UK: Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I launches Budweiser Zero and Stella Artois Alcohol Free within its no- and low-alcohol portfolio
The AB InBev-owned Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I has announced the addition of two new beers to its no- and low-alcohol portfolio – Budweiser Zero and Stella Artois Alcohol Free.
The company highlighted that the new lines will enable retailers to tap into an alcohol-free beer and cider market that has grown 147% since 2015 and is now worth £77.4 mln a year for the off-trade (Nielsen, year to 28 December 2019).
Stella Artois Alcohol Free has zero alcohol and 60 calories. It follows the launch of Stella Artois Gluten Free in 2018, certified by Coeliac UK.
Meanwhile, the brewer claims that Budweiser Zero, at zero alcohol, zero sugar and 46 calories, offers the same iconic taste of standard Budweiser. Bud Zero will take over the listings formerly held by Bud Prohibition, although it is a different recipe.
The Budweiser Brewing Group already brews alcohol-free beers such as Beck’s Blue – the biggest non-alcoholic brand in the Off-Trade, accounting for 21.4% of all sales, and low alcohol options including Bud Light and Michelob ULTRA, both brewed to 3.5% ABV.
The expansion of its no and low portfolio is part of the company’s ‘Global Smart Drinking Goals’. These include a pledge that 20% of the brewer’s global beer volumes will be low-to-no alcohol by 2025 – alongside deeper investments in programmes that measurably shift social norms and behaviours to decrease the harmful use of alcohol.
Stella Artois Alcohol Free launched in the on-trade earlier this year, with Budweiser Zero set to launch once pubs are re-opened.
Ali Humphrey, Director Stella Artois Europe said: “We’re excited to launch Stella Artois Alcohol Free to the market, the most recent addition to our expanding La Famille Artois. Our Brewmasters have taken 600 years of Belgian brewing heritage and combined it with our best, all-natural ingredients, to create an alcohol-free lager that is bursting with flavour. The result is a pronounced hoppy bitterness and a crisp, clean and refreshing finish – but without a drop of alcohol and 60 calories.”
Elise Dickinson, Marketing Manager at Budweiser added: “At Budweiser we pride ourselves on being the ‘King of Beers’ – and we know that while consumers are increasingly looking to enjoy low and no versions of their favourite products, they won’t compromise on taste. That’s why Budweiser Zero was created using the latest developments in no-alcohol brewing, and following years of taste testing. We are thrilled to add a smooth alcohol-free beer with all the taste but with zero alcohol or sugar, and a low-calorie content, to the Budweiser Family. Now, more people than ever can enjoy a Budweiser beer in any occasion”.
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