With the overall beer market down just about 1% in 2017 and 5% over the past four years, brewers of all sizes are looking in different directions, from dipping toes in the cannabis industry, spirits, alcoholic seltzers and other creative avenues. Heineken is going non-alcoholic.
Heineken 0.0 was first launched in the Netherlands and Germany in 2017 by the 155-year old Dutch brewer. According to an article in CNN.com, the non-alcoholic beer is “just flying” in the markets it has been in. During the company’s most recent earnings report, Heineken (HEINY) CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer said that “the ongoing success of Heineken 0.0” helped deliver the strongest growth by volume to the Heineken brand in over a decade.
Pabst Blue Ribbon just recently announced the launch of its non-alcoholic brew, noting in a release that “the next generation of America” has a “greater focus on health and wellness.”