Europe is engineering the future of alcohol-free beverages — combining precision tech, flavor science, and green innovation to lead a global shift in drinking culture

From pioneering aroma recovery systems to solar-powered production hubs, Europe’s beverage innovators are setting new global standards for quality, sustainability, and taste in the alcohol-free market.

• Europe’s dealcoholization and no/low-alcohol beverage sector is expanding rapidly, now valued above €10 billion, driven by health-conscious consumers and regulatory support.
  
• Technological innovation is leading the charge — from vacuum distillation and membrane filtration to aroma recovery systems that preserve natural flavour.
• Key players include BevZero, GEA, Centec, Alfa Laval, Omnia Technologies, and Totally Natural Solutions (ADM), each advancing energy efficiency and sensory quality.
• BevZero’s new Paarl facility reflects global alignment between sustainability, scale, and quality, showcasing solar energy, expanded capacity, and automation.
• European producers like Pierre Chavin, Moderato, and ISH Spirits are redefining the category, turning dealcoholized drinks into premium lifestyle products rather than substitutes.
• Cross-industry collaborations and green innovation are establishing Europe as the global epicentre for dealcoholized beverage technology and production excellence.

(NEWS) PARIS / LONDON, 8-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Europe’s growing appetite for zero- and low-alcohol drinks has transformed from a seasonal trend into a full-fledged industry. Beyond Dry January, consumers—especially Gen Z—are driving sustained demand for premium, flavour-rich beverages that deliver the craftsmanship of traditional wines, beers, and spirits without the alcohol. Analysts estimate that the non-alcoholic and low-alcohol segment already represents around 3.5 % of total beverage sales across Europe and is worth more than €10 billion, expanding by about 6 % in 2021 (GEA).

While non-alcoholic beer still dominates with an 85 % market share, non-alcoholic wine has risen to around 11 %, and alcohol-free spirits—once niche—are showing double-digit growth, particularly in Italy (+12.9 % off-trade between 2023–2024) and steady expansion in France, where non-alcoholic spirits’ share reached 2.4 % of the total spirits market (FoodNavigator).

These shifts have triggered a wave of technological advancement, cross-border collaborations, and sustainability-driven manufacturing that is redefining how Europe produces, flavors, and markets beverages with little or no alcohol.

Regulation and Demand: Europe’s Framework for Growth

The foundation for this rapid growth lies in EU Regulation 2019/934, which explicitly allows the production of dealcoholized and partially dealcoholized wines. Countries such as Italy integrated this framework into national law in 2024, giving producers legal certainty to innovate and commercialize alcohol-free wines (The Food Institute).

Equally, Europe’s wellness and moderation movements are reshaping consumer behavior. Surveys indicate that nearly 27 % of consumers choose non-alcoholic spirits for health reasons, while another 27 % appreciate their plant-based ingredients and improved taste (FoodNavigator).

Technological Leadership: Europe’s Engineering Edge

Europe’s leadership in the dealcoholization sector is strongly anchored in engineering expertise and flavor science.

Centec GmbH (Germany) partnered with Prodalim’s Solos to integrate Aroma Capture Technology into its DeAlcoTec vacuum distillation system, enabling recovery and reintroduction of aromatic compounds that preserve wine and beer character (Solos).

Permeare/Omnia Technologies (Italy) launched Libero Wine and Libero Beverage, a dual-stage dealcoholization system combining reverse osmosis and vacuum distillation to minimize aroma loss and reuse the beverage’s own “vegetal water.” The innovation won the 2024 SIMEI Innovation Challenge (SIMEI).

GEA’s AromaPlus PRO (Germany) applies selective membrane filtration to remove alcohol under cold conditions, maintaining color and turbidity while saving up to 100 % of diafiltration water, making it ideal for breweries seeking sustainable production (GEA).

Alfa Laval (Sweden) supports leading brewers such as Asahi with its De-alc module, a compact low-temperature stripping column that maintains aroma and mouthfeel while integrating seamlessly into existing lines (Alfa Laval).

In southern Europe, BevZero, headquartered in California with European operations in Spain, has been instrumental in promoting energy-efficient vacuum distillation through its ClearAlc technology, manufactured by Tomsa Destil. The ClearAlc system uses single-pass vacuum distillation with heat-pump technology and remote monitoring, reducing energy and water consumption (BevZero). In February 2025, BevZero expanded its Spanish operations with a 300 L/h demonstration unit for client testing (EuropaWire).

This technological foundation underpins BevZero’s recent expansion in Paarl, South Africa, where it opened a new, larger production facility to serve rising demand for premium alcohol-free wines. The Paarl site doubles production capacity to 346,000 litres, integrates solar power, and introduces automated sanitation and advanced temperature control systems—a model for sustainable, high-tech production now influencing European operators (EuropaWire).

Flavour Recovery and Sensory Innovation

The ability to restore aroma and mouthfeel lost during dealcoholization has become a decisive factor in product success.

Totally Natural Solutions (UK) developed HopZero hop oils to rebuild body, bitterness, and hop character in alcohol-free beers, with variants like HopZero Body and HopZero Fruity addressing sweetness and texture. The firm’s HopPlus line combines hops, fruit, and botanicals to support seltzers and hybrid drinks (BFBi). In 2023, TNS was acquired by ADM, enhancing ADM’s brewing and natural flavor portfolio (FoodBev Media).

These innovations emphasize that flavor engineering—not just alcohol removal—is becoming the new competitive frontier for producers.

European Brands Leading the No- and Low-Alcohol Shift

• Pierre Chavin (France), a pioneer of dealcoholized wine, uses spinning-cone column technology to remove alcohol while reintroducing aromatic compounds.
• Moderato (France) employs low-temperature vacuum distillation to preserve grape variety complexity.
• ISH Spirits (Denmark) produces alcohol-free wines, spirits, and RTDs using proprietary flavor reconstruction techniques and is preparing to launch an Agave Spirit.
• Everleaf (UK), a B Corp certified producer, creates botanical aperitifs with ethically sourced ingredients and donates 1 % of revenue to biodiversity causes (Alcohol Professor).
• Edmond (France) and Joybräu (Germany) innovate with functional beers—Edmond through controlled fermentation (≤ 0.3 % ABV) and Joybräu through protein-enriched formulations for active consumers.

These brands represent Europe’s move toward functional, flavorful, and health-conscious alternatives, supported by technological precision at the production level.

Strategic Collaborations and what’s ahead

Collaborations between engineering firms, ingredient developers, and producers are driving Europe’s competitive edge:

• The Centec–Solos partnership offers turnkey aroma recovery systems for wineries and breweries.
• ADM’s acquisition of Totally Natural Solutions integrates hop extracts into global supply chains.
• The SIMEI award for Omnia Technologies’ Libero system underscores Europe’s leadership in hybrid membrane-vacuum technology.

As dealcoholization techniques evolve, producers can now achieve below 0.05 % ABV while retaining sensory complexity. The market is transitioning from “acceptable substitutes” to “authentic experiences.”

With continued growth, sustainability mandates, and cross-disciplinary innovation, Europe is well positioned to remain the world’s epicenter for dealcoholized beverage technology. BevZero’s solar-powered facility in South Africa exemplifies this direction — linking European engineering expertise with global sustainability and setting the tone for the industry’s next chapter.