The so-called “sober curious” movement is gathering pace in the beverage sector as more individuals opt to lower their alcohol intake or remove it altogether. That is according to the director at Brew Kombucha, Alex Glenday.
With increased interest in living healthier lifestyles, especially amid a global pandemic, millennial and Gen Z South Africans are looking for no- or low-alcohol alternatives that will hit the spot, without the usual side effects, Glenday noted.
“The premise of mindful drinking is that you actively think about why and how much alcohol you consume – whether it’s out of habit, due to social pressure, because you enjoy the taste, or are actively trying to lose your inhibitions.
“The intended result is not always to stop drinking alcohol completely, but to have a healthier relationship with it.
“Health beverages, such as coconut water, cold-pressed juices, and kombucha are popular for more than their taste. They can actually provide a nutritional boost to the body and mind.
“Today, we are also more aware of the impact of alcohol on our lives. Information about the effects of alcohol on our physical and mental health is more accessible than ever before thanks to the internet.
“In particular, Gen Zs have seen the consequences of alcohol abuse played out in movies and on television from a young age – and in some cases, even closer to home making them more likely to avoid it,” said Glenday.
In a recent interview with IOL Lifestyle, global chief executive of Bacardi, Mahesh Madhavan, said that recently they have seen consumers making choices about what they drink.
Madhavan said they are witnessing a sober curious mindset, especially among the younger generations, the millennials, and Generation Z.
“They are thinking about what they do with their money, how they spend their time, and what goes into their bodies. You see them spending a lot of time looking after themselves.
“Perhaps unlike our generation, I don’t think we exercise as they do today. As part of that, we are seeing them drinking less, and drinking more premium brands.”
Recent research also found that one in five millennials do not drink alcohol, while 66% said that alcohol is not important to their social lives.
It turns out that health is one of the many reasons why more people are losing interest in alcohol. The calories are not worth it and people living a healthy lifestyle have chosen to rather cut out alcohol, like how some have cut out gluten and carbs from their diets.
People are more aware of the effects of alcohol on their bodies and clean eating has become more than a fad for most people.