|
We’re drinking less, and while that’s bad news for the beer, wine and liquor industries, it’s creating opportunities for, literally, sober-minded entrepreneurs.
Statistics Canada reported that in fiscal 2022, while the value of liquor sales increased, that was merely due to inflation. In dollars, the alcohol industry increased 2.8 per cent to $26.3 billion over fiscal 2021, based on a March 31, 2023 year-end. For the second consecutive year, volumes fell, this time by 1.1 per cent to 3,106 million litres.
On average, the federal counting agency reports, the drinking-age Canadian consumed 9.2 alcoholic bevvies per week, down from 9.5 the previous year.
Advertisement
The beer industry is hit particularly hard, with sales declining to 65.1 litres per year per person of drinking age, an all-time low since StatsCan started tracking alcohol sales in 1949.
I admit that I’m contributing to that trend. While I still enjoy the odd bourbon or a nice, full-body Cabernet Sauvignon or a fruity Carmenere with a steak, typically, my libation on a night out is a Diet Pepsi or an Arnold Palmer. For all but special occasions, inflation has made dining out just too darn expensive to be adding $10-$20 drinks to the bill. Mostly, however, my appetite for alcohol has fallen off a cliff.
Enter Søbr Market. Despite the missing vowel, it’s clear what this Winnipeg purveyor is peddling: unique, alcohol-free bevvies full of flavour that go beyond mass-market sodas.
The alcohol-free market is exploding: Søbr is doubling its Winnipeg retail footprint moving to a new location on Academy Road, and in the last year, has opened two retail outlets in Toronto. In addition to retail, it has a cracking online business. Gabby Piché reports on how the impetus for Søbr tracks the booze trends: co-founder Shane Halliburton stopped imbibing and started looking for dry alternatives.
Søbr isn’t alone catering to teetotalers, either. Online there’s Upside Drinks, Designated Drinks, Ritual Zero Proof, The Zero Proof and a non-alcoholic section at Winnipeg’s The Pourium.
Getting ahead of trends is often key to business success, particularly for startups. You don’t necessarily need to be first. BlackBerry arguably launched the smartphone craze, but where is it now? Lexus claimed to be first with a compact luxury crossover, the RX, but today, from Audi to Volvo, the market is rife with them.
For restaurants, catching the booze-free wave is an opportunity to replace some lost liquor sales. If I’m not in the mood for a mojito, sometimes I want something more than just garden-variety fountain pop. The margins will still be good, so brew up something people will pay more than Diet Coke money for.
With all that in mind, I’m going to end with a recipe that caught my eye, courtesy halfbakedharvest.com. (Recipe sites: please just give me the recipe. I don’t care about the overly wordy, poorly written life story about how you came to love this or that recipe.)
Hibiscus, lemongrass and basil honey sweet tea
5 cups water
1 lemongrass stalk thinly sliced, plus more stalks for serving*
¼ cup honey or more to taste (may sub coconut sugar or maple syrup for vegan version)
½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
¾ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves plus more for serving
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice plus lime slices for serving
How to make
Bring the water to a boil in a medium size pot. Remove from the heat and add the lemongrass, honey, hibiscus flowers and basil leaves. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and discard the used lemongrass, hibiscus flowers and basil.
Stir in the lime juice and taste, if needed add more honey. Chill until cold. Serve over ice with a fresh lemongrass stalk, basil and lime. Enjoy!
|
