Consumer demand is increasing for Lagers, Non-Alchoholic Drinks, Flavor Innovation, and more.
We recently covered the biggest trends impacting the CPG beverage industry this year, and in case you missed it, strategic pricing adjustments and an increase in demand for healthy products are among shifts driving growth in the industry. In fact, this week the beer industry made headlines following reports of slowing beer sales across leading brands around the world partly due to price-minded consumer shoppers leaning away from premium brands to buy cheaper alternatives.
This example is one of several trends shaping the industry this year. To understand how consumer preferences for beer have been changing, Seek AI has rounded up the key trends emerging in the beer industry for 2024 below.
The Revival of Lagers
There's a growing renaissance for lagers, particularly craft and innovative versions. Light lagers cracked the top three styles on Untappd with nearly 7.9 million check-ins. According to a Drizly survey, 43% of consumers planned to drink lagers in 2024, more than any other beer subcategory. Breweries are also reportedly experimenting with pilsner variations like New Zealand, French, and Italian pilsners. Finally, there's increased interest in traditional lager styles and lower-ABV options.
Non-Alcoholic and Low-ABV Options
The non-alcoholic (NA) and low-alcohol beer segment is experiencing significant growth. Many major breweries are launching NA versions of popular beers. Health and wellness trends are fueling growth in the NA beer segment, with Circana reporting non-alcohol beer sales increased 29% in dollar sales and 22% in case sales. Breweries are exploring uncarbonated options like hard teas to appeal to Gen Z consumers who are drinking less beer than previous generations.
Taproom Focus on Service and Experience
Breweries are putting more emphasis on hospitality and creating memorable experiences to incentivize customer acquisition and retention. Taprooms are evolving into full-service bars and restaurants. There's a growing focus on customer service and creating a welcoming atmosphere. Breweries are organizing more events and festivals centered around specific beer styles.
Consolidation and Resource Sharing
The industry is seeing increased consolidation among breweries. Smaller breweries are joining forces to share resources and improve survival chances. There's pressure on craft brands to deliver growth or risk being delisted.
Innovation in Flavors and Styles
Breweries continue to experiment with new flavors and styles. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are showing strong growth. There's ongoing innovation in ciders, including variations in ABV, fermentation methods, and flavor combinations. Regional styles from various countries are gaining international attention.
Sustainability and Technology
The industry is increasingly focusing on sustainability and technological advancements. Breweries are adopting technologies to reduce environmental impact, including carbon capture and water conservation. There's growing use of genetically modified yeast in brewing to create unique flavor profiles and improve sustainability.
These trends reflect a beer industry that's adapting to changing consumer preferences, health consciousness, and environmental concerns while continuing to innovate and experiment with flavors and styles.
As beer brands work to find opportunities in their product portfolio and business strategy for growth, having a competitive advantage can make all the difference for their bottom line. That’s why adopting a modern data strategy that offers faster speed to actionable insights is more important than ever before. Seek AI’s agentic technology increases the effectiveness of enterprise data for CPG brands, allowing non-technical team members to ask their company data important questions and get accurate insights back in near real-time. Critical shopper insights to help you segment buyers, strategize promotions and inform better decision making are just a few clicks away.
