Consumer demand for moderation, convenience and premium experiences continues to drive innovation across the beverage industry. Brands are responding with new alcohol-free alternatives, functional soft drinks and ready-to-drink formats designed to appeal to a broader range of occasions.
At the same time, manufacturers are focusing on accessibility, bringing wellness ingredients, premium credentials and familiar flavours to mainstream consumers. This is creating opportunities across both alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories.
Premiumisation remains a key theme, with brands using provenance, craftsmanship and distinctive flavour profiles to differentiate themselves. From sparkling wine and RTDs to craft spirits and adult soft drinks, the latest launches reflect the sector’s continued focus on quality and consumer choice.
La Marca Sparkling
La Marca has entered the non-alcoholic category with La Marca Non-Alcoholic Sparkling, the brand’s first alcohol-free sparkling wine.
Crafted in Italy from carbonated de-alcoholised wine containing less than 0.5% ABV, the product is designed to replicate the crisp taste and vibrant bubbles of the brand’s sparkling wine portfolio, while offering consumers another moderation-friendly option.
The move comes as beverage companies respond to growing demand for greater drinking flexibility. La Marca notes that more than 90% of non-alcoholic beverage buyers also purchase alcohol, highlighting the overlap between the two categories.
Chilli Ginger Beer
The Root Co. has added Chilli Ginger Beer to its craft soft drinks range, tapping into consumer demand for more adventurous flavour profiles and spicier drinks.
Launching on 1 December, the non-alcoholic drink combines the brand’s signature cold-pressed ginger juice with an authentic chipotle infusion sourced from chillies grown, dried and smoked in Chihuahua, Mexico.
The British B Corp says the product has been designed to deliver a deeper, longer-lasting heat while staying true to its focus on single-origin ingredients and clean-label production.
The launch reinforces The Root Co.’s positioning as a natural alternative within the soft drinks category. Containing 10% fresh ginger juice and free from artificial flavourings, preservatives and ultra-processed ingredients, Chilli Ginger Beer aims to appeal to consumers seeking more complex flavour experiences without compromising on ingredient quality.
Oovi
New UK functional soft drinks brand Oovi has launched with a range of six fruit-flavoured sodas aimed at making the category more accessible to mainstream consumers.
The line-up is split across two collections, The Classics and The Twists, with each 330ml can containing 3g of fibre, magnesium, zinc and botanical extracts. The Twists variants also include 120mg of magnesium alongside ashwagandha and lion’s mane extracts.
Founded by Tracy Ford and Phil Briggs, who bring experience from the UK retail and food and drink sectors, Oovi was developed to make functional beverages more accessible. The brand aims to move beyond the category’s traditional wellness-focused audience, positioning its drinks as flavour-led soft drinks for everyday consumption.
Whitebox cocktails
Whitebox Cocktails has added three full-strength canned serves to its ready-to-drink range: Manhattan, White Russian and Whiskey Sour.
Available across the UK from 2 November, the new cocktails are made in-house using traditional recipes, premium spirits and bartender-developed formulations.
The Manhattan (£5.50, 26.5% ABV) combines American whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters, while the White Russian (£5.50, 20% ABV) blends vodka, coffee liqueur and cream. Whitebox describes it as the UK’s first canned version of the cocktail. The Whiskey Sour (£5.00, 22% ABV) combines whiskey, lemon and bitters.
Co-founder Ben Iravani said the brand focuses on established cocktail serves rather than short-term trends. The new additions join existing products including Pocket Negroni, Freezer Martini and Spicy Marg.
DV by Della Vite
Della Vite has added a £15 DOC Prosecco to its sparkling wine portfolio, targeting the premium everyday segment.
The vegan Brut Prosecco will roll out to 416 Sainsbury’s stores from 1 November, as well as Amazon and Ocado. Positioned as an accessible step-up from entry-level own-label and branded options, the 11% ABV wine was developed with Master of Wine Sarah Abbott and features notes of red apple, white pear and florals.
The launch comes as the Prosecco category continues to grow, with bottlings reaching 667 million in 2025, according to the Prosecco DOC Consortium.
Co-founder and CEO Numa Heathcote said the brand sees an opportunity to encourage consumers to choose Prosecco by brand rather than category alone. The new SKU also gives the portfolio a clearer structure, with DV by Della Vite targeting everyday drinking, DOCG Superiore focused on premium occasions and gifting, and its canned Spritz range catering to convenience-led consumption.
Della Vite Spritz
Della Vite is adding Mimosa Spritz to its ready-to-drink portfolio, a 10% ABV canned cocktail made with Sicilian blood oranges and Prosecco from the brand’s own winery.
Launching in early December via dellavite.com and Amazon, the new product offers a convenient take on the classic Mimosa ahead of the festive season.
The launch coincides with wider distribution for its Hugo, Bellini and Sicilian Lemon Spritz variants, which are rolling out to Morrisons and WHSmith stores nationwide.
The move comes as the RTD category continues to grow, with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association reporting a 17% year-on-year increase in value to £704m.
DropWorks Exclusive
DropWorks Rum has partnered with Fortnum & Mason on an exclusive single-cask release, limited to just 160 bottles.
The British-made rum is distilled from fermented cane honey and matured for two-and-a-half years in heavily charred American and French oak casks. Tasting notes include orange blossom, honey, toasted coconut, almond and vanilla.
The collaboration builds on Fortnum & Mason’s existing relationship with the Sherwood Forest-based producer, which already stocks several of its products. DropWorks will support the launch with tasting events at the retailer’s Piccadilly flagship store.
Buckhorn Whiskey
Sazerac-owned Buckhorn Whiskey has added Smoked Maple to its flavoured whiskey range, a 32.5% ABV expression combining whiskey with sweet and smoky maple notes.
Priced at $18.99 per 750ml bottle, the new product targets the autumn and winter drinking season.
To support the launch, Buckhorn is introducing The Buckhorn Buck Hunt, a US campaign featuring scavenger hunts and pop-up speakeasies in cities including Chicago and Atlanta. Consumers will follow clues to secret locations as the brand looks to build awareness and encourage trial.
