Athletic Brewingはノンアルコールビール市場で急成長し、業界最大手を抜き多様な流通チャネルを活用している。
STEP
動画視聴
STEP
要約文(英語/日本語)
Athletic Brewing has become a leader in the non-alcoholic beer industry, a market experiencing consistent double-digit growth since 2020. Athletic’s focus on innovation and an exclusive dedication to non-alcoholic beer production have set it apart from larger competitors like Heineken and Budweiser. By altering the traditional brewing process and investing heavily in efficient production facilities, the company has grown rapidly, now capable of producing over one million barrels annually. Unlike traditional beer companies, Athletic benefits from fewer regulations, allowing direct-to-consumer sales and expanded market reach. Their customers include younger, health-conscious consumers who still drink alcohol but choose non-alcoholic beer for additional occasions. Despite the potential for non-alcoholic beer being seen as a trend, Athletic aims to solidify its position by marketing its product as a versatile drink suitable for many situations where alcoholic beer wouldn’t be consumed.
STEP
振り返り (動画再視聴)
字幕全文：1304 words
---
[Narrator] Store beer sales have gone flat, but non-alcoholic beer is growing fast. Since 2020, its sales have seen double-digit growth every year, surpassing $440 million in 2024. In the U.S., Athletic Brewing is leading the way. Less than a decade old, Athletic has driven about a third of all category growth for the past four years.
- When Athletic entered the category, there was basically one style of non-alcoholic beer available, few brands, and poor distribution.
[Narrator] In 2024, Athletic has outsold competitors like Heineken and Budweiser in the non-alcoholic beer market. But as Athletic expands rapidly, can it maintain momentum? This is the economics of Athletic Brewing.
One advantage Athletic has over major beer companies is its exclusive focus on non-alcoholic beer.
[Narrator] Since its founding, Athletic has invested over $100 million into manufacturing and refining its own unique non-alcoholic brewing process.
- Non-alcoholic beer was born out of Prohibition as a "penalty box" concept, with almost no innovation for 80 years.
[Narrator] While many companies make alcohol-free beer by removing alcohol from their original product, Athletic takes a different approach. It modifies 10 to 12 brewing stages, making even small mistakes costly, as they could result in alcoholic beer.
- Their process can be more complex, but in some ways more efficient.
[Narrator] Athletic uses 3.5 gallons of water per gallon of beer, nearly double the efficiency of the average craft brewery, which uses about 7 gallons per gallon of beer.
- We aim to squeeze every last drop of product from each batch, investing in equipment to achieve that.
[Narrator] Athletic’s tailored process includes pasteurization, unlike traditional beer that relies on alcohol for safety.
- Alcoholic brewers face challenges transitioning to non-alcoholic beer due to food safety regulations and different oversight agencies.
[Narrator] Athletic’s Connecticut facility can produce 450,000 barrels annually, making it one of the largest non-alcoholic breweries globally. With its San Diego site operating and another under construction, production will soon exceed 1 million barrels yearly.
- This growth is a significant bet that non-alcoholic beer consumption will not only continue but increase.
[Narrator] Strategic scaling is guided by data from direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales. Early e-commerce data showed strong demand in California and the Pacific Northwest, prompting the purchase and expansion of a brewery there from 2020 to 2021.
- We could market and distribute in unique ways, unlike traditional alcohol products.
[Narrator] Alcohol sales in the U.S. are highly regulated, but Athletic leveraged its non-alcoholic status to list products online without these limitations. By 2018, over half of its sales were DTC, providing valuable insights into consumer preferences and guiding distribution.
- We learned what kinds of beer resonated, where customers lived, and their buying habits, informing our broader strategy.
[Narrator] Athletic found 80% of its customers still drank alcohol, with over 75% under 45 years old.
- Historically, non-alcoholic beer was an alternative to alcoholic beer. Now, it complements alcohol consumption, signaling a potential for future market growth.
- I was the target consumer: someone who likes to stay active and healthy.
[Narrator] Athletic expanded its reach to venues like 5K races and Whole Foods, where about 50% of cooler space is devoted to craft beer. This strategic move earned Athletic a spot on the shelves one month after its 2018 commercial launch.
- Whole Foods scaled distribution nationwide as Athletic grew.
[Narrator] Athletic is now Whole Foods’ top-selling beer across all categories. Wholesale distribution transformed sales from 875 barrels in its first year to over 258,000 barrels in 2023, outpacing Heineken and Budweiser in non-alcoholic beer for two years.
Competition in the non-alcoholic beer market is increasing.
- The question is: how much non-alcoholic beer can Americans consume? The limit is uncertain but higher than previously believed.
[Narrator] For traditional beer companies, a short-lived trend isn't a major issue, but for Athletic, with its singular focus, it's a significant risk.
Athletic aims to redefine itself beyond being just a substitute for beer, especially as beer popularity declines. It distributes through 75,000 points, including non-traditional outlets like coffee shops and state parks.
- We keep expanding distribution, reaching places never considered before.
[Narrator] Over 50% of Athletic's customers buy its products where they might otherwise choose water or soda. If this continues, non-alcoholic beer may shed its "trend" label.
- They see more daily opportunities for non-alcoholic beer than alcoholic ones. A non-alcoholic beer might be fine during work lunch or at 5 p.m. at the office, unlike its alcoholic counterpart.
[Music]
