Why are we seeing such a boom in non-alcoholic drink options, and how do they stand out from wellness beverages as their own specific category?

I invited my dear friend Ren Navarro back to AnthroDish to explore these trends in the beverage industry. Ren is a culture consultant, drinks expert, and founder of B. Diversity Group. With over 20 years of experience in corporate management and over a dozen years in the beer industry, she's helped everyone from family-run breweries to multinational brands build spaces people want to be a part of. What started as honest conversations over pints has evolved into company-wide transformations: policy audits, inclusive hiring systems, value statement creations, and real community engagement across industries. Whether she's teaching, advising, or helping revamp policies, her mission stays the same—build cultures that reflect the values people say they believe in. She loves tattoos, goats, and gives pretty good hugs.

Today, Ren and I explore some of the experiences, tastes, and forms that non-alcoholic beverages are taking, what hop water is, and why these non-alcoholic options offer much more inclusive and diverse experiences than their wellness counterparts.

Resources:

• Website: https://bdiversitygroup.com/
• Instagram: @bdiversitygroup
• Previous episodes:
  • On Craft Beer's Diversity Problem
  • Creating Safer Communities for Breweris and Vulnerable Neighbours
  • Beer (and Everyone) Still Has a Diversity Problem