Thrive Market, the membership based online grocery platform, is officially getting out of the alcohol business. The company has announced it will remove all alcohol from its marketplace and replace that category with a significantly expanded lineup of non alcoholic drinks.
What Thrive Market Is Doing
Instead of offering wine, beer and spirits, Thrive is:
Discontinuing all alcohol sales on its platform
Launching a new non alcoholic category with more than 100 SKUs
Stocking zero proof beer, wine and canned cocktails from brands like Athletic Brewing, Best Day, Gruvi, Ghia, Surely and others
The move comes ahead of the typical Dry January spike and is framed as a long term bet on “modern moderation,” not just a seasonal stunt.
Why Thrive Market Is Going Dry
Thrive’s leadership points to a few key trends behind the decision:
Gallup data showing that only about 54 percent of US adults drink alcohol, the lowest level in nearly nine decades
Forecasts that put the non alcoholic beverage market on track to hit about 5 billion dollars by 2028
Emerging research suggesting that even light alcohol consumption may increase dementia risk, challenging old “moderation is healthy” narratives
On top of the health and behavior data, Thrive can ship non alcoholic beverages to far more locations than regular alcohol, which is restricted to 39 states on its platform. That makes zero proof options more scalable for a nationwide online retailer.
What This Signals For Wellness Retail
By walking away from alcohol entirely, Thrive is doing something most big retailers are not ready to do yet. The move:
Signals a stronger alignment with wellness and sober curious customers
Frees up digital shelf space and marketing real estate for non alcoholic brands
Could push competitors to expand their own zero proof selections
For shoppers who already lean on Thrive for better for you pantry and supplement items, having a robust alcohol free beverage section is going to feel very on brand.
Citations
“Thrive Market’s Alcohol Exit Signals Big Wellness Retail Trend”
https://athletechnews.com/thrive-market-alcohol-exit-signals-wellness-retail-trend Athletech News+2Facebook+2“Thrive Market Goes Dry with New Non Alcoholic Category”
https://www.latimes.com/b2b/consumer-goods-retail/story/2025-12-18/thrive-market-removes-alcohol Los Angeles Times“Thrive Market Drops Alcohol and Expands Nonalcoholic Beverages Line”
https://www.supermarketnews.com/beverages/thrive-market-drops-alcohol-and-expands-nonalcoholic-beverages-line Supermarket News+1“Thrive Market Ditches Booze as Sober Movement Gains Steam”
https://www.emarketer.com/content/thrive-market-ditches-booze-sober-movement-gains-steam EMARKETER