Tsingtao Brewery from China has introduced its 0.0 Non-Alcoholic Beer to the US market, joining the expanding segment of zero-alcohol beers and aiming to extend the brand’s appeal.
Distributed by Paulaner USA, this non-alcoholic iteration is designed to complement the well-received Tsingtao Premium Lager, targeting health-conscious consumers with its low calorie count of just 63 per bottle.
Commenting on the launch, Steve Hauser, President and CEO of Paulaner USA, stated: “With the launch of Tsingtao 0.0, we are tapping into consumers who are reaching for non-alcoholic drinks in their bid to lower their caloric intake. Tsingtao 0.0 provides a great tasting experience, and we’re confident that consumers will enjoy it.”
Tsingtao has seen significant growth in the US market over the last couple of years, Hauser noted. He added that the 0.0 beer “provides a citrus flavour with slight malty notes at the back end of the taste experience and is perfect for a variety of beer drinking occasions”.
The brewing and fermentation process for Tsingtao 0.0 involves a delicate alcohol removal and blending technique, ensuring the beer maintains an ABV of “no more than 0.03%”.
Since its establishment in 1903, Tsingtao Brewery has risen to become the sixth-largest brewer in the world and the top beer exporter from China. In February, Tsingtao announced a joint distribution partnership with LEC Beverages and In Good Company for the UK market, taking over from the C&C Group. Tsingtao holds the title of the most imported Chinese beer brand in the United Kingdom.
Last summer, the company celebrated its stock value increasing twenty-fourfold since its initial listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange nearly three decades ago, with shares climbing from an initial HK$2.80 to HK$71.25 in 2023, thereby valuing TsingTao at HK$127.76 billion.
However, the brand faced a setback a few months later when an incident involving a brewery worker urinating into a malt vat came to light, leading to the worker’s detention by security services.
In response, Tsingtao issued a statement ensuring that the malt batch in question had been “completely sealed” and highlighted the company’s commitment to “strengthen its management procedures and ensure product quality”, though the incident led to a 7.5% drop in share value.