From beer to energy: checking in on Molson Coors’ non-alc portfolio

From Miller Coors & Nick Kindelsperger

✓ The company has the fastest growing non-alc beer lineup in U.S. Food thanks to Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic and Peroni 0.0% 
✓ In the fourth quarter of 2024, the company took a majority stake in better-for-you energy brand, ZOA, which has two new flavors launching nationally this week
✓ In March 2025, the company plans to bring Australian brand, Naked Life Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, to the U.S.

Molson Coors has been clear about its goal of becoming a total beverage company, which explains why it has grown its portfolio of non-alc offerings in the U.S. market over the past few years.

Now the company can see that the plan is working. Over the past 12 weeks, Molson Coors’ non-alcoholic beer brands are up 89%, gaining 2.1 share of the non-alcoholic beer segment, according to NIQ foodstore data for the week ending Dec 28. That’s more than any other company.

It’s also far from done. From non-alc equivalents of its popular Blue Moon and Peroni brews to brands like ZOA Energy that appear entirely outside the alcohol aisle, Molson Coors continues to look for new ways to connect with consumers on more occasions.

That obviously starts with Dry January, where consumers will see Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic and Peroni 0.0% show up in a big way at retail. 

But Director of Marketing Innovation Tracey Bien Schenck says that non-alc is proving to be important all year long. 

“Dry January is still very much a thing for people,” says Schenck. “But we’re also seeing that mindful drinking is becoming a year-long behavior for some consumers, which means more demand for options like Peroni 0.0% and Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic and the rest of our non-alc options, like the upcoming Naked Life.” 

With new campaigns, new flavors and upcoming brand launches across the portfolio, here’s what Molson Coors has ready for non-alc in 2025. 

More markets and more F1 for Peroni 0.0%

Along with a focus on Peroni Nastro Azzurro in 2025, Molson Coors is investing more in Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, its non-alcoholic version. 

"Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% was created to deliver the same superior taste of Peroni Nastro Azzurro but with 0.0% alcohol so you can live every moment without compromising on taste,” says Marketing Director Liz Cramton. 

It’s also growing fast. Peroni 0.0%’s dollar sales have grown by nearly 83.5% for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 29 compared to the previous year, according to Circana.

This month, Peroni 0.0% is also showing up with new retail assets, including “Go Dry with Italian Style” and “All Taste, No Tradeoff.”  

Considering the brand’s penchant for style and elevated experiences, it makes sense that racing would play an important role for Peroni 0.0%. Since launching, it has partnered with teams from Formula 1 racing, one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. This year it will continue its partnership with Scuderia Ferrari, one of the sport’s most legendary racing teams and another Italian icon.

Reaching for Blue Moon NA

Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic may have been released less than a year ago, but it has wasted no time making an impression in the non-alc beer segment.

Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic has already broken into the top 10 non-alc brews in dollar share, landing at No. 9 for the last 13-week and four-week period according to Circana. It’s also the No. 3 craft NA brew in dollar share for the last 13-week period.

According to Vice President of Marketing for Above Premium Beer, Courtney Benedict, Molson Coors isn’t surprised by the success.

“We had high ambitions for Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic from the beginning, and we are wholly delivering against them,” says Benedict. “We had velocity and distribution targets that were quite aggressive, leveraging proxies that we’d seen from other top brands in the non-alc space.”  

Benedict credits several reasons for Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic’s rise this year, but believes it mostly comes down to two things: the name and the flavor.

“Blue Moon is a trusted brand that’s been around for a long time, and it’s a great tasting beer,” she says. “Sometimes you get one of those and not the other. I think the combination is what has fueled Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic to quickly become a top 10 non-alc brand. We keep hearing from fans that Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic tastes like drinking, even if it’s not.”  

Blue Moon Non-Alcoholic will show up on several big social media platforms throughout the month and will be particularly visible in retail during January, with more marketing investment to come throughout the year. 

Non-Alc Expansion Beyond the Beer Aisle

Another sign of Molson Coors’ expansion in the non-alc space happened in November, when it took a majority equity stake in ZOA Energy, the better-for-you energy drink brand. This will allow Molson Coors to take the lead in marketing, retail and direct-to-consumer development. 

The brand is also set to get even more flavorful. 
This month the brand is taking Green Apple and Mango Splash from limited retailers in 2024 to its core national lineup in 2025. 
After a successful stint in 7Eleven, Mango Splash is moving into QuikTrip, Amazon, HEB and select Kroger divisions, with more on the way. Green Apple, which has been at Amazon and HEB, is adding QuikTrip and Hy-Vee, with more to follow.  
Both Green Apple and Mango Splash have garnered impressive results in limited retailers and time periods in 2024, according to Ryan Smith, general manager for non-alc sales. Now Molson Coors is ready to take the flavors to the next step.

In addition to expanded placements and plans in key retailers like QuikTrip and Albertsons, ZOA is also returning to Target with Tropical Punch, White Peach and Green Apple.

“By taking a majority equity stake in ZOA in November, Molson Coors proved that it was serious about the better-for-you energy drink segment,” says Smith. “We also finished the year strong. The last 4-week period of the year, for the week ending 12/29, was our best month of all 2024. For the first time all year, we grew dollar and unit share of the category in both Total US Food and Total US Chain Convenience. This is a great momentum builder as we turn the page into 2025 with our most consistent set of retailers to date.”

On the horizon in 2025

Molson Coors isn’t done expanding into the non-alc space. In March, the company will bring Naked Life non-alcoholic cocktails to the U.S. The brand is already the No. 1 non-alc RTD in Australia, according to Quantum and Circana.

The brand has already received commitments from several retailers, including Amazon, Harris Teeter, Meijer, Total Wine & More, Hy-Vee, Wegmans, Fresh Thyme and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, with more grocery and specialty retailers to come.

Vice President of Non-Alc beverages Kevin Nitz announced Naked Life at Molson Coors’ distributor conference in September, where he also raved about the flavor. 

“Naked Life provides a simple true-to-cocktail alternative, with a taste that calls back to the alc-based versions,” said Nitz. “After you taste Naked Life, I dare you to believe it’s not a full-strength cocktail.”   

Nitz was also clear about Molson Coors’ goals for non-alc in its portfolio.

“We’re committed to non-alc, and we’re staying committed,” he said.