Bar & Restaurant Expo will feature a variety of beer on the show floor when the Expo Hall opens on March 28, including selections from Carlsberg, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, White Claw, and more.
But just what is trending in the beer industry and what are consumers looking for?
Better for You
Head Brewer of Pinter Andrew Potter says no- and low-ABV beers entered the mainstream in 2022 and show no signs of slowing down this year. “Sipping and enjoying beer just for its flavor is on the rise, alongside a shift in societal attitudes to sobriety,” he says. “‘Non-alcoholic beers’ alone have a 49% increase in Google searches over the last three months. More mainstream brands will be trying to recreate these improvements in their own version of a low-ABV beer and other typically alcoholic drinks.”
Melissa Williams, on-premise director, West Business Unit for Constellation Brands, says Constellation is keeping a close eye on the better-for-you space and pushing products like its Corona Premier light beer. It even launched a new product last year, Corona Sunbrew 0.0%, which is the first non-alcoholic beer with a high content of vitamin D.
Senior Manager of Quality & Education and Brewmaster – Draught Master of HEINEKEN USA Peter Camps is also seeing growing interest in the mindful drinking space. In fact, HEINEKEN USA was ahead of the trend when it released its Heineken 0.0 in 2021. Attendees at this year’s Bar & Restaurant Expo will get to sample the new Dos Equis Lime & Salt 0.0 as well as the lower-ABV, lower-carb, and lower-cal Heineken Silver, which is 95 CAL, 4% ABV, and 3.2g carbs.
“Consumers are seeking no- or low-alcohol options, and it’s not a matter of these beverages replacing traditional alcoholic beverages, rather consumers are adding no- and low-alcohol options to their consumption mix,” says Camps. “We are seeing that consumers want to have choices that can meet their moments, whatever they might be.”
Carlsberg USA Country Manager Elliott Ballantyne has found that consumers may be imbibing less, but premiumization is on the rise. “Overall, consumers are consuming less alcohol for many different reasons, and with that, they may trade up to a premium beer to treat themselves,” he says.
Carlsberg USA is also leaning into the low- and no-ABV trend with several of its beers, including Carlsberg 0.0%, Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc Alcohol Free, and more. Carlsberg will be sampling the 5% ABV version of 1664 Blanc at the Bar & Restaurant Expo, which is a premium wheat beer from France. "It will change the way you think of a wheat beer as it's light and refreshing with a delicate taste of citrus, subtle aromas, and a beautiful haze,” says Ballantyne. “The import segment continues to be a bright spot in the industry where most segments are in decline and we anticipate that trend to continue through 2023 and beyond.”
On The Show Floor:
- Corona Premier
- Modelo Especial
- Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc
- Dos Equis Lime & Salt
- Heineken Silver
RTDs
Ready-to-drink (RTD) options are often grouped in with beer given the similar ABVs, malt bases, and innovations being released from beer brands. This can muddy the category, but many beer producers are including RTDs in their trends predictions and future plans.
Potter cites the alcohol e-commerce site Drizly, which says RTDs within the spirits category gained +400% share year-over-year from 2019 to 2022 on the platform. “This type of drink gaining such traction is likely what is pushing beer brands to try and keep up with the growing trend. Adding in flavors like peach, orange, or grapefruit make beers easier to sip on for any occasion, for any audience,” says Potter. “This trend is all about making beer more accessible. Alcoholic beverages often have a strong flavor and can be an acquired taste. But, creating flavored versions helps brands reach a wider audience by being more mild and palatable.”
Camps says he’s seeing increased demand for RTD options, “Consumers are looking for the experience of a cocktail without having to buy and assemble the myriad of ingredients that it often takes to make them. Dos Equis [which recently unveiled a margarita RTD] found that spirits-based cocktail sales were up 115% industry-wide over 2021, demonstrating consumers’ strong interest.”
Constellation offers up a number of RTDs as well, including Fresca Mixed, Modelo Chelada, Corona Refresca, and Corona Seltzer.
And Carlsberg’s recent acquisition of Waterloo Brewing in Canada sets it up to enter the RTD market with Waterloo Brewing’s portfolio of local beers and RTDs.
On The Show Floor:
- Fresca Mixed
- Dos Equis Lime & Salt
- Dos Equis Margarita
Sustainability & Inclusivity
Innovation in flavor and product isn’t the only change in beer. The industry is also becoming more inclusive. “Beer culture has often been noted as having a bad reputation, commonly associated by many with rowdy behavior and toxic masculinity. Over the recent years, however, we’re seeing a shift towards a more modernized and inclusive experience,” says Potter. “Beer marketing will continue to embrace diversity more and more in 2023, with big brands supporting initiatives like Pride, mirroring brands like Absolut and their charity work. Or alternatively, smaller businesses owned by marginalized groups will have their time in the spotlight—perhaps supported by bigger, dominating brands.”
At HEINEKEN USA, the multi-year Behind the Label program is helping to keep the conversation going around inclusion and belonging across the industry. Behind the Label seeks to understand the experiences of the diverse groups that work across the alcoholic beverage industry and build a pathway for inclusion. “We want to bring the people behind the beer industry together, the same way that the industry brings consumers together over a drink,” says Camps. “That starts with better understanding the opportunities and challenges that we face as an industry and taking actions that have a real impact for employees.”
Over at Constellation Brands, the company has put forth a number of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including diversifying its internal talent and establishing Focus on Female Founders and Focus on Minority Founders venture initiatives. These initiatives are committed to investing in female-led and Black/African American, Latinx, and minority-owned businesses over the next 10 years.
Carlsberg is unique in its support of the field of science. “Since 1888, Carlsberg group has been overseen by the Carlsberg foundation—a foundation created by our founder to not only ensure the brewery continued to create high-quality products and innovate within the industry, but also to give back to the science community,” explains Ballantyne. “The Carlsberg Foundation gives back the dividends from the shares in Carlsberg A/S to society by supporting excellent basic research within the fields of natural science, social science, and the humanities.”
On the sustainability front, HEINEKEN Global is committed to environmental responsibility and making a positive impact on the world through the Brew a Better World initiative, which supports UN Sustainable Development Goals by aiming towards net zero impact, inclusivity, and responsible consumption.
Constellation’s Mexican Beer Operations is focused on water stewardship. “With our beer operations achieving some of the best-in-class water efficiency metrics in the industry, the strategy for our Mexican beer operations puts greater emphasis on water restoration and infrastructure improvement for the communities where we operate in Mexico,” explains Williams. “Critical projects have been identified through community collaboration and input and guidance from third-party water restoration organizations.”
Carlsberg is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives with its Together Towards ZERO and Beyond program, which consists of goals to get to zero water waste, zero packaging waste, zero carbon footprint, and others by 2030 and 2040. “We have just launched our largest pilot with the new Fibre bottle that is made using natural materials that can degrade safely in nature if they end up outside national recycling systems,” says Ballantyne. “This a huge step forward to reducing our carbon footprint by 30%.”
On-Premise Sales
Profit goals are also important, and beer producers remain dedicated to improving beer sales in the on-premise. “It’s all about optimizing the menu, supporting the staff, and elevating the experience,” says Williams, who recommends venues bring in a Mexican import. “A profitable assortment maximizes conversion, and sales and check average increases +10% when removing a low-end brand and adding a Mexican import.”
Camps also believes the menu is important for the on-premise. “Regularly refresh and update your drink menus. Over 60% of customers continue to use menus to decide what they will drink, so it’s important to guide them to the products that you think they’ll most enjoy,” he says. “More and more owners/buyers are considering menu prints and happy hour/late-night promotions in 2023.”
Aside from menu innovations, it’s important to ensure the quality of your draft system, and Camps will be presenting on this topic on the Nxt Stage at the Bar & Restaurant Expo during the 3:15 pm session, “How Can You Turn Quality Draft Beers Into Liquid Gold?”
“It’s vital for these on-premise owners and operators to pay attention to the small details when serving bottle or draft beers. Improving the quality of every pour improves your customers' experiences,” says Camps. “It’s important to maintain your draft system by using the proper gas (gas mix), clean glassware, and serving draft beers with at least one finger head of foam. To ensure that these measures are being taken, you must be committed to educating your staff. A knowledgeable staff can sell more and has the tools to provide a high standard of service that will keep your customers satisfied.”
Ballantyne at Carlsberg agrees. “Providing a high-quality drinking experience that is consistent pour after pour [will lead to profits],” he says. “That means treating draught systems like any other piece of equipment in the establishment and ensuring they are maintained, pressurized properly, and beer lines are cleaned. A beer is one of the first opportunities to set the tone for the guests' experience, and a great pint leads to a second one.”
Plan to Attend or Participate in Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023
To learn about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023 in Las Vegas. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello (for companies A to G) e: [email protected] p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz (for companies H to Q) e: [email protected] p: 917-258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh (for companies R to Z) e: [email protected] p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.