Success Case Study: St Peter's Brewery Without Alcohol-Free Beer - Exporting traditional UK real ale in an alcohol-free format

Success Case Study: St Peter’s Brewery Without Alcohol-Free Beer - Exporting traditional UK real ale in an alcohol-free format

Summary

St Peter's Brewery is a UK-based craft brewer with an established line of traditional beer varieties and artisanal heritage. The brand has, however, extended to include a non-alcoholic beer range called Without. This product has brought booming success to the brand, especially in European export markets, where alcohol-free beer demand exceeds that in the UK home market.

The market for alcohol-free beer continues to grow based on consumers' changing lifestyles and needs, with demand in some countries eclipsing others. However, the parallel demand for high-quality, artisanal craft beer, drawing on consumers' connoisseurship tendencies, is an ill fit with non-alcoholic beers, which tend to be mainstream lagers in form. Therefore, an opportunity is growing in the space between non-alcoholic and craft beer.

Scope

• St Peter’s Without serves to demonstrate that there is a market for craft beer or real ale that is zero alcohol, and that it is economically beneficial for even small artisanal businesses to explore this if supported with a clear vision of how and where to market the product.


• Zero-alcohol craft beers potentially have more credibility than their mainstream peers and offer opportunities to break the lager mold by offering consumers choice of brewing styles, origins, flavors, and so on.


• Consumers’ attitudes towards non-alcoholic beer and the opportunity for such products show variance by country, making export potentially a more valuable opportunity than domestic distribution, depending on country of origin.


• There are added opportunities for health-focused brews (e.g. gluten-free and low-calorie offerings). Such specific formulations for niche needs present a logical next step for products pursuing no-alcohol, low calorie formulations - development of a “full spectrum” free-from offering.

Reasons to Buy

• Use the selection of successful and failed product launches and marketing campaigns from across the globe to inspire innovation.


• Reduce the risk of failure by learning from brands/products that have under-performed: failed innovation can severely impact profit and reputation.


• Understand the relevant consumer trends and attitudes that drive and support innovation success.


• Obtain a broader appreciation of the fast-moving consumer goods industry by gaining insights from both within and outside of your sector.