Surprise! Non-alcoholic drinks can be every bit as expensive as beverages containing alcohol.
Decades of marketing have trained us to believe that ethanol (the booze in booze) is high-value and therefore should be expensive. But when we consider buying a drink without alcohol, it somehow seems “less than” and we commonly conclude that it should be less expensive than its ethanol-containing cousins.
Interestingly, the reverse is true. In many cases, the art and science of making high quality non-alcoholic drinks justifies the prices of premium non-alcoholic beverages. There are three keys contributing factors here:
Ingredients: Many non-alcoholic drinks contain complex ingredient lists. Without the benefit of alcohol to extract flavors, making a great non-alcoholic beverage requires more ingredients, and higher quality ingredients, to achieve full and sophisticated flavors.
Process: Making non-alcoholic beverages requires complex and lengthy processes, similar to making alcohol. While producers can skip the fermentation process, making non-alcoholic beverages requires juicing, extraction and mixing, and adds extra steps to ensure the freshness of a drink without the preservation qualities of alcohol.
Scale: Demand for the non-alcoholic beverages is growing quickly, but producers often work in small batches and artisanally craft their drinks. The extra care and attention creates extra costs.
So, what might seem “less than” at first glance actually turns out to be “more than” in many ways. And for drinks like Kally, “more than” also adds a little more to the price tag. We hope you taste the extra quantity, effort and passion in every sip!
If you want to learn more, read this: Yes, Non-Alcoholic Cocktails are Expensive. Here’s Why.
