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UK’s Ceder’s gin is debuting in the U.S.

Ceder’s non-alcoholic gin debuted in the U.S. this past October, launching in retail and on-premise locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C as well as online.

The alternative gin product arrived on the market two years ago in the UK and has since expanded to 24 different markets with its four different expressions that contain 1-2 calories per serving with zero sugar. In the U.S., the 500-milliliter bottles will retail for $21.99.

Despite a surge in alcohol sales at the beginning of the pandemic, sales have slowed for libations while nonalcoholic beverages have begun to gain ground. According to Nielsen, nonalcoholic beer sales went up 44% in the U.S. in May compared to the same time last year. However, this trend is not a new development resulting from the pandemic.

Nonalcoholic drinks came into the spotlight over the last decade as consumers searched for alternatives to liquor, beer and wine, and trends such as Dry January and Sober October began stretching into other months throughout the year. Sober curious customers, as well as those who opt not to imbibe, have driven low- and no-alcohol beverage sales to climb 32.1% from 2019 to 2022, a fivefold increase over the sales recorded between 2014 and 2019, per IWSR data compiled by the Wall Street Journal.

This rise in popularity has prompted big alcohol manufacturers to begin to target these sober consumers through launches of their own low- or non-alcohol products. AB InBev is working toward converting 20% of its global beer volumes to no- and low-alcohol beers by 2025. And the world’s largest brewery isn’t alone. Heineken and Diageo have also made moves to capitalize on the growth of this segment. In 2019, Diageo took a majority stake in the U.K.’s Seedlip, which was the first nonalcoholic spirits brand on the market.

Things have changed since the days where Seedlip was the only option available. Now boutique distillers around the world are jumping into the category and releasing non-alcoholic versions of liquors from gin to whiskey. Other beverage companies like Coca-Cola that are not traditionally in the alcohol space are also working to respond to the growing trend.

Ceder’s is a newer entrant into the market and features botanicals unique to South Africa’s Cederberg mountains that are blended with Swedish water. Although a craft spirit in a fast-expanding category, Ceder’s will have to come up against a lot of competition in order to stand out.