and wellness for a social scene without booze. (Wallpaper*)
• Flavor innovation in non-alcoholic spirits is accelerating, with brands experimenting beyond simple alcohol substitutes to create entirely new taste experiences. (GreyB)
• Investors are increasingly backing zero-proof and non-alcoholic beverage brands as consumer demand shifts toward moderation and wellness-driven consumption. (Forbes)
• Diageo and The Flava People have launched an alcohol-free Baileys chocolate sauce, extending the brand into festive, zero-proof indulgence. (FoodBev Media)
• Low- and no-alcohol drinks are moving from trend to long-term category shift as health, moderation, and premiumization drive sustained growth. (CEO Today)
• Thrive Market is doubling down on mindful consumption by exiting alcohol entirely and rolling out a dedicated non-alcoholic category to meet evolving shopper demand. (Progressive Grocer)
• AB InBev is committing £4 million to expand UK non-alcoholic beer production, signaling continued big-beer investment in alcohol-free growth. (Just Drinks)
• As NA production scales, brands are being urged to ask tougher questions when choosing contract brewers to avoid quality, capacity, and compliance pitfalls. (ProBrewer)
• Molson Coors plans to increase spending on non-alcoholic beverages, reinforcing its belief that moderation-driven growth will outpace traditional beer in key markets. (Yahoo Finance)
• Soft Bar NYC is redefining nightlife by offering a fully alcohol-free bar experience rooted in hospitality, creativity, and cultural relevance. (Resy)
• Dry Vibes is set to bring together wellness, music, and non-alcoholic brands for Philadelphia’s largest alcohol-free lifestyle event to date. (Grid Magazine)
• The global non-alcoholic wine market is projected to accelerate rapidly, fueled by premiumization, health-conscious consumers, and shifting drinking norms. (OpenPR)
• Non-alcoholic drinks are evolving beyond mild profiles into bigger flavors, wider retail distribution, and more everyday drinking occasions as the category matures. (BevNET)
• Navigating the legal landscape for selling non-alcoholic beer remains complex, with brands needing to understand varied regulations around where and to whom NA beer can be sold. (ProBrewer)
• Castel is investing €10 million in non-alcoholic wine and advocating for glycerol use and dedicated appellations to enhance quality and legitimacy in de-alcoholized wine production (Vitisphere)

Member News:

How Free AF Scaled Sips to Lips Through Strategic Partnerships

"Oh my God, look what turned up in my HelloFresh today!" That's exactly the reaction Free AF founder Lisa King wanted when she figured out a way to get 75,000 samples into consumers' hands without traditional in-store sampling. Her solution? Partner with HelloFresh to deliver surprise samples directly to consumers' homes, creating a model for consumer trial that's now getting attention from other brands across the category.

Their partnership strategy with HelloFresh created organic buzz while driving traffic directly to Target and Walmart stores. Discover how they reimagined the consumer experience, how the HelloFresh partnership strategy worked, how strategic retail collaboration played a role, what measurable impact they achieved, and why this approach is leading the future of consumer engagement.

Continue Reading →

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• TÖST expands to over 11,000 U.S. locations as demand for premium alcohol-free options surges ahead of the holiday season. (The Associated Press)
• French Bloom acquires a Limoux estate to craft terroir-driven, premium alcohol-free sparkling wines and immersive tasting experiences. (Forbes)
• Athletic Brewing surpasses 500K barrels, cementing its leadership in the non-alcoholic beer market. (Brewbound)
• Jukes celebrates a wave of recent press coverage and announces that Believe by Jukes is now available through The Wine Society, marking strong momentum heading into 2026. (LinkedIn)
• Seraphim takes center stage at Miami’s Art Basel as the featured non-alcoholic drink at M2 Club, pairing art and nightlife with mindful sophistication. (LinkedIn)
• Pollen Projects highlights the growing cultural relevance of non-alcoholic beverages, positioning the category as a meaningful part of modern hospitality and social connection. (LinkedIn)
• Blind Tiger Spirit-Free Cocktails spotlights its Holiday Bundles on TalkShopLive’s shoppable livestream platform. (TalkShopLive)
• Rationale Brewing earns recognition as a 2025 Rising Star by Brewbound and BevNET.com, reinforcing its role as a standout innovator in craft non-alcoholic beer. (LinkedIn)
• Free AF officially launches in the UK RTD market, bringing its bold, alcohol-free positioning to a growing international audience. (The Spirits Business)
• Lucky Saint is named the official sponsor of Dry January 2026, cementing its leadership role in one of the world’s most influential mindful drinking movements. (Alcohol Change UK)
• Mockly’s unveils a New Orleans–inspired rebrand, blending local culture, flavor, and celebration to reinvent the non-alcoholic drinking experience. (Big Easy Magazine)
• Noughty introduces a small-format non-alcoholic Sparkling Chardonnay in 200 ml bottles, making its crisp, organic bubbly easier to enjoy on the go or at casual occasions. (The Drinks Business)
• Nonny partners with Red Truck Beer to bring craft non-alcoholic beer into new on-premise and retail conversations. (LinkedIn)
• Edna’s Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Co. reports strong retail growth following its Margarita launch and new variety pack rollout, signaling rising demand for premium NA cocktails. (Business Wire)
• The Free Spirits Company teams up with LA Libations, framing non-alcoholic spirits as tools for choice, balance, and modern drinking culture. (LinkedIn)

Webinars + Events:

Dry January Media Roundtable: Trends, Data, and Stories Shaping the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Category

Date: Recording December 13, 2025 Time: 12:00 PM ET Where: Online (Zoom) Speaker Anika Sawni, Pauline Idogho, Milan Martin, Meeta Gournay, and Ariel/J. Lohr

Catch the recording of our exclusive Media Roundtable featuring founders from Gruvi, Mocktail Club, The Free Spirits Company, Three Spirit, and Ariel/J. Lohr, sharing the latest ANA category insights, consumer trends, and real-world learnings on what’s driving growth in adult non-alcoholic beverages.

Watch the Recording →

ANBA Member Jobs:

Featured: Business Systems Manager ​(On-site, Milford, CT)

Athletic Brewing is looking for a Business Systems Manager to help them scale smarter, connect their tools and teams more seamlessly, and turn operational complexity into clarity. In this role, you’ll serve as a strategic project leader and hands-on problem solver who shapes how their business runs today and drives the projects that improve how it runs tomorrow.

Apply Now →

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• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Warehouse Operator I (On-site, San Diego, CA)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Brewing - All Levels (On-site, Milford, CT)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Packaging Operator I (On-site, San Diego, CA)
• ​The Zero Proof - Digital Account Executive (On-site, Atlanta, GA)
• ​Lucky Saint - On Trade Sales Executive East London (Hybrid, London, UK)
• ​Bolle Drinks - Digital Marketing Manager (Remote, London, UK)
• ​Diageo - Executive Assistant to CEO, North America (On-site, New York, NY)

The Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA) is a global trade organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and accelerating the growth of the adult non-alcoholic beverage industry. We connect producers and industry partners with the insights, resources, and community they need to thrive in this rapidly expanding category.

Learn More About Membership →

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