New trend in the world of alcohol, hard seltzers are currently popular on the market, and now a Quebec company wants to join the game.
But what are seltzers actually? Basically, it’s alcoholic and flavored sparkling water that is low in sugar and calories – 90 versus 150 for a beer – which contains an alcohol level of 4.2%.
Les Brasseurs du Nord, which produces Boréale beer, have teamed up with the company Club local cocktails to bring one of the first Quebec seltzers to market.
“We didn’t think we were going to have such good timing. All the big brewers returned at the same time. A little bubbles; the idea, with that, is freshness. You really have the impression of drinking flavored water, then in summer, when the weather is good, it’s very pleasant to drink, ”says Sylvain Lague, president and co-founder of Club local, a company that specializes in spirits. .
At Brasseurs de Nord, which specializes in beer, thinking about getting into seltzer had been underway for some time, says President and CEO Sébastien Paradis.
“For us, it’s really understanding that the market is changing all the time, and then having a portfolio of products that can respond to that market. Seeing this trend, it’s been quite a while since we said to ourselves: “If we are lucky to have the right partner, it’s something that interests us”, “he said.
Mr. Paradis does not rule out the possibility that seltzers monopolize the market share that belongs to beer.
“We are watching our sales go, in terms of beer, as I tell you, things are going well, they are still going well. (…) In my role, you will say that it is certain that I do not like to think that seltzers arrive to steal market share from beer! ” he says.
But the numbers speak for themselves. Sales are forecast to increase 160% this year. Seltzers represent a $ 4 billion market in the United States alone. Beer sales have also fallen 8% in the US market since the start of the pandemic.
It will now be necessary to see if the seltzers are here to stay or if it is a fad that will fade in the years to come.
“Personally (…), I think it’s a quality product that is here to last, since it’s a great product that meets a certain need in the market,” says Sébastien Paradis.
“The Quebec consumer is very refined, he knows what he wants, then he has taste. You have to think about what you’re going out, then you have to do it well, ”notes Sylvain Lague.