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

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Why Place-Based Identity Could Be One of the ANA Category's Most Underused Growth Levers

The ANA category has done a remarkable job building its functional story. Better ingredients. Cleaner labels. Sophisticated flavor profiles that rival their alcoholic counterparts. That foundation matters — it's what got the category taken seriously in the first place.

But there's a growth lane opening up that goes beyond what's in the can. The brands finding real traction right now aren't just winning on what they're made of. They're winning on what they mean — the culture, the occasion, the identity they carry into a room before anyone takes a sip.

​Mockly is one of the clearest examples I've seen of this playing out deliberately. When Aimée Sedky and her husband Tarik founded Mockly in New Orleans in 2021, the city was always part of the story. But it took a few years — and some honest market feedback — before they went all the way with it. They scrapped the original packaging, partnered with a Los Angeles creative studio called Day Job, developed custom fonts, and put New Orleans front and center on every can. Not as a design flourish. As a positioning decision.

What that identity does for Mockly on a crowded ANA shelf is something a functional claim can't replicate: it tells a buyer exactly what kind of experience they're walking into. Rich. Celebratory. Indulgent without apology. The city does the explaining.

The results backed it up. Whole Foods embraced the new look immediately. BevNet awarded Mockly's Citron Café Noir best ANA RTD of 2025. And on-premise — bars, hotels, James Beard Award-winning restaurants — now accounts for 60% of the business.

I sat down with Aimée to understand how she knew when the timing was finally right, what the rebrand process actually looked like, and how a product built around New Orleans identity ended up earning a permanent place behind some of the city's best bars. Read how the focus group pointed one direction, why she eventually went the other way, and what the dual-channel business model looks like when the brand identity does the heavy lifting.

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

Member News:

• Mingle Mocktails just launched two new Mingle Mood flavors: Subtly Spicy Margarita and Juicy Watermelon Spritz - bringing bold, summer-ready options to the brand’s lineup of alcohol-free cocktails. (LinkedIn)
• NOUGHTY founder Amanda Thomson recently appeared live on France 24’s international channel to discuss the rapid growth of the non-alcoholic wine category and her mission to redefine the future of wine without alcohol. (YouTube)​
• Blind Tiger founder Rebecca A. Styn, Ph.D. joined The Strategic Leadercast podcast to share the story behind building Blind Tiger, offering insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, and scaling a brand in the emerging non-alcoholic beverage space. (YouTube)
• TÖST Beverages recently attended and supported The Culinary Institute of America Leadership Awards, celebrating influential chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality leaders shaping the future of food and beverage. (LinkedIn)
• Athletic Brewing Co. earned a top 10 spot in the 2026 Axios Harris Poll 100 reputation rankings, underscoring the growing mainstream influence and consumer trust behind the non-alcoholic beer category. (Axios)
• Laura Taylor shared insights on leadership, mentorship, and entrepreneurship in a recent BizWomen feature, reflecting on her journey building Mingle Mocktails and navigating growth as a female founder in the beverage industry. (BizWomen)​
• Athletic Brewing Co. was recently featured in Inc. for its people-first approach to scaling the business, highlighting how company culture and mission-driven leadership have helped fuel the brand’s rapid growth in the non-alcoholic beverage space. (Inc.)
• Ritual Zero Proof has expanded into the RTD category with the launch of canned non-alcoholic cocktails, marking a major step forward in the brand’s mission to make alcohol-free options more accessible and convenient for consumers. (BevInfo Group)
• DioniLife founder Irene Dione shared insights into the company’s growth strategy, consumer education efforts, and the increasing demand for sophisticated non-alcoholic beverage options in a recent industry interview. (Just Drinks)
• Tomorrow Cellars' founder and CEO Tracy Sweeney recently joined the Sober & Lit Podcast to discuss the growing non-alcoholic wine movement, the importance of ritual and inclusion in mindful drinking, and the brand’s mission to make premium alcohol-removed California wines more accessible to consumers across the drinking spectrum. (YouTube)​
• Free Spirits founder Milan Martin recently joined The Branding Laboratory podcast to discuss his transition from a 20-year advertising career to building a non-alcoholic spirits brand for cocktail lovers, sharing how Free Spirits is disrupting the beverage industry without centering its messaging around sobriety. (LinkedIn)​

ANA Industry News:

• Restaurants and hospitality groups are increasingly building zero-proof beverage programs tailored to Gen Z consumers, whose growing preference for mindful drinking is reshaping menus and beverage strategies across the industry. (Modern Restaurant Management)​
• The non-alcoholic beverage category continues to solidify its place in mainstream culture as consumers increasingly prioritize wellness, moderation, and sophisticated alternatives, with Mingle Mocktails highlighted as one of the brands helping redefine modern social drinking. (Forbes)​
• New market insights show low- and no-alcohol beverages continuing to gain global momentum as consumers seek healthier lifestyles, premium experiences, and functional drink alternatives across multiple beverage categories. (Innova Market Insights)
• Non-alcoholic red wine is gaining renewed attention as advancements in production and shifting consumer tastes help improve quality, complexity, and mainstream appeal within the category. (Drinks Digest)
• Beyond Proof, a new non-alcoholic bar in Jamaica Plain, is creating a dedicated social space for sober and sober-curious consumers by offering elevated zero-proof cocktails and community-driven experiences. (Boston Magazine)​
• Italy’s non-alcoholic beverage market is seeing rapid growth as consumer demand for healthier lifestyles and mindful drinking continues to reshape the country’s traditional beverage landscape. (Vinetur)
• Mindful drinking and alcohol-free innovation took center stage at this year’s London Wine Fair, highlighting the increasing importance of low- and no-alcohol beverages across the global wine industry. (Drinks Retailing News)
• Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation is expanding its focus on non-alcoholic beverages with dedicated retail space and a growing product selection aimed at meeting rising consumer demand for alcohol-free alternatives. (SaltWire)
• Industry leaders are exploring whether improved pricing, broader selection, and better accessibility can help accelerate growth within the non-alcoholic wine category as consumer interest continues to rise. (Brewbound)
• Gen Z consumers are driving the rise of alcohol-free entertaining, embracing sober-curious lifestyles and redefining social gatherings around wellness, inclusivity, and mindful drinking. (Food & Home)​

Webinars + Events:

How Digital Printing Helps Beverage Brands Stand Out

Date: June 3, 2026 Time: 12:00 PM ET Where: Online (Zoom) Speaker Michael Bedrosian

Learn how digital variable printing is transforming beverage packaging, from faster product launches and lower upfront costs to flexible multi-SKU production and high-impact designs. The session will be led by Michael Bedrosian, COO and Director of Sales at Fast Track Packaging, whose 40+ years of experience in aluminum beverage packaging and print technology have helped shape some of the industry’s most innovative and scalable packaging solutions.

ANBA Member Jobs:

Featured: Director of Digital Growth

Mingle Mocktails is hiring a Director of Digital Growth to lead the brand’s DTC and performance marketing strategy during a pivotal stage of expansion. Reporting directly to the founder, this player-coach role will oversee paid media, email marketing, Shopify conversion optimization, and agency management while helping build the digital infrastructure behind one of the fastest-growing brands in the non-alcoholic beverage space.

• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Regional Sales Manager - South Central (On-site, Austin, TX)
• ​​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Financial Analyst (On-site, Milford, CT)
• ​​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Benefits Manager (On-site, San Diego, CA)
• ​Mingle Mocktails - Mingle Ambassador (Remote)
• ​PARCH - Social Media & Graphics Manager (Remote)
• ​​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Florida Territory Manager (On-site, Tampa, FL)
• ​​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Washington Territory Manager (On-site, Seattle, WA)

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.