- White Claw is introducing an alcohol-free version of its hard seltzer.
- It’s offering four 0% flavors, each containing only 15 calories.
- The move comes as some young people turn away from drinking alcohol.
White Claw, the hard seltzer brand associated with young millennial bros, is going soft – with an alcohol-free variant.
White Claw 0% Alcohol will hit shelves in January in four fruit flavors, the company said Tuesday. The drink mixes “iconic White Claw flavors” and “elevated new secondary beverage alcohol drinks notes,” which could mean they’ll taste like regular White Claw flavors, just without the booze.
Tyler Gray, chief story officer for White Claw’s parent company Mark Anthony Group, told Fast Company the new drink fits “just about any adult drinking occasion.”
“The rules of drinking are changing – and a lot of beverage companies aren’t keeping up,” he added.
The four flavors on offer are cherry cranberry, mango passion fruit, peach orange blossom, and lime yuzu, with each containing 15 calories per can, far less than compared the 100 or so calories for the alcoholic versions.
White Claw was created by Anthony von Mandl and first went on sale in 2016. It became the top-selling hard seltzer two years later amid a social media craze.
A viral parody video in 2019 heralded a “White Claw summer,” which helped sales surge to $627 million – but they’ve lost their fizz since then.
Business Insider also gave White Claw the seal of approval in 2019 after putting nine brands and 34 flavors to the test.
Bringing in a booze-free version may reflect changing tastes, particularly among Gen Z and millennials.
A Gallup study this year found only 62% of adults under 35 said they drink alcohol, down from 72% two decades ago.
Furthermore, a 2018 study of 182,000 young adults found 28% of college students said they abstained from drinking, up from 20% in two decades.
Alcohol-free versions of popular beers such as Peroni and Heineken are widely available in Europe and other markets, along with 0% versions of spirits such as Tanqueray and Gordon’s gin.
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A December 2022 report from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis found that sales of no- and low-alcohol products were worth $11 billion in 10 markets including the US, up from $8 billion in 2018.
White Claw did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.
