Bud Light’s new beer is carbohydrate-free

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By Jordan Valinsky, CNN Business

The latest version of Bud Light is even lighter.

Anheuser-Busch announced the launch of Bud Light Next, the company’s very first zero-carb beer. The drink, which will hit shelves in early 2022, looks like health conscious customers have turned to light beers in recent years – and beer in general is in the middle of a big recurrence.

Bud Light Next is the “next generation of light beer for the next generation of beer drinkers,” said Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light. He told CNN Business in an exclusive interview that the new beer is aimed at young consumers, such as Generation Z, who seek the similar nutritional composition of seltzer water and the flavor of beer.

Remove carbohydrates has become more and more popular over the years due to various dietary trends and changing eating habits. The market, especially beer, has been inundated with low-carb varieties, but Anheuser-Busch is the first major brewer to launch a zero-carb beer.

“Consumers today have low calorie and low carb product options, that’s another entry to having something down to zero carbs,” Goeler said. “This is a significant consumer trend that we are seeing in many consumer industries. “

Goeler said the development of Bud Light Next took about a decade with around 130 prototypes created before landing on the right concoction. Internally, the process was called “Project Impossible” and the end product is a “major milestone for us,” he said.

A 12-ounce serving of Bud Light Next contains 4% alcohol by volume and 80 calories. That’s 30 calories less and about the same amount of alcohol by volume as Bud Light. However, Bud Light contains 6.6 grams of carbohydrate in a 12-ounce serving. Many other low-carb beers currently on sale contain half that amount of carbs.

The taste of Bud Light Next, according to Goeler, is “light, refreshing and clean” with a hint of citrus. It will be sold in 6 packs and 12 packs in bottles and cans and will cost slightly more than Bud Light.

Bud Light Next is part of the brand’s efforts to continue to “evolve and innovate” for different drinkers, Goeler said. He highlighted the successful launch of Bud Light Seltzer and Fruit Flavored Bud Light. “This is another pillar of delivering the right products to the right consumers,” he said.

Launching a new beer in a crowded market is risky, which is why the business is using the same strategy he used with Bud Light Seltzer by attaching the beer to the Bud Light banner. He added that the new beer is also helping Bud Light move from “light beer to light brand”, in the same way that Natural Light (also owned by Anheuser-Busch) is. go beyond beer in alcoholic popsicles and flavored vodkas.

Beer sales had been on the decline for much of the past decade, but the pandemic has largely reversed that trend. Americans are now seeking beer because of its affordability, brand familiarity, and product innovations that have rekindled interest. Nielsen said retail beer sales soared 8.6% last year, totaling $ 40 billion. In particular, sales of light beers jumped 5% to $ 10.6 billion due to the popularity of seltzer and low-carb beers.

Michelob Ultra has become a bright spot for Anheuser-Busch due to its low-carb offerings. The brand “continued to outperform” the company’s other beers, according to a recent earnings call. However, Goeler said he didn’t expect Bud Light Next to cannibalize itself in Michelob Ultra’s success, as it will be promoted with a “different vibe” to Michelob Ultra’s position as a style brand. of life oriented towards active people.

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