How to Build an Alcohol-Free Offering That Delights the Modern Customer

Alcohol-free options are no longer just for full-time teetotallers or pregnant people; with the rise of the ‘sober-curious’, today’s market sees a range of reasons why people may choose to abstain on certain occasions rather than on a permanent basis. More people are generally interested in moderation, physical wellness and mental health; as a result, people are increasingly reconsidering their relationship with alcohol and choosing to drink less often and in smaller volumes.

According to IWSR, the global no/low-alcohol category is forecast to grow at a volume CAGR of +6% between 2023 and 2027. This is led by no-alcohol growing by 7%, with the low-alcohol category expanding by 3% over the same timeframe. Particularly as more Generation Z customers – many of whom prioritise a healthy lifestyle and may never have consumed alcohol – enter the adult market, demand for alcohol-free options continues to rise.

Studies also show an increase in a ‘flexitarian’ attitude to alcohol consumption, with more people looking to switch between no/low and full-strength drinks depending on the occasion or even over the course of one night, rather than avoiding the latter completely. This category – dubbed ‘substituters’ – accounted for 43% of no/low consumers in 2023. 

How non-Alcoholic options are linked to sustainability

Responsible alcohol consumption falls under the ‘Feed People Well’ section of the Food Made Good Framework, which underscores the responsibility of the F&B sector to promote healthy eating and drinking.

Restaurants and other food spaces play a significant role in shaping our cultural norms around food and drinks. When these places help to normalise staying sober on an evening out – and to encourage non-alcoholic drink selections that are as interesting and creative as traditional beverage options – it can have lasting implications for overall public health, both mental and physical. By reducing the risk of over-consumption and the associated potential for antisocial or dangerous behaviour, this also has positive effects on society.

The benefits for your bar

Luckily, this also makes good business sense! By offering a well-rounded and thoughtful alcohol-free drinks selection, you’re catering to a growing market. You’re also likely to benefit from increased profitability: while the cost of ingredients for alcoholic cocktails can be high, mocktails are typically made with less expensive components, meaning higher profit margins for every drink sold. In addition, customers are generally willing to pay a similar price for well-crafted, creative mocktails as they would for alcoholic cocktails, making them a lucrative addition to menus.

How to go about it

The classics

For a well-rounded non-alcoholic drinks menu, start with those that mirror the standard alcoholic options: think wines, beers, ciders, spirits and cocktails. These will be the go-to choices for people who are eager to maintain the familiar ritual of ordering wine with their meals.

Choose your N/A wines carefully and make sure they offer depth and complexity, allowing them to pair well with the dishes on your menu. Include a mixture of craft and big-name beers to cater for different palates, and explore alcohol-free ciders, gins, vodkas and whiskeys.

Creative mocktail options

When it comes to mocktails, there are two options: booze-free versions of familiar favourites, or bespoke drinks that guests will only find in your establishment. If you’re choosing to get creative, here are some tips:

• Flavoured simple syrups are a great place to start. Use fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices to infuse flavour into your sugar syrups, using these as the building blocks for your drinks. Adding sour, spicy or bitter notes directly into your syrup means it brings more than just sweetness to your drink, creating depth and complexity.
• Make it gorgeous! Just as you do when you design a new dish, make sure every mocktail looks and tastes as interesting as possible. Experiment with complementing and contrasting flavours, colours and textures. You want drinks that will ‘wow’ your customers and warrant a place on their Instagram feeds.
• Make use of fermented drinks like kombucha or kefir to add complexity of flavour along with some gut-friendly bacteria – an ideal way to tap into the demand for functional healthy options. Chef Pam Yung at Potato Head Bali uses the pineapple skins left over from preparing guests' fruit plates to make tepache, a fruity fermented drink that can be served as is or used in cocktails or mocktails.
• Using your mocktail (and cocktail) selection as a means of reducing waste is a smart way to make your business more efficient. We love to see circularity on a menu! "It's about utilising a single product as far as you can take it," says Adam Handling of Frog in Covent Garden. "As much as the kitchen's done with it, the bar can still have fun with it." Assess your kitchen or bar waste to see what offcuts or peels might have a place on your drinks list, either as main ingredients or garnishes. Aquafaba – the liquid from a tin of chickpeas – makes a fantastic vegan alternative to egg whites while also preventing waste.
• Highlight local produce to introduce a sense of place. From locally-grown and -produced fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables, juices and/or ferments to foraged wild leaves, flowers and berries (even sea salt and sea vegetables, if you’re on the coast), let your mocktail list be a celebration of provenance.
• Keep it seasonal, or at least include a section of your drinks list that changes with the seasons. In spring, keep things light, fresh and green; summer drinks might lean into berries and stone fruits; during the autumnal season, think apples, pears and even squashes. In the winter months, make use of seasonal spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or focus on what’s warm and comforting – you could even offer a cup of consommé or broth as a paired drink for a mushroom starter!

The rise of the alcohol-free pairing menu

Speaking of pairings, one truly impressive way to ‘wow’ your guests is to offer suggested non-alcoholic drinks pairings for dishes on your menu. This can be a full ‘soft pairing’ with a drink to match every course of a tasting menu, like James Knappett does at Kitchen Table in London – but it’s not only high-end restaurants who can build this into their offering. 

For businesses that don’t offer tasting menus, pairings can simply come in the form of menu modifiers designed to aid in upselling. Your menu could suggest that customers add a spicy, fruity mango mocktail to their order of chicken jalapeño tacos, or a light apple and cucumber drink to pair with fresh mackerel.

Functional booze-free drinks

A separate category of alcohol-free options, drinks that perform a particular function are on the rise. Many of these contain adaptogens (plants, herbs, spices and mushrooms that are thought to have health benefits, helping your body deal with stress, anxiety or fatigue) and/or nootropics (natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic supplements that purportedly improve cognitive functions, such as attention span or memory). 

While these drinks have been growing in popularity, it’s worth bearing in mind that they may not be suitable during pregnancy and can also react with particular medications. If you do choose to include these in your offering, make sure your staff are well-trained about ingredients and include relevant warnings on your menu.

Interested in learning more about making your offering both healthy and sustainable? Read our best advice here or check out the latest consumer trends in healthy eating here. If you’re curious about how the Food Made Good Standard can support your business in becoming more sustainable, drop us a line at standard@thesra.org with all your burning questions!