The Entertainment Industry Invests In Gen Z Veering More Towards Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Gen Z has certainly become a trend-setting generation if there ever was one. From the consumption of content to monetary perspectives the group have been changing our societal constructs as major institutions adapt to their habits so they can be relevant in the future. One market that celebrities have been investing in more and more recently, in line with this, is the non-alcoholic beverage market.

In a post in September 2022, I divulged further details about Katy Perry and Blake Lively’s entrance into the market with their respective brands. There are a whole host of other key industry figures with their own products as they try to stake their claim to the hugely growing sector. From energy drinks to juices and mocktails, the mindset of not needing an alcoholic escape or an inhibitor is becoming much more pronounced.

One of the key elements of the trade is getting someone to feel a so-called buzz without the alcohol and potential subsequent hangover.

Recently featured on David Meltzer’s 2-minute drill, California-based non-alcoholic beverage company Seoul Juice’s founder Luis Manta believes that the trend is only just beginning. A college athlete – and member of the Gen Z generation – Manta commented that his brand and others in the sector will start to push through in the coming years.

“Look at what KSI and Logan Paul have done with Prime. They’ve managed to leverage their influence on our generation to bring in a huge audience of people to purchase their products. It’s an energy drink that contains no sugar, and no caffeine, and is around 20 calories per bottle. Compared to other drinks in the energy market it’s a healthier product. On top of that, it has numerous elements that appeal to the younger generation, who seemingly care more about their health. Electrolytes, B Vitamins, and a portion of coconut water are all in it.”

“I honestly think our minds are moving further away from getting drunk constantly and more towards living life to the fullest and really experiencing everything without the need for ‘Dutch courage’.”

The product from the YouTubers has been selling out in droves across the U.K. Some stores even put a cap on how many someone can buy per purchase and some have selling points of up to £20 ($24).

Similarly to Prime, Manta’s product is also packed full of electrolytes but also has over 400mg of potassium per bottle, once again, very good for replenishing the body. Founded based on popular Korean Pear juices, Manta wanted a clean, natural product to help athletes steer away from those with heavy amounts of sugar. He also understood that the college lifestyle still can involve copious amounts of alcohol and wanted a solution.

Manta continued, “Korean Pears have the ingredient Dihydromyricetin (DHM) in them which helps detoxify the body from alcohol. DHM reduces the acetaldehyde levels in your body which is what helps alleviate your hangover symptoms, the sooner you get the juice in your body the faster it gets to work. We even suggest pairing with alcohol to reduce hangover symptoms.”

Manta told BevNet, “We really wanted to honor the origins of the product along with representing our customer base properly. In Asia, some regions refer to the Korean/Asian pear as a Nashi pear. We loved the name and wanted to incorporate it into our brand.”

Numerous celebrities have also pushed to incorporate similar products. Dwayne Johnson started ZOA, a product with natural ingredients like camu-camu and acerola, B Vitamins and naturally sourced caffeine. With the fitness enthusiast Johnson is, he also launched two flavors designed to be taken pre-workout.

On the scope of the brand Johnson said shortly after launching, “I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve our eager consumers with ZOA — the ultimate healthy and immunity-supporting energy drink that’s the first of its kind, thanks to our unique combination of ingredients,” Johnson stated. “My co-founders and I spent the last 18 months formulating this healthy and great tasting product that we could all use now more than ever, ensuring we packed it with the critical vitamins and immune support we ourselves consume daily. ZOA is the world’s first and only healthy energy drink that contains our unique combination of 100% vitamin C, 100% vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12, and vitamin D, along with other vital ingredients. ZOA includes a host of nutrients that work to support our immune systems and provide us with a healthy dose of the caffeinated edge we need for focus, balance and success throughout our day. It’s truly our privilege to bring it to market for consumers to enjoy.”

NFL Football player JJ Watt, who is a defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals, wanted to still have a beer flavor to his newly invested in company Athletic Brewing Co, but – once again – without the alcohol. He joined alongside NFL star Justin Tuck, Lance Armstrong, and chef David Chang.

“When we began Athletic Brewing, we knew we had the potential to take nonalcoholic beer out of the penalty box and open up new occasions for the beer industry,” said Athletic Brewing Co-founder Bill Shufelt. “The fact that Lance, David, Blake Justin and J.J., who are leaders in their own professional and personal endeavors, would see the value in our pursuit to offer a life without compromise, greatly validates our mission and sets us on the path for mammoth success in 2021 and beyond.”

“I feel fortunate to have discovered Athletic Brewing during their early days. Bill and his team at Athletic have not only created an incredible tasting nonalcoholic beer, they have also shown an immense commitment to philanthropic efforts and protecting the environment,” said J.J. Watt.

In late 2021, supermodel Bella Hadid started her own non-alcoholic, botanical-infused seltzer brand called Kin Euphorics along with Kin CEO and co-founder Jen Batchelor. The beverage includes adaptogenic herbs, nootropics, and botanicals that have been widely praised across this new sober curious movement.

The two brands in the company Kin Spritz and Lightwave have different purposes for the market. Hadid commented that Lightwave worked well in providing confidence without alcohol for socializing purposes.

“I drink this when I have crippling anxiety and I can’t leave my house or when I’m not gonna drink alcohol but still want to loosen up and be able to speak to people and socialize,” she explained to InStyle. “Both drinks have also helped relieve stress-related insomnia, Hadid says. “It doesn’t put you slap on your butt, asleep for 15 hours, but it does really calm your brain, your nervous system, and those late-night thoughts. I drink it before bed and I sleep like a baby,” Hadid said.

“It’s kind of that moment where I have my ritual, where I’m able to just kind of be with myself. I don’t take sleeping pills anymore. When I was flying so much, that was kind of the only way I would be able to not be jet-lagged. But now I really have something holistic and it’s doing something for my body every day,” she explained.

In 2021 Hadid widely cut alcohol from her fluids intake and stated that she didn’t see herself going back.

“I don’t feel the need because I know how it will affect me at 3 in the morning when I wake up with horrible anxiety thinking about that one thing I said five years ago when I graduated high school,” she says. “There’s just this never-ending effect of, essentially, you know, pain and stress over those few drinks that didn’t really do much, you know?”

Though alcoholic brands are still flourishing among certain demographics the year-on-year growth across different sectors in the non-alcoholic market are all on the uptrend. A potential foreshadowing of the future of our wider society’s relationship with alcohol.