Drayton’s Byron and Sophie sat down with Lucky Saint’s Marketing Director Kerttu Inkeroinen, to chat all things LOW and NO…
Did you know that the ‘Low and No’ Beer Category alone is worth around £200 million in the UK and is expected to rise rapidly over the coming years.
We didn’t either! However, the amount of ‘alcohol free’ as a percentage of the whole beer market in the UK remains significantly behind countries across Europe (1.5% vs. 14% in Spain). As such, Lucky Saint are focused on getting more consumers into the whole category, as opposed to solely trying to grow their market share.
How do they plan to do this, you may ask?
- Firstly, Lucky Saint are proud of their unique product. Remaining true to purpose and authentic in their brand are some of the attributes which set Lucky Saint apart from the rest. Add to that, the fact that they brew their beer to 5% before removing the alcohol content means that the beer has unparalleled depth of flavour.
- Following the recent success of their £10m funding round, led by @JamJar Investments and @Beringea, Lucky Saint are now looking to double the number of their taps in bars and pubs across the UK.
- As well as this, they are pushing to drive international expansion in countries like Ireland and are opening a pub and brand home in Marylebone, London in March ‘23
- Their new out of home marketing campaign has been also hugely eye-catching on the London Underground and helped them to raise brand awareness.
But what is driving their desire to capture the hearts of more consumers? Firstly, research shows that 55% of UK adults are actively trying to cut down alcohol consumption. In line with this, Lucky Saint have partnered with Alcohol Change UK to help spread awareness of moderating drinking. Given that 29% of adult pub visits do not include any consumption of alcohol, it is shocking that 1-in-4 ‘non-drinkers’ still default to tap water in hospitality venues due to lack of choices.
Another factor at play is social acceptance. Despite its growing popularity, 1 in 3 men still feel embarrassed to order alcohol-free options in pubs and bars. By having alcohol-free beer on draught in more locations than ever, Lucky Saint are helping consumers make subtle switches to alcohol-free options; encouraging moderation and a healthier balance with alcohol.
Kerttu closed by commenting on she feels that the Low and No market is finally in a similar place to the ‘Plant-Based Foods’ industry, with the category accelerating fast and becoming mainstream in both mental and physical availability. In summary, there are lots of credible players; some smaller independent ones and some variations from well-respected giants in the industry, but what is most important is that a huge number of consumers are craving great alcohol free options, and entering the category and discovering their favourite brands. We will have to see which can stand the test of time!