This holiday season, boozy eggnog and mulled wine won’t be the only beverages being passed around the wintry hearth.
Consider low-alcohol beverages for the “sober-curious,” cannabis-infused cocktails, and perhaps even a non-alcoholic negroni mixed with mood-enhancing adaptogens or nootropics. When it comes to holiday beverages, a cultural shift is underway, presenting new opportunities for brands and retailers, according to new research from Advantage Unified Commerce (AUC), Advantage Solutions’ omnichannel marketing agency enabling data-driven, shopper-centric brand building.
The big takeaway: More consumers are marking special occasions with a hint of wellness, and, perhaps, less of a hangover.
“People still want to celebrate these special shared experiences with a special beverage, but it doesn’t have to be alcohol,” said Kelly Ravestijn, senior vice president of behavioral intelligence at AUC. “There is a want and a need for it be unique and special.”
To be clear, alcohol will still be on the menu for most holiday party hosts. Though “wellness drinks” are on the rise, 85% of about 1,000 survey respondents in the AUC research reported that they plan to buy alcohol this holiday season, particularly luxury spirits. But increasingly, the sober-curious movement is gaining steam and fueling a proliferation of options from savvy brands and retailers.
It’s no secret that that the holidays are often stressful times, Ravestijn said. Many consumers are looking for ways to manage that stress in healthier ways that might still enhance one’s mood.
“The biggest focus of this shift has to do with mental wellness,” she said, “but there are some physical wellness benefits, too, with many of these alternative beverages being lower in calories and sugar content.”
Nearly 60% of millennials say they’re cutting back on alcohol, per the AUC study, and low-alcohol beverages are particularly popular among those with incomes of $75,000 and above.
Similarly, 60% of survey respondents in the same income bracket expressed interest in CBD-infused beverages. In areas where THC-infused beverages are legal, they’re also gaining popularity, particularly with consumers ages 21-25 and 35-49, per the study.
And though state regulations vary, leading beverage brands are learning how to tailor the CBD or THC potency for their products to meet legal standards on a market-by-market basis, Ravestijn said.
“They’re quickly figuring it out and making adaptations to their beverages for specific states,” she said. Because the precision requires time and investments, those drinks “are more expensive, and that’s partly why their appeal leans to those higher income brackets.”
Nevertheless, it’s exactly the kind of indulgence consumers are likely to splurge on for the holidays, perhaps in the form of CBD- or THC-infused mocktails, which for some consumers may take a bit of the edge off during the holiday rush, Ravestijn said.
Beyond cannabis-infused drinks, an entirely different category broadly referred to as “functional beverages” is emerging in the marketplace. These non-alcoholic drinks are marketed as better-for-you alternatives and often infused with adaptogens, such as ashwagandha and ginseng, and nootropics, which are intended to enhance brain function.
Functional beverages are particularly popular among those ages 35 to 49, according to the AUC research. The rise of such beverages is fueled by social media trends, such as the “dopamine menu,” which prioritizes activities and experiences that can enhance mental wellness and help people avoid burnout in the holiday season.
(For those who need a refresher: Dopamine is “a type of neurotransmitter and hormone” that plays an important role in memory and in “pleasurable reward and motivation,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.)
In other words: Treat yourself. And if you’re playing host, you might want to consider a “dopamine drink” bar, at which guests can stir their own blends of no- to low-ABV cocktails, CBD-infused drinks and functional beverages for a unique and festive experience.
Vibes aside, taste still reigns supreme, Ravestijn said.
“Taste is still primary. They’re not drinking it if it isn’t enjoyable.”
