Bottles of beer emblazoned with the five Olympic rings are already rolling off the production line at Anheuser-Busch InBev NV’s brewery in Belgium, in preparation for the games in Paris this summer.
Master brewers have been working on formulas to try to replicate the taste and texture of the real thing. Heineken, Guinness and Budweiser are all now available alcohol-free, while hundreds of craft brewers and newer labels are emerging to target the market. There’s also a wider benefit for beer companies. Because their no-alcohol versions often share the same name and labelling as the original beer, the promotions help brand awareness and allow firms to circumvent increasingly tighter restrictions around alcohol advertising.
US-based Athletic Brewing Co., which sells only non-alcoholic drinks, says an Olympic sponsorship benefits the entire category. Customers could order Budweiser Zero during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Image: Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty ImagesHeineken 0.0 is the market leader in the no-alcohol beer market globally, according to GlobalData. Other big sellers are Japan’s Suntory All-Free, and Brahma 0.0%, owned by AB InBev.