The Recipe for Mixers
Trying to Stay on Course in a Sea of NA Options
By Martín Caballero
In
a press release introducing her new mixer brand Betty Buzz in September, actress Blake Lively neatly summed up the feeling amongst many curious consumers eager to explore the emerging world of zeroproof beverages: “Over the past many years of mixing but not drinking cocktails, it became clear mixers are the unsung heroes of the drink world and deserve just as much love as alcohol.” In general, that sounds like great news for brands and entrepreneurs in the mixers category: as has been well reported by now, Americans are increasingly thirsty for innovative and interesting no-and-low alcohol beverages, whether as part of a commitment to a completely booze-free lifestyle or just as a way to mix up their familiar drinking habits. According to a January report by market research fi rm Brightfi eld Group, 57% of wellness consumers claim to be drinking less alcohol than in the past; amongst that group, 47% wish there were more non-alcoholic options available on the market. Brands have been happy to provide that innovation, which has been manifested in everything from alcohol-free spirits to RTD bitters and soda. But with their own place in the beverage spectrum already 64 BEVNET MAGAZINE – JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
well defi ned, where do mixers fit on this new stage? With value to provide across either side of the alcohol divide means, there’s ample opportunity for further growth, but also added pressure to keep up with ingredient and fl avor trends as the traditional borders between categories continue to fall. With more brands and options available than ever before, Lively’s words feel particularly prescient: if a mixer doesn’t require alcohol, then what exactly makes it a mixer, instead of a non-alcoholic RTD cocktail? And how do they fit amongst the new names built around complex and sophisticated non-alcoholic mocktails — think brands like Lyre’s Spirit Co. and Casamara Club, or function-forward products like Kin Euphorics — even as established players are repositioning existing products as zero-proof options. It’s all an attempt to harness the trendline, of course: according to research from IWSR, zero-alcohol RTDs and spirits are both expected to grow volume around 14% CAGR through 2025. Brands have responded to the incursions by non-alcoholic drinks in various ways, including by simply continuing to push the envelope with interesting and on-trend new fl avor
