Clarkston’s team of consumer products consultants have highlighted the top wine, spirits, and beer trends that businesses should consider. See an excerpt of the trends report below, and read all six trends for 2025 by downloading the full report here.

2025 Wine, Spirits, and Beer Industry Trends

As we move into 2025, the alcohol beverage industry is continuing to rapidly evolve. Beer and wine saw decreases in both sales and volume in 2024, following a similar down year in 2023. According to Nielsen, spirits experienced a slight overall growth, but a deeper look reveals a more mixed result. The growth within spirits was almost entirely attributable to the tequila and ready-to-drink (RTD) spirits and cocktails categories, with almost every other category experiencing a decline from 2023 sales. What we’re seeing in the top-line sales and volume numbers from 2024 can largely be explained by the trends we’re seeing with consumers and in the industry. In this report, we break down six wine, spirits, and beer industry trends for 2025.  

Trend #1: Low-, No-, & Tempo Drinking 

The movement of moderation in drinking cannot be seen as a fad anymore given its rise to a nearly one-billion-dollar category. Gen Z may have pioneered the sober and sober-curious trend, but now it has morphed into its own category with a cross-generational and demographic appeal as evidenced by the nearly 30% year-over-year increase in sales. 

The trend has also moved beyond just non-alcoholic beverages. There’s a fast-growing market for low-alcoholic beverages, particularly within beer, wine, and RTDs. This growing market has opened the door for many start-up brands to enter the market. For example, in Q3 of 2024, California-based Arlow launched a new, low-ABV wine that offers full flavor but with half the alcohol and calories.  

2024 also saw the continued growth of a new drinking behavior with consumers called tempo drinking. This is where consumers moderate their alcohol intake by alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. This opens up the door for low- and no-alcohol brands in 2025 to capture additional sales with traditional alcohol buyers without cannibalizing alcohol sales. 

Trend #2: Direct-to-Consumer Sales & Changing Distribution Channels 

Like many aspects of alcohol beverage sales and distribution, direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol regulations are complex and highly variable. After all, only 10 states allow DTC for breweries and only 7 allow for distilleries. Wineries, however, are permitted to sell DTC in 47 states.  

While some consumers may not be able to buy directly from the producers in their states, many are still able to capture the convenience of DTC through other means. Consumers, for instance, have been able to utilize the existing landscape of food delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash to purchase alcoholic beverages without going to the store. These apps distribute through retailers and restaurants, rather than directly from the producers, which provides an opportunity for on- and off-prem retailers. In 2024, DoorDash announced an investment and expansion in the alcohol delivery space, including the launch of several partnerships and the creation of sponsored products and campaigns within the app. Launching into alcohol sales in 2021, DoorDash has since expanded their alcohol sales to 32 states nationwide. Continued expansion into 2025 signals a growing consumer demand for alcohol delivery which may result in incumbent producers heavily scaling their own DTC efforts. Continue reading by downloading the full report below.

Download the Full 2025 Wine, Spirits, and Beer Industry Trends Report Here

Read last year’s Wine, Spirits, and Beer Industry Trends Report here.

Contributions from Jake Park-Walters