Gen Z, which is made up of people between the ages of 11 and 26, is the largest and most diverse generation with a spending power of $360 billion and craves diversity and personality in their dining experiences. Unique beverages — artisanal lemonades, Cold brew coffee, Boba tea — fall under those umbrellas and are no longer niche treats. They’re the drinks defining Gen Z’s dining experience, according to a free report from Botrista on FastCasual.com, whose DrinkBots automate the production of upscale craft beverages.
Gen Z is also drinking less alcohol than previous generations. The non-alcoholic drink market grew 9% globally, according to beverages analysis firm IWSR. In 2022, the market value for the category of non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages surpassed $11 billion and is projected to increase by a third by 2026.
Interestingly, new craft beverages do not seem to cannibalize sales of old favorites. For example, a California rice bowl concept witnessed a 59% surge in sales of carbonated soft drinks after it introduced premium craft beverages made by Botrista’s DrinkBots. Similarly, a New York-based Mediterranean concept experienced a 14% increase in carbonated soft drink sales after it introduced Botrista’s DrinkBots. The report found that craft beverages prompt additional customers to order beverages and that this, in turn, prompts other people in the same group to order beverages as well. So even traditional carbonated soft drinks benefit.
Click here to read the report and learn how restaurants can capitalize on the Gen Z beverage trend.
