Five years ago, “no-alcohol” meant settling. Today, it means choosing, and flavour is doing the persuading.
This article unpacks the science and strategy behind the non-alcoholic boom, and the fork in the road shaping the entire category: mimic the original, or build something that stands on its own? From the Spinning Cone tightrope walk of de-alcoholised wines, to rebuilding the “burn” of a spirit with capsaicin and Sichuan pepper, to the rise of prebiotic sodas and South African originals like Duchess and Mahala, this is a masterclass in where flavour innovation is heading next.
Author: Dr. Hanneli van der Merwe, Product and Business Developer
