NEW YORK: Health-conscious American millennials have found their drink of choice: alcoholic carbonated water that is lower in calories and carbs than beer and wine.
A hard seltzer craze is sweeping the US as Generations Y and Z pursue healthier lifestyles, influenced by viral trends on Instagram and YouTube.
US sales of the bubbly booze, also called spiked seltzer, have soared almost 200% this year compared to 2018, according to research firm Nielsen.
“It has replaced other canned alcoholic drinks for me,” says Hannah Stempler, a 25-year-old living and working in New York.
Stempler drinks White Claw, the brand at the forefront of America’s beverage fixation this summer.
The company said sales were up over 265% on-year at the beginning of September and that it holds 61% of market share. Truly, another brand, saw sales spike 163% in Q2, according to Macquarie market research.
From beaches and parks to house parties and boat trips, youngsters were seen drinking White Claw across the Big Apple and other major cities. Panic even struck this month when shopkeepers and retailers reported shortages and the manufacturer said it was working overtime to keep up with demand.
Stempler, who works in television, said one of the reasons she drinks it is because she is “health-conscious.”
A 12-ounce can of White Claw contains 100 calories and a maximum two grams of carbs. It is also gluten-free.
An average beer, in comparison, usually packs 140 calories and five times the number of carbohydrates.
The hard seltzer has 5% alcohol, which comes from fermented sugars. That equals the strength of Budweiser but is considerably less than the 12% commonly found in wine.
White Claw sales have surged every year since it launched in 2016 but seems to have captured the imagination this summer in part thanks to YouTube influencer Trevor Wallace. A video of him drinking White Claw has been watched more than 2.5 million times in two months. The clip spawned memes and hashtags that went viral on social media.
The trend for hard seltzers, which include malt beverages, is shaking up the US alcoholic drinks industry and fueling a slowdown in overall beer sales, analysts say.
A hard seltzer craze is sweeping the US as Generations Y and Z pursue healthier lifestyles, influenced by viral trends on Instagram and YouTube.
US sales of the bubbly booze, also called spiked seltzer, have soared almost 200% this year compared to 2018, according to research firm Nielsen.
“It has replaced other canned alcoholic drinks for me,” says Hannah Stempler, a 25-year-old living and working in New York.
Stempler drinks White Claw, the brand at the forefront of America’s beverage fixation this summer.
The company said sales were up over 265% on-year at the beginning of September and that it holds 61% of market share. Truly, another brand, saw sales spike 163% in Q2, according to Macquarie market research.
From beaches and parks to house parties and boat trips, youngsters were seen drinking White Claw across the Big Apple and other major cities. Panic even struck this month when shopkeepers and retailers reported shortages and the manufacturer said it was working overtime to keep up with demand.
Stempler, who works in television, said one of the reasons she drinks it is because she is “health-conscious.”
A 12-ounce can of White Claw contains 100 calories and a maximum two grams of carbs. It is also gluten-free.
An average beer, in comparison, usually packs 140 calories and five times the number of carbohydrates.
The hard seltzer has 5% alcohol, which comes from fermented sugars. That equals the strength of Budweiser but is considerably less than the 12% commonly found in wine.
White Claw sales have surged every year since it launched in 2016 but seems to have captured the imagination this summer in part thanks to YouTube influencer Trevor Wallace. A video of him drinking White Claw has been watched more than 2.5 million times in two months. The clip spawned memes and hashtags that went viral on social media.
The trend for hard seltzers, which include malt beverages, is shaking up the US alcoholic drinks industry and fueling a slowdown in overall beer sales, analysts say.
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