French spirits major Pernod Ricard is venturing into the non-alcoholic aperitif space with the launch of Ramazzotti Aperitivo Arancia 0.0%.
The product will be launched in retail and restaurants in Germany and Austria from April.
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Priced at €13.99 ($15.20) for a 70 cl bottle, the drink is a non-alcoholic extension of the group’s amaro brand Ramazzotti.
In a statement, the Glenlivet brand owner described the non-alcoholic segment as “one of the fastest-growing spirit categories”, adding that the launch “complements our extensive portfolio of premium spirits with a remarkable taste”.
Head of brand management for Pernod Ricard’s German business Clémence Kurtz said in a separate statement: “With Ramazzotti, we are launching an alcohol-free aperitif for the first time!
“Following Aperitivo Rosato, Aperitivo Fresco, and Limoncello, Aperitivo Arancia 0.0% is the perfect addition to our Italian Ramazzotti portfolio to meet the growing demand for non-alcoholic spirits.”
The group’s foray into alcohol-free dates back to 1982 with the launch of Pacific non-alcoholic anis.
More recent non-alcoholic additions to its portfolio include Swedish Ceder’s botanical-based spirit, which it acquired in 2021, Jacob’s Creek Unvined wine, and the Suze Tonic 0% beverage, available exclusively in France.
Last year, the group introduced a 0.0% variant of Beefeater gin, currently available only in Spain, complementing the 0.0% version of Seagram’s, which has been sold there since January 2023.
Pernod has also made strategic investments in the non-alcoholic sector, particularly in agave-based and ready-to-drink (RTD) spirit alternatives.
In August, the group acquired a minority stake in Almave, an agave-based spirit backed by Lewis Hamilton.
Developed in collaboration with Mexican spirits producer and incubator Casa Lumbre, alongside investment firm Cooper, Almave launched in 2023 and is currently available in the US, Canada, and select European markets, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany.
The Chivas Regal distiller also made an undisclosed investment, facilitated through its investment arm Convivialité Ventures in New Zealand-based non-alcoholic RTD producer AF Drinks in 2023.
AF Drinks’ range of canned non-alcoholic versions of premixed cocktails are sold in New Zealand and the US, where it operates under the name Free AF.
In 2022, it set up a specialist business unit for the category at its Paris headquarters.
In its 2023 annual report, Pernod said that this unit focuses on leveraging “expertise in marketing, insights, operations and business development”.
The group also made investments “in new technical facilities dedicated to accelerating our expertise” in non-alcoholic spirits, but did not disclose the investment size.
