Dry January and Beyond: How Celebrities and Spirits Giants Plan to Turn Alcohol-Free Tequila Mainstream in 2024

Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton promoting his latest venture, Almave Non-Alcoholic Tequila. (Photo: Lewis Hamilton/Instagram)

Dry January is once again upon us. This time around, however, the spirits industry is ready to capitalize.

The popularity of mocktails, “sober curious” drinkers and various wellness-oriented trends initially seemed like a potential death blow to the alcohol market. Across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, rallying cries like #SoberOctober signal a seismic shift in the younger generation’s drinking habits.

Rather than give up altogether, industry regulars are trying to go with the flow.

Nowadays, you can trade out La Croix for a zero-proof White Claw. (Photo: White Claw)

Heineken, Budweiser, Guinness, Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada have all tossed their hats into the ring with 0.0% ABV offerings. Last month, White Claw even debuted a non-alcoholic electrolyte-infused lineup in its classic flavors (that’s right, a non-alcoholic hard seltzer).

Nowhere else is this change in attitude more apparent than tequila. Understandably, the fastest-growing spirits category in the US isn’t eager to lose its market share anytime soon.

Zero-proof brands like Lyre’s Agave Blanco, Spiritless Jalisco 55 and Fluere Smoked Agave have begun popping up on liquor store shelves across the country. Typically made from a combination of natural flavors, cane sugar and citric acid, these products are priced in the range of $30-$50 — the same as a regular bottle of tequila.

Inevitably, celebrities are now pouring in. Over the summer, character actor Danny Trejo debuted Trejo’s Spirits Tequila Alternative, followed up within months by F1 racer Lewis Hamilton’s Almave Blanco. At the end of December, spirits giant Diageo teamed up with ‘Bridgerton’ star Regé-Jean Page to promote its latest non-alcoholic product, Seedlip Notas de Agave.

Seedlip — best known for its twists on gin — is the best-selling non-alcoholic spirits brand in the U.S. (Photo: Seedlip)

The presence of A-list stars signals a big bet on the alternative spirits market, one that will likely persist for years to come. The category was valued at $11 billion in 2022, up from $8 billion three years prior; though numbers have yet to be released for 2023, the avalanche of new brands indicates that value is growing.

It’s unclear whether zero-proof spirits will stand the test of time or steam out as a speculative trend. Either way, expect to see a lot more of these products in 2024.

Read More: 

7 Best Additive-Free Tequilas Releases of 2023

Hennessy vs. Agave: Cognac Dwindles Out in Premium Category as Tequila Balloons in Popularity 

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