ANA Insider

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

🍺🍷 🥃 🍾 🍸🍹

How Impactful is Dry January?

Is Dry January when adult non-alcoholic brands get most of their sales?

While there is a bump, the latest NielsenIQ's research says no.

Our friends at NIQ hosted a webinar for ANBA last week and shared that adult non-alcoholic beverage buyers are growing consistently across all periods of the year.

→ January 2024 spike: sustained through spring and summer
→ January 2025 spike: but momentum continuing into February and beyond
→ The baseline keeps rising, period after period

ANA sales aren't a trend that peaks in January and crashes in February.

It's steady category growth with seasonal accelerations.

​
Who's Actually Driving This Growth?

Here's where it gets interesting.

NielsenIQ broke down buyer motivation by generation:
​
When asked, "Why did you decide to purchase a non-alcoholic beverage?, respondents say:

Gen Z (21+): "I don't drink alcohol" (133 Index)
​Millennials: "To drink with others" (117 Index)
​Gen X: "I'm taking a break from alcohol" (112 Index)
​Boomers+: "I'm a designated driver" (100 Index)

While the highest-indexing buyers are abstainers...

...the growth is coming from all four generations with completely different motivations.

​
Why This Matters

Many people still think ANA drinks are for people who quit drinking.

But the data shows something different.

The category is growing because it serves multiple needs across multiple generations.

Not just one use case. Not just one consumer type.

That's what sustainable category growth looks like.

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

Industry Insights:

How Enthuse Marketing Built ANA Category Credibility Through Tastemaker Education About Seedlip

When Seedlip launched in the U.S. in 2015, adult non-alcoholic spirits faced a dual challenge. First, they needed to overcome the "fancy juice" perception of adult non-alcoholic spirits. Second, they needed bartenders - professionals who make their living serving alcohol - to champion these new types of products. Chelsey Burger, Regional Brand Ambassador for Seedlip with Enthuse Marketing Group, told me they solved both challenges with one strategic approach: target the industry's most influential tastemakers at Michelin-starred restaurants and 50 Best bars, then equip those bartenders with hands-on education and inclusive positioning.

Learn how Seedlip targeted tastemakers to build credibility, why positioning ANA spirits arm-in-arm with alcohol opened doors, how pre-shift education equipped staff to sell confidently, and what turning bartenders into advocates looks like in practice.

• Non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines continue gaining traction with U.S. wineries and distributors as quality improves and consumer interest in moderation grows. (Wine Business)​
• Liquor stores are seeing non-alcoholic beverage sales provide a meaningful boost during Dry January as shoppers increasingly seek zero-proof alternatives. (WBZ NewsRadio)​
• New NIQ data shows that nearly three-quarters of adult non-alcoholic beverage shoppers are new to the category, creating major opportunities for emerging and niche brands. (Brewbound)​
• The Future Of Non-Alc Hospitality, According to The Maze (BevNET)​
• As non-alcoholic cocktails enter a new “craft era” with elevated ingredients and presentation, questions are emerging about whether alternative spirits brands can keep pace. (BevNET)​
• Carnival Cruise Line announced updates to its Cheers! Zero Proof package, reflecting growing onboard demand for alcohol-free beverage experiences. (MSN)​
• A new study highlights a continued rise in sober and low-alcohol lifestyles, driven by younger generations prioritizing health, balance, and social inclusion. (Good Good Good)​
• BeverageDaily reports that sober-curious consumers are pushing brands to focus more on storytelling, lifestyle positioning, and long-term engagement beyond Dry January. (BeverageDaily)​
• Target is expanding its alcohol-free beverage assortment through a distribution partnership with The Zero Proof, signaling broader mainstream retail adoption of NA drinks. (BevNET)​
• Bars, breweries, and wineries across Oregon are embracing non-alcoholic offerings to attract new customers and stay relevant as drinking habits shift. (Jefferson Public Radio)​
• Gen Z now accounts for a small but fast-growing share of alcohol sales declines, as younger consumers increasingly choose moderation or abstinence. (The Daily Pour)​
• Food Dive notes that Dry January demand for non-alcoholic drinks continues to strengthen each year, with many consumers maintaining reduced drinking well beyond the month. (Food Dive)​
• Germany’s beer market is declining overall, while non-alcoholic beer continues to surge as one of the fastest-growing segments in the country. (Politico Europe)​
• Restaurants are adapting to rising demand for moderation by offering creative zero-proof drinks, reshaping beverage programs to meet a new “Damp January” consumer mindset. (Modern Restaurant Management)​
• In the Netherlands, alcohol-free and low-alcohol beer now accounts for 8-9% of total beer sales, underscoring strong category growth in Europe’s biggest beer market. (NL Times)​
• The return of the Zero Proof Choice Awards highlights how non-alcoholic beverages are gaining mainstream recognition and prestige within the broader beverage landscape. (Yahoo Lifestyle)​

Member News:

How TÖST Built National Distribution by Designing Beverages for Occasions Instead of Replicating Alcohol

When Brooks Addington, CEO and Founder of TÖST Beverages, and his team created TÖST seven years ago, they started with a fundamental question: what does a beverage actually need to be to meet the moment? Their answer wasn't about replicating champagne, wine, or other drinks with alcohol. It was about understanding the rituals - celebrating, pairing a drink with food, separating workday from evening - and creating a beverage that could serve those occasions on its own merit.

That occasion-first philosophy shaped everything about TÖST's product development and created an unexpected advantage: merchandising flexibility that helped the brand reach over 10,000 retail locations across North America. Learn how TÖST identified what occasions actually require, why category ambiguity became strategic advantage, how they built distribution state by state, and what this approach demonstrates for expanding ANA category opportunities.

• The Little Sober Bar has opened a bottle shop in Downtown Woodstock, GA to continue their commitment to accessible alcohol-free event experiences. (Instagram)​
• Abstinence Spirits was featured in the San Francisco Bay Times as a standout botanical non-alcoholic spirits brand helping drive more mindful, alcohol-free lifestyles beyond Dry January. (San Francisco Bay Times)​
• Free AF was spotlighted by BeverageDaily for tapping into the growing demand for canned alcohol-free cocktails that deliver flavor, function, and social appeal. (BeverageDaily)​
• Tomorrow Cellars, Misty Cliffs, and Noughty were among the brands recognized in Wine Spectator’s 2026 blind tasting of the best non-alcoholic and dealcoholized wines. (Wine Spectator)​
• Noughty popped into Denver to connect with the local community as part of its ongoing U.S. expansion and brand-building efforts. (LinkedIn)​
• Society De La Rassi was featured in SAVEUR’s Valentine’s Day gift roundup, spotlighting the brand as a standout non-alcoholic option for celebrations. (SAVEUR)​
• Three Spirit has officially launched in Wegmans Food Markets across the U.S., expanding retail availability of its functional non-alcoholic spirits. (LinkedIn)​
• Athletic Brewing announced that its Free Wave non-alcoholic beer is now available on American Airlines flights, expanding its reach in travel hospitality. (LinkedIn)​
• Noughty and Athletic Brewing were named among BeverageDaily’s most popular alcohol-free brands in the U.S. (BeverageDaily)​
• Mingle Mocktails will be at the KeHE Distributors Summer Show on February 4–5 in Denver, CO. (LinkedIn)​
• Edna’s and Noughty are set to participate in Free Spirit Victoria, the city’s largest non-alcoholic wine, beer, and cocktail tasting event. (Free Spirit Projects)​
• Athletic Brewing is one of 16 brand partners for Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XXII. (adweek.com)

Webinars + Events:

Recording: Dry January Check In: Breaking Records or Embracing Moderation?

Date: January 29, 2026 Time: 2:00 PM ET Where: Online (Zoom) Speaker Kaleigh Theriault

If you didn't catch the NielsonIQ's webinar exploring the latest adult non-alcoholic beverage trends and the impact of Dry January, you can watch this and all our past webinar recordings by becoming a member of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association. ANBA supports innovative beverage producers and industry allies who are working to provide consumers with the best non-alcoholic beer, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink cocktails in the world.

ANBA Member Jobs:

Featured: Social Media & Content Manager (Hybrid, London, UK)

Lucky Saint is hiring a Content and Social Media Manager to help fuel its mission of becoming the world’s defining alcohol-free beer brand. In this role, you’ll own the visual identity and content strategy across all social channels, drive brand awareness and performance, and support influencer partnerships and major brand campaigns, playing a key part in keeping Lucky Saint recognized as one of the most loved names in alcohol-free beer.

• ​Free Spirits - Brand Ambassador (Remote, USA)
• ​Lucky Saint - Senior National Account Manager (Hybrid, London, UK)
• ​​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Territory Manager Midwest (On-site, St. Louis, MO)
• ​Daily Pour - Events Intern (Remote, New York, NY)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - NetSuite Support Specialist (On-site, San Diego, CA)
• ​Sylva - US Head Maker (On-site, Hudson Valley, NY)
• ​Three Spirit - Regional Sales Manager (Remote)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Territory Manager (On-site, Austin, TX)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Territory Manager - Ontario & Atlantic (On-site, Toronto, ON)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Territory Manager - Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky (On-site, Ohio)
• ​Sylva - Digital Marketing Manager (On-site, UK)
• ​BOLLE - Digital Marketing Manager (Remote, London, UK)

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.