BrewDog has waded into the emerging market for “functional” alcohol-free beer with the launch of a product containing magnesium, balm extract and chamomile.
The Punk IPA brewer is launching Mello, a beer the business said is “brewed with ingredients that contribute to reducing tiredness and fatigue”.
Mello will go on sale next month in Tesco stores in the UK, available in flavour combinations including peach and passionfruit, as well as lime and mint.
The beers are being sold in a four pack of 330ml cans at an RSP of £6.50 ($8.65).
Citing YouGov data from the start of the year, BrewDog said one in three adults say they do not drink alcohol while a quarter of 18- to 24-year-olds have cut down drinking. The company added 40% of UK shoppers “rank health as their top priority for choosing products ahead of price”.
Senior marketing manager Ashlea Turner said: “The growth of low-and-no alcohol along with functional drinks has been hard to ignore.
“Our research has shown that the design and proposition of Mello have a very strong appeal with 18- to 35-year-old functional AF drinkers – the future of the BWS category – and 34.4% of respondents say that they would drink AF beer if they liked the taste. Our new fruit-led flavours tap into this, along with the growing popularity for lighter, fruitier beer options.”
Among the brands already claiming to offer “functional” alcohol-free beer is UK firm Impossibrew.
The London-based firm, set up in 2021, said in October it was on track to hit at least £4m in “annual recurring revenue” this year.
