Each year, more consumers give “Dry January” a try, pledging to avoid alcoholic beverages for the month. Their reasons are varied: to start the new year on the right foot from a wellness perspective, to see how they feel when they drink less, or to cut calories as they begin a new diet. Many sober-curious consumers look at it as a first step toward cutting back on alcohol throughout the year or even removing it from their lives completely and permanently.
In 2022, 19% of adults say they are participating in Dry January, according to Morning Consult, up from 13% in 2021. Just over half (52%) of this year’s participants say they will not touch alcohol, while the remainder say they will drink less. (Some of latter plan to imbibe just a few days in the month, while others simply say they will drink less than usual.) Thanks to the increasing popularity of this event, it is no wonder that marketers of the expanding number of non-alcoholic cocktails and faux wines, beers, and spirits on the market are often timing new launches to Dry January.
The roster of alcohol-free alternatives includes several celebrity-backed examples introduced in the past year:
- Chef Cat Cora, perhaps best known from her appearances on Iron Chef, debuted a premium non-alcoholic wine brand called Hand on Heart this month, in partnership with Miller Family Wine Company. This is the wine-maker’s first foray into the non-alcoholic wine segment. The label is positioned for those who love wine but want a non-alcoholic option, with the same quality as the original, for occasional use.
- Singer Katy Perry also tied the launch of her alcohol-free aperitifs, sold under the De Soi brand, to Dry January this year. She paired with Morgan McLachlan, formerly of the Amass botanical spirits and scents brand, on the introduction. Like some other non-alcoholic options, the line contains adaptogens, or botanical ingredients, such as mushrooms or herbs, that are said to make the drinker relax and feel good. The brand debuted with three products, all of them green tea-based, sparkling, and caffeinated: Purple Lune (with tart cherry and abhwagandha, an evergreen shrub), Golden Hour (lemon balm and maca, a root), and Champignon Dreams (reishi mushrooms and passion flowers).
- Late in 2021, Luann de Lesseps of the Real Housewives reality show franchise debuted an alcohol-free sparkling rosé called Fosé Rosé. The product contains ingredients marketed as superfoods, including the herb damiana (said to be an aphrodisiac) and the schisandra berry (an adaptogen), as well as white oak, hibiscus, and rosemary. All of these are added to a base of white wine grapes.
- Last fall, actress Blake Lively introduced Betty’s Buzz, a lower-calorie line of sparkling mixers made from clean ingredients. The beverages are positioned as working equally well as mixers for cocktails or on their own as tasty non-alcoholic substitutes. The launch included tonic water, sparkling grapefruit, Meyer lemon club soda, sparkling lemon lime, and ginger beer.
- Model Bella Hadid announced in September that she was joining Kin Euphorics. Her title is business partner and “co-founder,” although the company has been around for several years. The brand promotes its products as a cross between alcohol-free alternatives and functional wellness drinks. The premium products are sold in high-end locations such as Soho House private member clubs; Erewhon Market in Los Angeles; abc V, a vegan restaurant in New York led by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten; and Harmons Grocery, a chain of upscale markets in Utah.
- NFL players J.J. Watt and Justin Tuck joined several other celebrity investors in backing Athletic Brewing, a specialist in non-alcoholic craft beers. Their role was announced in January 2021. The other investors include chef David Chang, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie, and controversial former Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. The company, which has become a leader in the growing non-alcoholic brew segment, releases flagship, seasonal, and specialty products and has a subscription service.
As is common in celebrity brand extension and collaboration, most of these ventures came about through a business structure other than a traditional licensing agreement, whether an investment, joint venture, or self-launched brand.
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