Japan's Asahi Group Holdings forecasts a 20 percent increase in revenue for its non and low alcoholic beer this year while main rival Kirin Holdings expects its sales volumes in the segment to surge 23 percent this year after a 10 percent jump in 2020 as the pandemic propelled an unexpected boom in alcohol-free beer.
According to industry executives, increased time spent at home has freed Japanese from social norms where workmates order a round of the same lager for everyone.
Other factors that boosted non-alcoholic beer consumption were constant reminders to stay healthy during lockdown and improvements to taste.
Alcohol-free beers had often been described as too yeasty, watery or cloying.
Like other industry executives, Suntory CEO Takeshi Niinami says brewers have made progress in bringing the taste of non-alcoholic beer closer to regular beer.
Non-alcoholic beer, which is estimated to account for just one percent of overall beer sales worldwide, could grow globally to $29 billion in 2026, up 65 percent from 2019.
Asahi's overall beer sales plummeted 16 percent by value last year as restaurants and bars were forced to close early. Kirin's sales volume dropped 5 percent.


SpaceX Insider Share Sale Values Company Near $800 Billion Amid IPO Speculation
Ford Takes $19.5 Billion Charge as EV Strategy Shifts Toward Hybrids
Strategy Retains Nasdaq 100 Spot Amid Growing Scrutiny of Bitcoin Treasury Model
SpaceX Begins IPO Preparations as Wall Street Banks Line Up for Advisory Roles
EU Signals Major Shift on 2035 Combustion Engine Ban Amid Auto Industry Pressure
Azul Airlines Wins Court Approval for $2 Billion Debt Restructuring and New Capital Raise
Fortescue Expands Copper Portfolio With Full Takeover of Alta Copper
Shell M&A Chief Exits After BP Takeover Proposal Rejected
Air Force One Delivery Delayed to 2028 as Boeing Faces Rising Costs
Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing
United Airlines Tokyo-Bound Flight Returns to Dulles After Engine Failure
Mizuho Raises Broadcom Price Target to $450 on Surging AI Chip Demand
iRobot Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Rising Competition and Tariff Pressures
Nvidia Weighs Expanding H200 AI Chip Production as China Demand Surges
California Jury Awards $40 Million in Johnson & Johnson Talc Cancer Lawsuit
Coca-Cola’s Proposed Sale of Costa Coffee Faces Uncertainty Amid Price Dispute
HSBC’s $13.6 Billion Take-Private Offer for Hang Seng Bank Gains Board Backing 



