Diageo Acquires Largest Non-Alcoholic Spirits Brand in America

(Photo: Diageo)

Diageo, the British conglomerate behind Don Julio, Guinness and Johnnie Walker, announced the acquisition of non-alcoholic spirits brand Ritual Zero Proof on Wednesday. The move cements the company’s position as the largest non-alc liquor owner worldwide.

Ritual offers alternative versions of tequila, rum, gin, whiskey and aperitifs, all described as “ounce-for-ounce” replacements for their boozy counterparts. The brand’s products — which cost around $30 per bottle — were first introduced in Chicago, Illinois, in 2019. Diageo joined the team in 2020 as a minority stake investor.

“Ritual Zero Proof is the number one brand in the fastest growing adult beverage category, and meets growing consumer demand for a flavorful and sophisticated, yet accessible spirits alternative,” Sally Grimes, CEO of Diageo North America, remarked in a news release. “We are delighted to welcome it into our broader portfolio, where it will beautifully complement both our non-alc offerings, as well as those with alcohol, and serve to present consumers with even more choice and variety.”

It’s the latest in a profitable trend for the British liquor giant. In 2019, Diageo acquired a majority stake in Seedlip, now recognized as one of the top three non-alcoholic spirits brands in the world. Ritual Zero Proof, by comparison, clocks in as the sixth.

Non-alcoholic spirits are projected to reach a market value of over $700 million in 2033, up from $325.8 million last year. Slogans like Dry January have propelled the movement into the mainstream; nowadays, even dive bars are building out their mocktail menus.

What exactly goes into these “alternative” spirits varies from brand to brand. Across the Ritual portfolio, you’ll find a combination of filtered water and natural flavors alongside alcohol imitators like citric acid, potassium sorbate and xantham gum. Others take a more direct approach. Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton recently unveiled Almave, a distilled agave beverage that skips the boozy fermentation process.

As the category picks up big-name benefactors, we’ll likely see experimentation on the formula in years to come.

“This acquisition is proof of the mainstream potential of the category, and our shared ambition to make sure a non-alc cocktail is available on every menu and on every grocery and liquor store shelf, providing sophisticated choices to today’s consumer,” Ritual Zer0 Proof co-founder Markus Sakey remarked.

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