Why non-alc is no longer the side quest
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And why Bright-Eyed is just getting started
For a long time, non-alcoholic beer sat quietly on the sidelines. Something you stocked just in case. Something people tried once, nodded politely at, then went back to their usual.
That’s changed. Properly.
The data doesn’t lie
In 2025, non-alcoholic beer was the fastest-growing segment in NZ grocery.
Here’s the simple version:
| Segment | 2025 Unit Growth |
|---|---|
| Total Beer | -3.1% |
| Premium Beer | +1.8% |
| Non-Alcoholic Beer | +14.2% |
While total beer softened and premium ticked along steadily, non-alc surged ahead. Not as a novelty. As a category driver.
This isn’t about people quitting beer. It’s about people redefining when and how they drink it.
Midweek beers. Post-ride beers. Lunch beers that don’t write off the afternoon. A second round that doesn’t need to be alcoholic to be good.
Non-alc has moved from compromise to choice.
Enter Bright-Eyed
We brewed Bright-Eyed Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA because we wanted a beer that could live in those moments without feeling like a downgrade.
Same hazy look. Same juicy aromatics. Same ritual of cracking a can. Just without the alcohol.
What we’ve seen since launch lines up exactly with the wider category growth.
Bright-Eyed isn’t a one-off purchase. It’s a repeat grab. It brings new drinkers into the Canyon fold, and it sits comfortably alongside our core range rather than replacing it.
That’s the key shift. Non-alc isn’t cannibalising beer. It’s expanding the occasions where beer fits.
Why this matters to us
At Canyon, we’ve always brewed for how people actually live. Adventure doesn’t always end with a full-strength pint. Sometimes it ends with a clear head, a drive home, or another lap tomorrow morning.
Non-alc fits naturally into that world.
The growth we’re seeing tells us this isn’t a phase. It’s a permanent part of modern beer culture. One that rewards breweries who take flavour seriously and don’t treat non-alc as an afterthought.
Bright-Eyed is just the beginning of that journey for us.
Same standards. Same boldness. Different rules.
And judging by the numbers, we’re not drinking alone.