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America’s Number-One Beer Looks Ready to Dominate a New Category

NAs are the next big arms race in beermaking. With two new offerings out in the world, a brewing giant could be positioned to win it.

Modelo NA beerModelo

By Jack Seemer

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Updated

The United States loves its beer. We rank second in the world in terms of consumption, trailing only China when it comes to total volume.

However, Americans drink twice as much as the average Chinese citizen, at the rate of 205 standard 12-ounce cans per year — or more than one every other day.

And yet, our favorite brand isn’t Michelob Ultra, Coors Lite or Budweiser. Nope, it definitely isn’t Natty, either. In fact, it doesn’t even come from the US.

It’s Modelo, the easy-drinking Mexican lager that has dominated sales since 2023.

modelo beer can
Modelo effectively outpaces all of craft beer two to one when it comes to grocery-store sales.
Modelo

Last year alone, the beer posted over $5 billion in revenue — basically double the entirety of the craft sector when it comes to grocery-store figures.

In other words, for every craft beer sold in America, regardless of the brand, two Modelos also make their way into fridges across the country.

Something’s brewing

But if Modelo has lagged behind the competition in recent years, it’s in NAs — the fastest-growing segment in the US. AB InBev, Budweiser’s parent company, projects a $2 billion market for nonalcoholic beer in the next five years.

Currently, the sector is led by brands like Athletic Brewing, with everyone from Sierra Nevada to Michelob Ultra positioning themselves to compete in beer’s next arms race.

With its first batch of NAs, Modelo looks primed to dominate it.

Modelo NA beer
Modelo has not one but two new NAs: Model0% Dorada and Model0% Negra.
Modelo

The release consists of not one but two offerings: Model0% Dorada and Model0% Negra.

And unlike most NAs on the market, Modelo’s come in bottles — a similar form factor to its flagship beer — each outfitted with a slick new logo that FastCompany has already crowned the year’s best.

Modelo NA beer
The new logo has already been heralded as one of the year’s best.
Modelo

According to Modelo, both versions of Model0% are brewed using a propriety yeast to align with the flavor of its flagship beers. But whether or not they can match its popularity remains to be seen.

Modelo NA beer
For now, both Model0% beers are exclusive to Mexico.
Modelo

At launch, both beers are exclusive to Mexico, with the US the most likely destination on its future roadmap.

After all, we love our beer. And we don’t always care where it comes from, so long as it tastes good.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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