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

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Zebra Striping & Dry January

93% of people buying adult non-alcoholic beverages also buy alcoholic drinks (Nielsen IQ).

Let that sink in for a second.

The ANA customer isn't choosing between alcohol and adult non-alcoholic.
→ They're choosing both
→ They're alternating throughout the week
→ They're moderating, not abstaining

This behavior is called Zebra Striping (if you haven't heard the term already).
→ One alcoholic drink
→ One adult non-alcoholic drink
→ Back and forth throughout the evening

In fact, 25% of UK pub goers actively alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer during visits.

And this is one reason why Dry January isn't simply "Dry" anymore.

It's really a combination of Dry and Dry(ish) January.

Because not everyone is giving up alcohol for the month.

They're incorporating ANA beverages into their routine while still enjoying alcohol in moderation.

And this is changing how businesses are approaching Dry January.

​Athletic Brewing understands this with their "Athletic January" campaign.

As Andrew Katz, Chief Marketing Officer of Athletic Brewing Company, put it:

"For too long, January has been defined by limitations, framed around sacrifice rather than possibility. In 2026, we're shifting the conversation by encouraging drinkers to prioritize presence, explore new experiences, and make moderation a year-round mindset."

Instead of encouraging total abstinence?

→ They're celebrating moderation
→ They're partnering with OpenTable to make ANA beverages easier to find in bars and restaurants
→ They're positioning their products as part of the drinking experience, not a replacement for it

When talking about adult non-alcoholic beverages, we don't need to think "replacement" - we can think "rotation."

The person ordering an ANA gin alternative?
→ They had a craft beer last night
→ They'll have a glass of wine tomorrow
→ They're not leaving alcohol behind - they're building it into a more balanced approach

What is the business opportunity for sellers of ANA drinks?

Retailers: Stock ANA beverages alongside alcohol, not in a separate "alternatives" section.

Bars and restaurants: Staff can suggest ANA options as part of a balanced evening, not as a consolation prize. (NOTE: More than two-thirds of young drinkers say they've left venues due to poor non-alcoholic options.)

There are so many more ANA options today - from NA beers that taste just as good as any alcohol counterpart to sophisticated NA cocktails - and this is making Dry(ish) January easier than ever.

Months or events like Dry January don’t have to be about choosing sides.

They can be about having (and providing) options for different moments - for everyone.

So that we all can enjoy sipping, connecting, and celebrating in any way we choose.

How are you seeing zebra striping show up in your market - are your customers alternating, or still thinking in all-or-nothing terms?
​
​Let me know your thoughts on LinkedIn.

Share Your Thoughts on LinkedIn →

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

Industry Insights:

The Wine Company is Building Distributor Infrastructure for ANA Beverages

When a 40-year-old wine and spirits distributor sees the beverage landscape changing, the traditional response is to protect the core business. The Wine Company in Minnesota took a different approach. Three years ago, Dana Bonelli, Portfolio Director at The Wine Company, and her team made a strategic decision that would reshape their business and their market. Rather than viewing the rise of adult non-alcoholic beverages as a threat to their established wine and spirits distribution, they chose to lean into it as an opportunity. What started as "dipping a toe in the water" with a local shrubs producer evolved into a full-scale infrastructure investment that has positioned them as category leaders in their market.

Learn how The Wine Company started with what they knew to test the market, why recognizing the opportunity required extensive field research and analysis, how their infrastructure investment completely transformed buyer conversations from skeptical to urgent, and what their balanced category architecture approach means for accelerating ANA category growth across the entire ecosystem.

Continue Reading →

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• UK consumers are embracing moderation year-round, with research showing the vast majority either abstain or stay within low-risk drinking guidelines - fueling sustained demand for low/no options. (Talking Retail)​
• No- and low-alcohol beer is finally becoming actually enjoyable, as better brewing tech and flavor-forward innovation turn “health by stealth” into a mainstream drinking habit. (The Guardian)​
• Non-alcoholic drinks are outperforming traditional alcohol stocks over the last five years, adding more fuel to the argument that “better-for-you” isn’t just cultural—it’s investable. (PressReader)​
• Non-alc is graduating from a “trend” into an infrastructure category - one that needs real distribution, on-prem execution, and occasion-building to scale beyond novelty. (New Rules Bev)​
• The UK is on track to top 200 million pints of low/no beer in a record year, underscoring how quickly moderation is becoming a default choice, not just a January experiment. (Mirror)​
• A new snapshot of New Year’s drinking preferences suggests Americans are more willing than Brits to go alcohol-free for big occasions, signaling stronger “social permission” for NA stateside. (LinkedIn)​
• Gen Z’s “breakup with alcohol” is happening earlier than prior generations, driven by health, hangover avoidance, and growing enthusiasm for NA and THC alternatives. (New York Post)​
• California’s NA beer boom is being powered by smarter fermentation and brewer-friendly techniques that deliver real craft character—raising the bar for what “0.5%” can taste like. (San Francisco Chronicle)​

Member News:

How Free Spirits is Advancing ANA Spirit Quality Through Continuous Product Iteration

"We're on version 25 of our Bourbon," Milan Martin, Co-Founder of Free Spirits, told me during our conversation about their approach to product development. Most adult non-alcoholic spirit brands release a product and refine it over time. Free Spirits built their entire culture around the idea that whatever they're making today will be surpassed by what they create tomorrow - treating beverage innovation like software development with continuous iteration and micro-improvements that compound into significant advancements.

Learn how they run like a software company with version releases, why their compound interest approach to product development creates meaningful quality gains, how they're innovating beyond flavor into three-dimensional experiences, what their next-generation mouthfeel technology launching next month will deliver, and what this continuous iteration framework means for advancing quality standards across the ANA spirits category.

Continue Reading →

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• Nonny expands its Canadian retail reach with a new launch on Well.ca. (LinkedIn)​
• Athletic Brewing is taking to the skies, with Free Wave Hazy IPA rolling out on American Airlines flights over 250 miles starting February 1. (LinkedIn)​
• Abstinence Spirits lands in over 100 Whole Foods stores nationwide with its Blood Orange Aperitif and Cape Agave Mezcal Alternative. (LinkedIn)​
• Jukes earns a major hospitality placement, now being served at The Peninsula Tokyo. (LinkedIn)​
• NoWhere scores a Bronze Medal at the 2025 Harvest Terroir Challenge for Vista, its non-alcoholic wine offering. (LinkedIn)​
• Sylva secures its first grocery retail partnership with a launch on Ocado. (The Grocer)​
• Fluère is named one of Drinks International’s 2026 Top 5 Global Trending Brands, reinforcing its momentum in the mindful drinking space. (LinkedIn)​
• Hand on Heart is betting Dry January doesn’t have to mean ditching wine - positioning alcohol-removed, California-grape wines as a “no compromise” ritual play. (WineBusiness)​
• For Bitter For Worse launched COPILOT Drinks, offering low/no-MOQ co-packing and small-run production support for beverage startups and emerging brands. (For Bitter For Worse)​
• The Free Spirits Company teamed up with Williams-Sonoma, extending its bar-worthy cocktail vision into premium retail and gifting territory. (LinkedIn)​
• Seedlip taps Real Housewives star Dorinda Medley for a Dry January push, leaning into pop culture to keep “no/low” feeling fun and social. (The Spirits Business)​
• Athletic Brewing is named the official non-alcoholic beer partner of LOVB Pro for the 2026 season, bringing NA beer deeper into pro sports fandom and community moments. (Sports Business Journal)​
• Blind Tiger Spirit-Free Cocktails expands its cruise footprint with Virgin Voyages, featuring its Southside Mojito as it brings zero-proof cocktails to sea. (LinkedIn)​

Webinars + Events:

Dry January Check In: Breaking Records or Embracing Moderation?

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

Join NielsonIQ and ANBA as we explore mid-month adult non-alcoholic beverage trends for Dry January. Will this year set new records, or will broader trends of moderation temper participation? We will analyze sales performance of the booming adult non-alcohol beer, wine, and spirits categories, uncovering how consumer behaviors and preferences are shaping the future of consumption. With adult non-alcohol brands thriving amid the sober-curious movement, understanding these drivers is essential for sustaining momentum and achieving year-long success.

Register Now →

ANBA Member Jobs:

Featured: US Head Maker (On-site, Hudson Valley, NY)

Sylva is hiring a US Head Maker to lead the opening of its Hudson Valley distillery and maturation lab, crafting aged non-alc spirits from North American grain and wood—based in a stunning Dutch Gambrel barn set on 250 acres, with customers and bespoke projects already underway in NYC, Chicago, and LA.

Apply Now →

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• ​Daily Pour - Events Intern (Remote, New York, NY)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - NetSuite Support Specialist (On-site, San Diego, CA)
• ​Three Spirit - Regional Sales Manager (Remote)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - HR Business Partner, Operations (On-site, San Diego, CA)
• ​Sylva - Digital Marketing Manager (On-site, UK)
• ​​Athletic Brewing Co.​ - Territory Manager (On-site, Austin, TX)
• ​Bolle Drinks - Digital Marketing Manager (Remote, London, UK)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Territory Manager - Ontario & Atlantic (On-site, Toronto, ON)
• ​Athletic Brewing Co. - Territory Manager - Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky (On-site, Ohio)

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.

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