Once considered a novelty in the U.S. beer market, alcohol-free beer is experiencing mainstream attention. With consumer media outlets like NPR reporting on the improved taste profiles of non-alcohol beer or Food & Wine Magazine ranking its Top 10 best non-alcohol beers, consumers have more information to direct them to this emerging beer segment.
This attention is producing measurable results as the non-alcohol beer segment saw dollar sales increase 24% for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 26, 2021, in total U.S. multi-outlets, according to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI). Even with this growth, though, the segment’s total sales were $236.5 million. By comparison the next closest beer segment, in terms of dollar sales, was hard cider, which recorded $489.6 million during the same timeframe.