Spirit giant Diageo is to invest an additional €30 million to double the production of Guinness 0.0 in Ireland’s St James’s Gate brewery, in response to increasing consumer demand.
The latest allocation will take Diageo’s total investment into the production of the non-alcoholic stout to over €60 million since its launch three years ago.
A recent Drinks Ireland report unveiled that non-alcoholic beer sales grew by 18% in Ireland in 2023.
Diageo’s latest investment will support consumers’ concerted move towards moderation and underpin Diageo’s commitment to Guinness 0.0 and the growth of the non-alcoholic category.
Long History Of Innovation
Aidan Crowe, beer operations director at Diageo, stated, “Guinness has a long history of innovation and delivering products of the highest quality, and we continue to do that through Guinness 0.0 – producing the same great taste, quality, and premium experience that people have come to expect from a brand like Guinness, just without the alcohol.
“St James’s Gate is the global hub of Guinness 0.0 production for markets around the world, and this investment goes a long way in supporting that work and continues the legacy of true innovation here in Dublin 8.”
Available in approximately 1,700 pubs across Ireland on draught, Diageo aims to offer Guinness 0.0 in 2,000 outlets by Christmas.
Guinness 0.0 draught has seen an almost 50% increase in volume sales between the end of February 2023 to the end of February 2024, according to on-trade CGA/Nielsen data.
In July of this year, Diageo warned that challenges could persist into next year, after missing full-year profit expectations.
The company has struggled to restore investor confidence after a build-up of unsold inventory in Mexico and Brazil caught the company by surprise in November 2023 and prompted a profit warning.
