The alcohol market is always in flux. This is no exception in 2022, where we see major and minor trends taking place. Here is the latest in what’s happening on the alcohol scene around the world.
Ready-To-Drink (RTD) Alcohol Products
Hard seltzer was in but has been replaced by ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol products. The anticipated market for hard seltzer was overestimated and market shrinkage left it overstocked. However, sales are expected to lift dramatically as it falls under the banner of RTD alcohol drinks.
This is the 2022 prediction of the big data analyst firm, IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, which reviews all things alcoholic around the globe. This trend began in 2018 and RTD looks set to corner eight percent of the market share by 2025. Australia, Canada, China, and the UK will be the biggest market for hard seltzer. Growth of between 24% and 90 % is expected across these markets.
The fate of hard seltzer will depend on its ability to repackage and market itself in the RTD context. IWSR categorises RTD alcohol products to include hard seltzer, cocktails, hard teas, hard coffees, wine coolers, hard kombuchas, and flavored alcoholic beverages (FABs).
RTDs are pulling shares away from beer and spirits, notably in South Africa and Australia.
Smaller Trends
There is an increase in sales of low- and no-alcohol beverages. Breweries are getting in on the action by producing their own lines. These beverages are particularly prominent in Whole Foods chain stores.
Cannabis-infused drinks are gaining in popularity and being niched for their ability to relax or invigorate. By 2025, this sector will be seeing additional profits in the region of $2.5 billion. One study indicated that the biggest growth would occur here.
Health is in and people are taking it seriously. This is not a new trend but one that has slowly been increasing. As a result, health-focused fermented drinks containing natural ingredients are claiming their share of the market.
Cocktails are attracting attention by simplifying. Fewer ingredients are going into these drinks. Customers are ordering mixes with three components instead of a host of ingredients and a long mixing process.
Pure Alcohol
With the trend towards health and purity, organic grain alcohol made from wheat, corn, cane, grapes, and other maize crops is on the rise. These include 190-proof and 200-proof pharmaceutical grade organic grain alcohol. These are being marketed as gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan spirits.
Another market contender in this line is extra neutral alcohol for alcoholic beverages. Although extra neutral alcohol has seen a variety of other uses, such as hand sanitiser, cosmetics, and medical-grade alcohol, it is achieving status as a drink. Made from grains like rice, barley, wheat, and rye, it also appears as a grain-neutral spirit when prepared from sugarcane molasses.
Extra neutral alcohol has zero taste or smell and is used as a potent base for alcoholic drinks such as vodka. Of course, vodka is not tasteless but is given its distinctive characteristics from varying filtering and distillation techniques, the combinations of base ingredients, and proof.
With these new trends emerging on the horizon, alcohol sales are set for record levels in 2022.
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