William Grant & Sons has partnered with Gebr. Heinemann to launch premium ultra-low spirits brand Atopia into five key European airports.
Atopia was launched in the domestic market market in 2019. The brand is being showcased in Gebr. Heinemann’s ‘Fly High on Dry’ no and low alcohol drinks activation, currently running in Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schiphol, Hamburg, Berlin and Copenhagen airports.
Atopia marks William Grant & Sons’ first foray into the no and low alcohol category. The brand’s ultra-low alcohol spirit is bottled at 0.5% ABV and made from natural distillates and flavours.
Atopia’s original Spiced Citrus blend is now available in travel retail. The liquid’s rich flavour is achieved through natural distillation and botanical extraction processes. It offers zesty citrus notes, with gentle spices for a rounded finish.
“We are very excited to be the first to launch Atopia into the duty free marketplace, commented Gebr. Heinemann Director Purchasing Liquor, Tobacco and Confectionery Ruediger Stelkens.
“We see lots of potential in this category — we plan on building up our no and low alcohol offer with a diverse range of spirits and wines to cater for this growing market.”
Atopia’s Gebr. Heinemann listing is just the beginning of its expansion in the channel, with more planned soon as the no and low category continues to gain traction globally.
The non-alcoholic market was valued at US$819 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow by +31% in 2024. It is expected to reach US$1.25 trillion by 2027 (CAGR of 8.2%) according to a recent study by The Spirits Business.
While still a niche category, no and low alcohol beverages have grown +16% in the last five years, with production volumes predicted to increase by +31% by 2024 to meet growing demand, says International Wine & Spirits Research (IWSR).
The Atopia Spiced Citrus blend was developed by William Grant & Sons Master Distiller Lesley Gracie, who wanted to create a flavourful yet accessible moderated drinking product.
Gracie said: “Atopia is a special liquid that uses our distilling and blending expertise to create a new generation of spirits. Inspired by the more mindful, lifestyle choices of today’s consumer, the exquisite liquid comes in a refreshing zesty citrus meets gentle spice flavour.
“The distillates have been selected and combined with care and precision, meaning you can pick out each flavour separately whilst no one flavour dominates over the other. We’ve used our distilling heritage and expertise to ensure no compromise on flavour is experienced when drinking the ultra-low alcohol spirit. The flavour is full, from first taste to finish.”
