Gitnux/Report 2026

Alternative Beverage Industry Statistics

The U.S. retail plant-based food market reached $7.9 billion in 2025, explore the latest figures on growth, companies, and trends in alternative beverages.
216Statistics
87Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
43mRead
Alternative Beverage Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Before any source is gathered, an editor locks the question, what qualifies, and how the piece will be judged.

02Source Research

Search agents collect the source set and pull each data point out with its provenance attached.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The alternative beverage industry at a glance

The U.S. alternative beverage market is expanding through plant-based, functional and alcohol-free products, with plant-based foods reaching $7.9 billion in retail sales in 2025.

$7.9B[72]
U.S. plant-based retail sales, 2025
$2.7B[72]
Plant-based milk sales, 2025
$1B+[73]
U.S. alcohol-free sales, 2025
13%[72]
Plant-based milk share of milk dollars, 2025
Market size
The U.S. retail plant-based food market was worth $7.9 billion in 2025. Plant-based milk accounted for $2.7 billion, while U.S. off-premise sales of non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits exceeded $1 billion in 2025.[72][73]
Forecast & CAGR
Euromonitor projected global functional beverage sales to grow by about 7% annually through 2027. NIQ also reported that the U.S. non-alcohol category reached $925 million with 22% year-over-year growth in the latest period available in its 2025 report, and was on track to exceed $1 billion by the end of 2025.[21][73]
Market share & regions
Plant-based milk represented 13% of total U.S. milk dollar sales in 2025 and 30% in the natural retail channel. Within U.S. plant-based spending, the Western region accounted for 36% of total national plant-based dollars and 37.1% of plant-based milk dollars in 2025.[72][74]
Segmentation
The U.S. alternative beverage landscape includes plant-based milk, creamer, protein liquids and powders, ready-to-drink beverages, functional drinks and alcohol-free beer, wine and spirits. In 2025, plant-based milk sales were $2.7 billion, creamer sales were $761 million, and plant-based protein liquids and powders reached $462 million.[72]
Key players & concentration
The category remains fragmented across major beverage companies, specialist brands and private-equity-backed platforms. In the global non-alcohol segment, Diageo owned four of the six largest brands by value according to a 2025 beverage M&A report, indicating meaningful concentration among leading multinational owners even as many smaller brands enter the market.[16]
Pricing
Pricing was broadly stable in U.S. plant-based retail beverages in 2025: average retail prices rose 2% for plant-based milk, were unchanged for creamer, and increased 3% for plant-based protein liquids and powders. Plant-based milk’s 2% price increase coincided with a 5% decline in unit sales.[72]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is being driven by wellness positioning, moderation of alcohol consumption, functional ingredients and improved flavor formats. Challenges include category crowding, uneven consumer demand and volume pressure: plant-based milk dollar sales fell 2% and unit sales fell 5% in 2025, while plant-based meat and seafood dollar sales fell 10%.[72][73]
Consumer behavior & competition
About four in ten U.S. households purchased plant-based milk in 2025, with 38% household penetration and a 75% repeat rate. More than 90% of consumers purchasing non-alcoholic products also purchased alcoholic beverages, showing that alternative beverages generally complement rather than fully replace conventional categories.[72][75]
M&A
M&A activity is targeting functional, plant-based and alcohol-free platforms: PepsiCo acquired prebiotic soda brand Poppi in 2025, while Generous Brands acquired kombucha brand Health-Ade in August 2025. In 2026, Anheuser-Busch completed its acquisition of an 85% majority stake in BeatBox for up to approximately $490 million.[21][16][76]
Regulation
In the United States, the FDA has issued draft guidance on labeling plant-based milk alternatives and voluntary nutrient statements; the agency’s guidance addresses how manufacturers should present nutritional differences from dairy milk. Regulation is also tightening for emerging alternatives: Illinois legislation taking effect in November 2026 is expected to remove many hemp-derived THC beverages from liquor-store shelves.[61][77]
Latest news
Recent industry developments include the November 2026 Illinois restrictions on hemp-derived THC beverages, the February 2026 completion of Anheuser-Busch’s BeatBox acquisition, and continued expansion of functional and alcohol-free products into mainstream beverage portfolios.[77][76][73]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Alternative Beverage Industry

The leading companies in the alternative beverage industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Monster Beverage stands out for energy and functional beverage scale because it reported an operating margin of 29.2% and 10.7% revenue growth, while The Coca-Cola Company focuses on non-carbonated beverage portfolios since it had an operating margin of 28.7% and 1.9% revenue growth.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in energy drinks

    Monster Beverage

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.2 · Energy drinks

    Why we picked it: Energy and functional beverages globally, backed by an operating margin of 29.2% and 10.7% revenue growth.

    See in ranking ↓Visit monsterbevcorp.com ↗

  2. Leader in non-carbonated beverages

    The Coca-Cola Company

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.2 · Non-carbonated beverages

    Why we picked it: Alternative and plant-based beverages globally, with 1.9% revenue growth and an operating margin of 28.7%.

    See in ranking ↓Visit coca-colacompany.com ↗

  3. Leader in plant-based tea

    Unilever

    GB

    Ranked #4 · 8.8 · Plant-based tea

    Why we picked it: Plant-based beverages and tea alternatives worldwide, including Lipton and Brooke Bond tea and liquid tea infusion beverages.

    See in ranking ↓Visit unilever.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the alternative beverage industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Monster Beverage

Energy drinks · US

9.2
2

The Coca-Cola Company

Non-carbonated beverages · US

9.2
3

Red Bull

Energy drinks · AT

9.2
4

Unilever

Plant-based tea · GB

8.8
5

Blue Diamond Growers

Almond milk beverages · US

8.8
6

SunOpta

Plant-based beverage manufacturing, North America · CA

8.5
7

Nestlé

Plant-based and alternative beverages globally · CH

8.3
8

PepsiCo

Plant-based and alternative beverages globally · US

8.2
9

Oatly Group

Oat-based milk and dairy alternatives, global · SE

7.8
10

Earth's Own Food Company

Plant-based milk and dairy alternatives, Canada · CA

7.7

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Top 10 companies in the alternative beverage industry. In Alternative Beverage Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/alternative-beverage-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Global soy beverage retail sales value at retail selling prices

Global soy beverage retail sales value at retail selling prices: $7.2B in 2022, $7.2B in 2022.

2027 (forecast)$8.6B
2026 (forecast)$8.3B
2025 (forecast)$8.0B
2024 (forecast)$7.7B
2023 (forecast)$7.5B
2022$7.2B
source-verifiedmanitoba.ca2027

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Technology spend planning shows a broad move from disconnected systems toward investments in AI, robotics, machine learning software, and cloud. In 2026, 40% cited disconnected systems and data as a key barrier.

Digital Transformation in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 82% of food and beverage leaders said technology adoption was a strategic priority, while 6% reported fully integrated digital systems, in a 2025 survey.[1]
  • 28% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals reported positive effects from digital transformation technologies on food-safety preventive controls in 2024.[2]
  • 34% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals said manufacturing process or assembly had been positively affected by digital transformation technologies in 2024.[2]
  • 40% of 423 food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their organization’s biggest operational barrier in 2026.[1]

Technology Adoption in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 23% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in mobile-app technologies in 2025.[2]
  • 31% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in robotics or robotic process automation in 2025.[2]
  • 22% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in machine-learning software in 2025.[2]
  • 50% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in artificial intelligence as part of their 2025 digital-transformation strategies.[2]

Cloud Computing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 52% of food processors and manufacturers were considering cloud technology, while 45% reported no cloud use, in a 2023 industry survey.[3]
  • 39.5% of EU enterprises in accommodation and food-service activities used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[4]
  • 30% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in cloud computing or enterprise resource-planning software and systems in 2025.[2]
  • 18% of food manufacturers were already using cloud-based manufacturing-execution systems, while 51% planned implementation, according to a 2025 industry survey.[5]

Big Data in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 13% of food manufacturers were already using advanced-analytics or big-data platforms, while 44% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[5]
  • 24% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with advanced analytics, while 34% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[6]
  • 35% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in big data and real-time analytics in 2025.[2]
  • 47% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals identified gathering, analyzing, and leveraging data for data-driven decisions as a digital-transformation investment driver in 2024.[2]

IoT in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 31% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with the Internet of Things, while 35% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[6]
  • 16% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in Internet-of-Things devices or sensors in 2025.[2]
  • 26% of food manufacturers were already using IoT sensors or equipment monitoring, while 37% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[5]
  • 33% of UK manufacturing companies had adopted IoT technologies in a 2024 national survey, with manufacturing among the sectors reporting comparatively high adoption.[7]

Innovation in the alternative beverage industry

  • More than three times as many no-alcohol beverage innovations reached the global market in 2022 as in 2019, according to IWSR’s Innovation Tracker.[8]
  • 34% was the growth of hop teas and hop waters in the United States in early 2023, according to SPINS data.[9]
  • 20.6% was the increase in United States zero-proof beverage sales from 2022 to 2023, reaching $395 million in 2023.[10]
  • 233% was the increase in mocktail menu appearances in the United States over four years, according to 2024 foodservice data.[11]
  • 62% was the growth of non-alcoholic spirits in the United States in early 2023, according to SPINS data.[9]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data governance and data quality drive prioritization, with 77% of retail and consumer-products companies identifying improving data quality as a priority in 2023. In 2024, 22% reported a lack of trust in data quality and validity.

Data Quality in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 22% of consumer-products companies reported that businesses lacked trust in data quality and validity in 2024.[12]
  • 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data accuracy as important in 2018.[13]
  • 77% of retail and consumer-products companies identified improving data quality as a priority in 2023.[14]
  • 7.0 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data completeness as important in 2018.[13]
  • 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data timeliness as important in 2018.[13]
  • 6.6 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data consistency as important in 2018.[13]

Data Governance in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 47% of supply-management data-governance functions were housed in a center of excellence in 2024.[15]
  • 81% of supply-management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[15]
  • 22% of consumer-products companies planned to increase investment in data infrastructure and governance over the following 12 months in 2024.[12]
  • 43% of consumer-products companies reported struggling to establish the right level of data governance in 2024.[12]
  • 61% of supply-management organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[15]
  • 90% of supply-management organizations agreed or strongly agreed that data governance was necessary in 2024.[15]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

No-alcohol and plant-based platforms are seeing measurable commercial activity, alongside continued consolidation. AB InBev reported 22.1% growth in U.S. non-alcoholic beer dollar sales for the 52 weeks ended December 28, 2025.

Growth in the alternative beverage industry

  • 44% was the year-over-year revenue growth of AB InBev’s Beyond Beer portfolio in the second quarter of 2026.[16]
  • 27% was the year-over-year growth of AB InBev’s no-alcohol beer revenue in the second quarter of 2026.[16]
  • 34% was AB InBev’s reported year-over-year growth in no-alcohol beer net revenue in fiscal 2025.[17]
  • 22.1% was the increase in U.S. non-alcoholic beer dollar sales for the 52 weeks ended December 28, 2025, reaching nearly 583.4 million dollars.[18]

Differentiation in the alternative beverage industry

  • 90% of Oatly’s revenue came from oatmilk in both 2025 and 2024, making oat-based beverages its primary product differentiator.[19]
  • 13% of the U.S. coconut-water category was represented by the super-premium segment in 2026, according to Vita Coco’s category analysis.[20]
  • 10% was the estimated share of the U.S. non-alcoholic beverage market held by functional beverages in 2023.[21]
  • 71% of plant-based meat-alternative products studied used environmental-impact claims, while 58% used packaging-related sustainability claims, in a 2026 academic analysis.[22]

Mergers and acquisitions in the alternative beverage industry

  • 85% was the controlling stake AB InBev acquired in RTD producer BeatBox in December 2025 for 490 million dollars.[16]
  • 237.7 million dollars was the preliminary total purchase consideration allocated to Vita Coco’s Copra business combination completed on July 22, 2026.[20]
  • 175 million dollars was Vita Coco’s initial consideration for acquiring Thailand coconut-water producer Copra in 2026, before additional performance-based consideration.[20]
  • 80% of Vita Coco’s initial Copra acquisition consideration was cash and 20% was stock under the 2026 transaction terms.[20]

Strategic partnerships in the alternative beverage industry

  • 60% is Vita Coco’s ownership interest in Coco Ventures Limited, its China joint venture with the Jebsen Group for coconut-water development, marketing and distribution.[20]
  • 26,000 outlets were accessible through Beyond Meat’s 2026 distribution partnership with Big Geyser for Beyond Immerse in the New York metropolitan area.[23]
  • 1 joint venture with the Jebsen Group supports Vita Coco’s China sales and marketing operations through Coco Ventures Limited.[20]
  • 1 distribution partnership with Big Geyser moved Beyond Immerse from direct-to-consumer sales into grocery, drug, convenience, mass, club and foodservice channels in 2026.[23]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Work arrangement flexibility remains limited in food and beverage roles, with 73% requiring in-person work in 2025. Employee learning is concentrated on functional skills, such as 76% at Coca-Cola HBC in 2025.

Remote Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% let employees choose to work in-person or remotely in 2025, while 73% require in-person work.[24]
  • U.S. accommodation and food-services firms averaged 0.1 work-from-home days per week from November 2024 through January 2025.[25]
  • Among food-sector career starters globally, 36% were fully site-based during their first two years of work, according to a 2024 survey.[26]
  • In U.S. accommodation and food services, 1.7% of employees were able to work fully remotely in 2024.[27]

Hybrid Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among food-sector career starters globally, 27% worked in a hybrid arrangement during their first two years, according to a 2024 survey.[26]
  • Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% offered employees the option to work in-person or remotely in 2025.[24]
  • In 2025, 80% of hospitality and food-services employers said they were still struggling to get the balance right with hybrid working.[28]
  • In U.S. restaurant and bar businesses, 12% offered employees a choice between in-person and remote work in 2025.[24]

Upskilling in the alternative beverage industry

  • 29,000 Coca-Cola HBC employees participated in training during 2024, with 50% of training focused on functional skills.[29]
  • More than 2 million training hours were delivered by Coca-Cola FEMSA in 2024, averaging 25 hours per female employee and 21 hours per male employee.[30]
  • 1,612 employees participated in Suntory’s e-learning program in 2025, while 1,739 employees joined its voluntary training program.[31]
  • 63% of Coca-Cola HBC’s learning activity was self-paced and self-initiated in 2025.[32]
  • 760,000 hours of learning were delivered by Coca-Cola HBC in 2025, with 76% devoted to functional skills and 20% to personal skills.[32]

Employee Engagement in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food-service employees recorded 72.6% engagement in 2026, up 9.1 percentage points from the prior measurement.[33]
  • Globally, 21% of employees were engaged in 2025, providing an economy-wide benchmark relevant where food-and-beverage-specific engagement data are limited.[34]
  • Among U.S. and Canadian frontline employees surveyed in 2024, 52% worked in foodservice, in a sample of 46,250 employees used to assess workplace engagement.[35]
  • Food-and-beverage organizations scored 7.91 out of 10 for employee engagement in the latest 2026 benchmark dataset.[36]

Change Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • In the 2024–2025 HR Systems Survey, 39% of organizations applied change management sporadically and 9% reported using no change management.[37]
  • Among foodservice organizations surveyed in 2024, 46% identified siloed data and inaccessible specialists as barriers to systematic menu optimization.[38]
  • In the 2024–2025 HR Systems Survey, 28% of organizations used adaptive or agile change management, while 24% used a project-based approach.[37]
  • Among CPG executives, 5% said their companies decreased resources devoted to change-management initiatives during the prior 12 months.[39]
  • Among foodservice organizations surveyed in 2024, 44% cited a lack of internal expertise to execute analyses as a menu-optimization barrier.[38]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Repeat purchasing and cross-category behavior characterize demand for alternative beverages. On Shopify, 32.2% was the median 12-month repeat-purchase rate for non-alcoholic beverage stores from September 2025 through August 2026.

Customer experience in the alternative beverage industry

  • 37% of consumers reported drinking mocktails at least once per week in 2024.[11]
  • 42% of on-premise consumers said they were likely to participate in Dry January 2025, rising by 10 percentage points among consumers aged 21–34.[40]
  • 73% of consumers who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement engaged with it in 2025.[41]

Customer retention in the alternative beverage industry

  • 29.3% of new non-alcoholic beverage customers placed a second order within 365 days in the September 2025–August 2026 Shopify dataset.[42]
  • 32.2% was the median 12-month repeat-purchase rate for non-alcoholic beverage stores on Shopify from September 2025 through August 2026.[42]
  • 18.8% of new non-alcoholic beverage customers placed a second order within 90 days in the September 2025–August 2026 Shopify dataset.[42]

Customer acquisition in the alternative beverage industry

  • 31% was the increase in the number of buyers purchasing non-alcohol products across their broader beverage portfolios in 2025.[40]
  • 61% of consumers aged 21–29 who drink non-alcoholic beverage alternatives reported consuming wine alternatives during the previous three months.[43]
  • 26% was the increase in spending per buyer on non-alcohol products in 2025.[40]
  • 50% of consumers who drink non-alcoholic beverages reported consuming wine, champagne or beer alternatives during the previous three months.[43]

Customer loyalty in the alternative beverage industry

  • 11% was the loyalty rate for non-alcoholic wine within consumers’ total wine purchases in 2025.[40]
  • 10% was the loyalty rate for non-alcoholic spirits within consumers’ total spirits purchases in 2025.[40]
  • 12% was the loyalty rate for non-alcoholic beer within consumers’ total beer purchases in 2025.[40]
  • 70.2% of food and beverage Black Friday–Cyber Monday gross merchandise value came from repeat buyers in 2025.[42]

Lead generation in the alternative beverage industry

  • 20% of consumers who engaged with out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertising in 2025 cited customer testimonials or reviews as the engagement action.[41]
  • 23% of consumers aged 21–29 who drink non-alcoholic beverage alternatives reported consuming them several times per week, indicating a high-frequency audience for beverage prospecting in 2025.[43]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertising is translating into product engagement, with 73% engagement among consumers who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement in 2025. Zevia reported $19.5 million marketing expense in 2025.

Marketing in the alternative beverage industry

  • 73% of U.S. adults aged 18–64 recalled recently seeing an out-of-home advertisement for a non-alcoholic beverage in 2025.[41]
  • 43% of U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement said they purchased the product or brand in 2025.[41]
  • $19.5 million was Zevia’s marketing expense in 2025, equal to 12.1% of net sales in the United States.[20]
  • 45% of U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement said new products were the most engaging message in 2025.[41]

Digital marketing in the alternative beverage industry

  • $17.1 million was Zevia’s advertising and marketing expense in 2024, including digital and other advertising, in the United States.[20]
  • 29% of U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement searched online for the specific product or brand in 2025.[41]
  • 28% of U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement visited the product or brand website in 2025.[41]
  • 28% of U.S. modern-beverage consumers cited social media as a source of beverage information in 2023.[44]

Branding in the alternative beverage industry

  • $19.5 million was spent by Zevia on marketing to build brand awareness and customer conversations in 2025.[20]
  • 12.1% of Zevia’s 2025 net sales represented marketing expense supporting its zero-sugar beverage brand in the United States.[20]
  • More than 20,000 U.S. stores carried Olipop in 2024, positioning the prebiotic soda as a national alternative-beverage brand.[45]
  • 50,000 stores carried Olipop in 2025, according to reporting on the U.S. alternative-soda brand’s distribution expansion.[46]

Social media in the alternative beverage industry

  • 22% of U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement followed the product or brand on social media in 2025.[41]
  • 26 times higher than average were non-alcoholic beverage social-media mentions on October 14, 2024, after the announcement of a celebrity brand launch.[47]
  • 41 interactions were earned by the median beverage-brand Instagram post in September 2026, compared with eight on Facebook worldwide.[48]
  • 32% of urban U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement followed the product or brand on social media in 2025.[41]

Influencer Marketing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • 82% of U.S. Gen Z food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[49]
  • 33% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a product from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand such as Prime or Feastables in the previous year, in 2025.[49]
  • 49% of U.S. millennial food and beverage shoppers said they purchased from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand in the previous year, according to a 2025 survey.[49]
  • 69.3% of TikTok videos featuring branded food or beverage products had no brand-relationship disclosure, based on an analysis of 648 videos published in 2025.[50]
  • 63% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[49]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational performance is tied to costs and expense control, with Zevia showing improvements such as $5.5 million gross-profit improvement in 2025. Across CPG companies, 55% outsourced more manufacturing in 2023 than three years earlier.

Process optimization in the alternative beverage industry

  • $5.5 million was Zevia’s year-over-year gross-profit improvement in 2025, driven partly by favorable unit costs and lower inventory write-downs.[20]
  • $83.8 million was Zevia’s cost of goods sold in 2025, compared with $83.1 million in 2024.[20]
  • 52% of Zevia’s net sales represented cost of goods sold in 2025, down from 54% in 2024.[20]
  • 1.6 percentage points was Zevia’s improvement in gross margin in 2025, attributed partly to lower product costs and improved inventory management.[20]

Operational efficiency in the alternative beverage industry

  • $7.2 million, or 17.9%, was Zevia’s decrease in selling expense in 2025 compared with 2024.[20]
  • 55% of Zevia’s net sales represented total operating expenses in 2025, down from 62% in 2024.[20]
  • 32% of Zevia’s net sales represented selling and marketing expense in 2025, down from 37% in 2024.[20]
  • $12.7 million was Zevia’s shipping and handling cost for salable product in 2024, down from $14.2 million in 2023.[20]

Supply chain in the alternative beverage industry

  • $83.8 million was Zevia’s 2025 cost of goods sold, with product costs and inventory management contributing to improved gross margin.[20]
  • $32.9 million was Zevia’s selling expense in 2025, including warehousing, distribution, storage, handling, freight and delivery charges.[20]
  • $12.7 million was Zevia’s shipping and handling cost for salable product in 2024, representing a decrease from $14.2 million in 2023.[20]
  • $2.2 million was Zevia’s restructuring expense in 2025, reflecting changes in the company’s operating structure.[20]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 52% planned to expand their international footprint in 2023, including North America, EMEA and APAC expansion.[51]
  • Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 47% worked with up to 10 co-manufacturers in 2023.[52]
  • Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 55% outsourced more manufacturing in 2023 than three years earlier, according to a survey of 287 industry leaders.[52]
  • Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 36% used co-manufacturers for finished-product manufacturing in 2023.[52]
  • Among United States and European food-services and facility-management buyers, 91% expected outsourcing budgets to increase over the five years following 2024.[53]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Alternative beverage performance mixes price realization and volume changes. Pricing was broadly stable in 2025 for plant-based retail beverages, while plant-based milk’s 2% price increase coincided with a 5% decline in unit sales.

Pricing strategy in the alternative beverage industry

  • 4.0% was Zevia’s increase in net sales in 2025, partly reflecting higher price realization in the United States.[20]
  • 50% of rural U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement said price or cost-saving opportunities were engaging messages in 2025.[41]
  • 5.2% was Zevia’s volume increase in 2025, driven largely by expanded Walmart distribution and increased retailer promotional activity.[20]
  • 41% of U.S. adults who saw an out-of-home non-alcoholic beverage advertisement said price or cost-saving opportunities were engaging messages in 2025.[41]

Cost reduction in the alternative beverage industry

  • $1.2 million was Zevia’s reduction in selling and marketing expense in 2025 compared with 2024.[20]
  • 1.6 percentage points was Zevia’s gross-margin improvement in 2025, partly reflecting lower product costs.[20]
  • 17.9% was Zevia’s reduction in selling expense in 2025 compared with 2024.[20]
  • $7.2 million was Zevia’s decrease in selling expense in 2025 compared with 2024.[20]

Profitability in the alternative beverage industry

  • $77.4 million was Zevia’s gross profit in 2025 on net sales of $161.3 million.[20]
  • 48.0% was Zevia’s gross-profit margin in 2025, compared with 46.4% in 2024.[20]
  • $4.7 million was Zevia’s adjusted EBITDA loss in 2025, an improvement of $10.5 million from 2024.[20]
  • $10.1 million was Zevia PBC’s net loss attributable to the company in 2025, compared with $19.9 million in 2024.[20]

Financial planning in the alternative beverage industry

  • $2.2 million was Zevia’s restructuring expense in 2025, compared with $2.1 million in 2024.[20]
  • $30.0 million was Zevia’s general and administrative expense in 2025, equal to 18.6% of net sales.[20]
  • $52.4 million was Zevia’s selling and marketing expense in 2025, equal to 32.5% of net sales.[20]
  • $161.3 million was Zevia’s net sales in 2025, up 4.0% from $155.0 million in 2024.[20]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Functional beverage expansion is reflected in sales and breadth of UPCs. In the U.S., functional-beverage sales increased 54% between March 2020 and March 2024 to $9.2 billion, while 53,000 UPC symbols were counted in 2023.

Product development in the alternative beverage industry

  • 54% was the increase in U.S. functional-beverage sales between March 2020 and March 2024, reaching $9.2 billion.[21]
  • 53,000 UPC symbols were counted in the U.S. functional-beverage category in 2023, including energy drinks, sports drinks, waters, shakes and teas.[21]
  • 59% of beverage-industry leaders planned to prioritize innovative and unique products in 2024, based on a survey of 75 U.S. beverage leaders.[54]

Product lifecycle in the alternative beverage industry

  • 2.6 million metric tons of plastic were used by PepsiCo to package its food and beverage portfolio in 2023.[55]
  • 94% of PepsiCo’s primary and secondary packaging in key markets was designed to be reusable, recyclable or compostable in 2025.[55]
  • 10% of recycled plastic was used across PepsiCo’s global company-owned and franchised beverage operations in 2023.[55]
  • 18% recycled content was reported for PepsiCo’s primary plastic packaging in key markets in 2025.[55]

Value proposition in the alternative beverage industry

  • 11% loyalty was recorded for non-alcoholic wine within total wine purchases in 2025.[40]
  • 31% was the increase in the number of buyers adding non-alcoholic products to broader beverage portfolios in 2025, while spending per buyer rose 26%.[40]
  • 10% loyalty was recorded for non-alcoholic spirits within total spirits purchases in 2025.[40]
  • 12% loyalty was recorded for non-alcoholic beer within total beer purchases in 2025.[40]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Operational sustainability metrics are being reported at site and packaging levels. PepsiCo reported 96% of electricity used in company-owned facilities was renewable in 2025.

Sustainability in the alternative beverage industry

  • 44.2 billion gallons of water were estimated to be saved by SunOpta’s plant-based milk production compared with equivalent dairy-milk production in 2024.[56]
  • 96% of electricity used in PepsiCo company-owned facilities was renewable in 2025.[55]
  • 18% progress was reported toward PepsiCo’s Scope 3 FLAG emissions-reduction goal against its 2022 market baseline in 2025.[55]
  • 24% progress was reported toward PepsiCo’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions-reduction goal against its 2022 market baseline in 2025.[55]

ESG in the alternative beverage industry

  • 20 production sites across 10 countries were operated by Royal Unibrew in 2024.[57]
  • 54% of Royal Unibrew’s 2024 revenue came from non-alcoholic beverages, compared with 46% from alcoholic beverages.[57]
  • 80.6% of Zoetis electricity was renewable in 2024, according to its global sustainability data; Zoetis manufactures animal-health products rather than beverages, so no beverage-industry statistic was retained.[58]

Circular economy in the alternative beverage industry

  • 10% recycled plastic was used across PepsiCo’s global company-owned and franchised beverage operations in 2023.[55]
  • 18% recycled content was used in PepsiCo’s primary plastic packaging in key markets in 2025.[55]

Carbon footprint in the alternative beverage industry

  • 0.154 kilograms of CO2-equivalent emissions per 330 milliliters was reported for almond beverages in published lifecycle studies.[59]
  • 0.099 kilograms of CO2-equivalent emissions per 330 milliliters was reported for oat beverages in published lifecycle studies.[59]
  • 0.229 kilograms of CO2-equivalent emissions per 330 milliliters was calculated for a model faba-bean beverage, with filling and packaging identified among the most impactful stages.[59]
  • 0.175 kilograms of CO2-equivalent emissions per 330 milliliters was reported for soy beverages in published lifecycle studies.[59]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Global revenue mix and market coverage shape alternative beverage scaling. Oatly reported 862.5 million euros of 2025 revenue across Europe and International, North America and Greater China.

Globalization in the alternative beverage industry

  • 862.5 million euros was Oatly’s 2025 revenue across Europe and International, North America and Greater China.[19]
  • 130.0 million euros of Oatly revenue came from Greater China in 2025, compared with 249.6 million euros from North America and 482.9 million euros from Europe and International.[19]
  • 80% was Vita Coco’s coconut-water market share in the United Kingdom for the 52 weeks ended December 27, 2025.[20]
  • 70 markets carried AB InBev no-alcohol beers, including Corona Cero, Budweiser 0.0, Michelob ULTRA Zero and Stella Artois 0.0, in 2025.[20]

Cultural adaptation in the alternative beverage industry

  • 12.8 liters per person was China’s 2019 plant-based-beverage consumption, versus 4.3 liters in the United States, according to regional market data.[70]
  • 9.4 liters per person was Vietnam’s 2019 plant-based-beverage consumption, with rice, nuts, grains and seeds growing 8.2% that year.[70]
  • 4.3 billion consumers were identified across Asia-Pacific as a major addressable base for plant-based milk, ice cream and yogurt, partly because of high lactose intolerance, in 2021.[70]
  • 15.7 liters per person was South Africa’s 2019 plant-based-beverage consumption, the highest per-capita figure among the listed markets in the regional comparison.[70]

Supplier management in the alternative beverage industry

  • 1 Thailand production facility was acquired by Vita Coco through its July 2026 acquisition of Copra, strengthening access to Nam Hom coconut-water supply.[20]
  • 3 amendments had been made to Vita Coco’s manufacturing and purchasing agreement with Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures by June 12, 2025.[20]
  • 26% of non-alcoholic beverage supply-chain partners had partnerships lasting more than 10 years in an Indian industry survey conducted in 2023.[71]
  • 37% of non-alcoholic beverage supply-chain partners had worked with companies for three to five years in an Indian industry survey conducted in 2023.[71]

Stakeholder management in the alternative beverage industry

  • 1 public benefit explicitly identified in Vita Coco’s corporate structure requires balancing stockholder interests, materially affected stakeholders and public-benefit objectives as of 2025.[20]
  • 181,000 dollars of Vita Coco selling, general and administrative expense supported a Reignwood China employee managing the China market in 2024.[20]
  • 1.6 million dollars of Vita Coco revenue was recognized from its Reignwood China distribution agreement for 2024.[20]
  • 6% of Oatly’s 2025 revenue came from a single external foodservice customer, down from 10% in 2024, concentrating exposure in North America and Greater China.[19]

Distribution channels in the alternative beverage industry

  • 561.5 million euros of Oatly’s 2025 revenue came from retail, compared with 282.9 million euros from foodservice and 18.1 million euros from other channels.[19]
  • 282.9 million euros of Oatly’s 2025 revenue came from foodservice, including 98.0 million euros in North America and 87.7 million euros in Greater China.[19]
  • 26,000 outlets across the New York metropolitan area were covered by Big Geyser’s 2026 distribution agreement for Beyond Immerse functional beverages.[23]
  • 4 North American routes to market were identified by Vita Coco: direct-store delivery, direct-to-warehouse, broadline distributors and direct-to-consumer sales.[20]

Key questions about the alternative beverage industry

How big is the U.S. alternative beverage market for plant-based categories?
The U.S. retail plant-based food market was worth $7.9 billion in 2025. Plant-based milk accounted for $2.7 billion in 2025, and U.S. off-premise non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits exceeded $1 billion in 2025.
What growth rates are showing up in functional and non-alcoholic beverage demand?
Euromonitor projected global functional beverage sales to grow by about 7% annually through 2027. NIQ reported the U.S. non-alcohol category reached $925 million with 22% year-over-year growth in the latest period available in its 2025 report and was on track to exceed $1 billion by the end of 2025.
Which companies lead the alternative beverage industry?
Monster Beverage stands out for energy and functional beverage scale because it reported an operating margin of 29.2% and 10.7% revenue growth, while The Coca-Cola Company focuses on non-carbonated beverage portfolios since it had an operating margin of 28.7% and 1.9% revenue growth.
What technology shifts matter most for alternative beverage operations?
In 2026, 40% of 423 food and beverage professionals worldwide cited disconnected systems and data as their biggest operational barrier. In 2025, 31% of companies anticipated investing in robotics or robotic process automation, and 50% anticipated investing in artificial intelligence as part of digital-transformation strategies.
How fragmented is the alternative beverage market, and where is concentration visible?
The category remains fragmented across major beverage companies, specialist brands and private-equity-backed platforms. In the global non-alcohol segment, Diageo owned four of the six largest brands by value according to a 2025 beverage M&A report.
What regulatory moves are shaping product labeling and access by 2026?
FDA issued draft guidance on labeling plant-based milk alternatives and voluntary nutrient statements, addressing nutritional differences from dairy milk. Illinois legislation taking effect in November 2026 is expected to remove many hemp-derived THC beverages from liquor-store shelves.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Alternative Beverage Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/alternative-beverage-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Alternative Beverage Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 11 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/alternative-beverage-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Alternative Beverage Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/alternative-beverage-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

87 sources cited across this report

  1. tracegains.com
  2. ift.org
  3. foodindustryexecutive.com
  4. ec.europa.eu
  5. marketing.foodindustryexecutive.com
  6. go.crbgroup.com
  7. productivity.ac.uk
  8. theiwsr.com
  9. eu-assets.contentstack.com
  10. sciencedirect.com
  11. datassential.com
  12. kpmg.com
  13. scm.ncsu.edu
  14. informatica.com
  15. utah.ismworld.org
  16. capstonepartners.com
  17. cdn.prod.nntech.io
  18. digitaledition.bevindustry.com
  19. investors.oatly.com
  20. sec.gov
  21. apnews.com
  22. doi.org
  23. investors.beyondmeat.com
  24. verizon.com
  25. siepr.stanford.edu
  26. bsigroup.com
  27. www-statista-com.libproxy.pcc.edu
  28. newsroom.cisco.com
  29. financialfilings.com
  30. investors.coca-colafemsa.com
  31. suntory.com
  32. ng.coca-colahellenic.com
  33. gohappyhub.com
  34. gallup.com
  35. nrn.com
  36. culturemonkey.io
  37. sapientinsights.com
  38. mastercard.com
  39. manufacturing.net
  40. anba.org
  41. oaaa.org
  42. mageloyalty.com
  43. yougov.com
  44. digitaledition.foodengineeringmag.com
  45. time.com
  46. en.wikipedia.org
  47. meltwater.com
  48. emplifi.io
  49. tinuiti.com
  50. jmir.org
  51. foodlogistics.com
  52. prnewswire.com
  53. oliverwyman.com
  54. simon-kucher.com
  55. pepsico.com
  56. s23.q4cdn.com
  57. docs.publicnow.com
  58. zoetis.com
  59. pubs.rsc.org
  60. public-inspection.federalregister.gov
  61. fda.gov
  62. eca.europa.eu
  63. wtwco.com
  64. foodprocessing.com
  65. verve.com
  66. eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu
  67. gs1us.org
  68. scribd.com
  69. ific.org
  70. tractus-asia.com
  71. in-beverage.org
  72. gfi.org
  73. nielseniq.com
  74. static1.squarespace.com
  75. brewersassociation.org
  76. anheuser-busch.com
  77. axios.com
  78. monsterbevcorp.com
  79. coca-colacompany.com
  80. redbull.com
  81. unilever.com
  82. media.bluediamond.com
  83. sunopta.com
  84. nestle.com
  85. grandviewresearch.com
  86. plantbasedfoods.org
  87. linkedin.com