Brewing news: between fiscal challenges, alcohol-free and sustainable innovations

Is the beer industry facing new taxes?

The French brewing sector is currently going through a difficult period with the announcement of a potential tax increase. This measure, included in the government's draft budget, would particularly target beers containing more than 5.5% of alcohol, via an increase in excise duty.

The impact on craft breweries looks set to be significant. Some analyses show that an increase of around 20 centimes per can at production level would translate into an increase of 50 to 80 centimes for the end consumer, depending on the distribution channel. This mechanical inflation is likely to particularly affect specialty beers such as Imperial Stouts and Triple beers, which are already positioned in premium segments.

Bero, Tom Holland's alcohol-free beer
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Alcohol-free goes premium with Bero

Against this complex backdrop, the alcohol-free market continues to expand, with the remarkable arrival of Bero, a new premium brand from Tom Holland. This initiative is a perfect illustration of the sector's new positioning strategies.

The project is distinguished by a particularly sharp marketing approach:

  • A narrower range based on three strategic references (Pilsner, Blanche, Hazy IPA)
  • A high-end lifestyle positioning combined with tennis and premium leisure activities
  • A community strategy with subscriptions and exclusive content
  • A refined design playing on the codes of luxury

This approach reflects a major change: alcohol-free is no longer seen as a default alternative, but as a lifestyle choice that has been taken on board.

Alcohol-free beer
Bero, alcohol-free beer
Bero, Tom Holland's beer
Bero, a premium beer brand with a strong status appeal
BERO cooler bag
BERO coaster and poker
Bero, lifestyle beer brand

The circular economy reinvents brewing by-products

Perhaps the most striking innovation comes from Switzerland, where the Locher brewery is developing, via its Brewbee, a complete range of food products made from spent grains. This approach is revolutionizing the use of this brewing by-product, traditionally destined for animal feed.

Processing spent grain into protein flour opens up considerable new prospects. With a processing capacity of 25,000 tonnes of spent grain, enabling the production of 5,000 to 6,000 tonnes of protein powder, this innovation meets the challenges of sustainability while creating new business opportunities.

Brewbee upcycling explained
Food made from plants and spent grain
Verdura, the Brewbee pizza
Brewing process
Tschipps, Brewbee's spent grain potato chips

Brewing industry outlook

These three news items sketch the contours of an industry in the throes of change. Fiscal pressures are driving a rethink of business models, while innovation, whether marketing or technical, is opening up new prospects.

For craft breweries, these changes mean :

  • Diversify their sources of income
  • Rethink their price positioning
  • Explore alcohol-free opportunities
  • Optimize the value of their co-products

The brewery of tomorrow will probably be less a simple production site than an integrated ecosystem, combining production, on-site consumption and circular resource recovery.

FAQ

What impact could higher taxes have on beer prices?

According to our calculations, raising taxes on beers over 5.5% could result in an increase of around 20 centimes per can at production level. For the end consumer, this would translate into an increase of 50 to 80 centimes, depending on the distribution channel. This increase could particularly affect craft and specialty beers.

What is Bero?

Bero is a premium alcohol-free beer brand launched by actor Tom Holland. Its distinctive feature is its high-end lifestyle positioning, associated with tennis and premium leisure activities. The brand offers a range of three references (Pilsner, Blanche, Hazy IPA) and is developing a strong community strategy with subscriptions and exclusive content.

How does Brewbee recycle spent grains?

Brewbee transforms spent grains into protein flour used to create a variety of food products such as chips, pizzas and muesli. Their plant can process up to 25,000 tonnes of spent grains a year into 5,000-6,000 tonnes of pure protein powder, offering a sustainable solution for the valorization of brewing co-products.

What does the future hold for craft breweries in the face of these changes?

Craft breweries will have to diversify their activities, in particular by developing on-site consumption and optimizing their short circuits. The future lies in an integrated ecosystem model combining production, tasting and co-product development.

Will the alcohol-free market continue to grow?

The non-alcoholic market, while still representing a tiny share of the total market, is showing strong growth. Marketing and product innovations, such as Bero, reflect a move towards premium positioning that should continue to stimulate this segment.

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