ADM’s latest consumer insights point to a decisive shift in how drinkers — alcoholic and non‑alcoholic alike — are choosing beverages.

For alcoholic drink producers, emotional functionality, layered flavour complexity and moment‑specific positioning are now the competitive baseline.

The takeaway

ADM’s global research across nine markets identifies three major behavioural pivots — Function with Feeling, Beyond Sweet, and Occasion Polarisation — that are reshaping non‑alcoholic beverage innovation. These same forces are already spilling into alcoholic categories, accelerating demand for drinks that deliver mood‑aligned benefits, deeper sensory experiences and hyper‑relevant consumption cues.

For producers, now is the opportunity to align with these shifts and build for the next decade of growth.

1. Function with feeling: the rise of emotional functionality
Consumers are buying how those benefits make them feel. ADM notes that functional beverages remain a global growth opportunity, but emotional resonance is now the value driver.

The implications for alcoholic drinks include:

• Mood-forward positioning — alcohol already plays in relaxation, celebration and social confidence. Producers can sharpen these cues with clearer emotional territories: unwind, elevate, energise, connect.
• Functional crossovers — expect more hybrid propositions: adaptogen‑infused spirits, nootropic cocktails, botanical aperitifs with perceived wellness cues.
• Low/no alcohol innovation — as non‑alc functional drinks grow, low‑ABV and no‑ABV alcoholic alternatives must deliver similar emotional benefits without relying on alcohol content.

2. Beyond sweet: complexity becomes the new currency
ADM highlights that sweetness is still essential — but insufficient. Consumers want layered sensory experiences balancing sweet with spicy, sour, savoury, controlled bitterness and botanical notes.

For alcoholic drinks this means:

• Bitterness revival — Aperitivo‑style bitterness, amaro profiles and hop‑driven complexity will continue rising.
• Botanical depth — Gin’s botanical boom is spreading to vodka, rum and RTDs, where layered herbal, floral and earthy notes add premium cues.
• Culinary crossover flavours — fermented, smoked, spiced and savoury elements—borrowed from gastronomy — will differentiate next‑gen cocktails and RTDs.

3. Occasion polarisation: precision targeting replaces broad appeal
ADM’s segmentation shows consumers choose drinks differently depending on whether they’re relaxing alone, commuting, entertaining at home or socialising out.

Alcoholic drinks’ makers can expect

• Occasion‑specific SKUs — producers can tailor formats, ABV levels and flavour profiles to distinct moments: solo wind‑down, dinner hosting, outdoor socialising, late‑night energy.
• Hyper‑personalised RTDs — RTDs can be positioned by mood, time of day or social setting, mirroring non‑alc segmentation.
• On‑trade vs off‑trade divergence — bars may lean into experiential, complex serves; retail may prioritise convenience, portability and sessionability.

The findings present opportunities for producers such as:

• Premiumisation through complexity — layered flavour = higher value perception.
• Functional storytelling — emotional benefits must be communicated clearly and credibly.
• Lifestyle alignment — position products around wellness‑adjacent behaviours, mindful drinking and social rituals.
• Portfolio diversification — build ranges that span full‑strength, low‑ABV and no‑ABV to meet shifting expectations.

ADM’s research recognises that the boundary between alcoholic and non‑alcoholic innovation is dissolving. Consumers expect the same emotional, sensory and contextual sophistication across both spaces. Producers who respond with agility — especially in RTDs, spirits and low/no alcohol — will capture the next wave of growth.