UNPACKED

← Frontpage

**Zero Is the New Lager**

4h ago · 6 sources · M&A

Sunrise Beverages just bought Days, one of the UK’s fastest-rising alcohol-free beer brands. Translation. The company behind Efes distribution and owner of Gipsy Hill, Curious, Portobello and St Peter’s wants a bigger seat at the zero table.

Days was founded in 2021 and by 2024 it had become the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beer brand in UK grocery. It already sits in more than 3,500 distribution points, including Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado and Prezzo. On-trade is heating up too. After a successful pilot, Days launched nationwide in Stonegate Pubs in 2025 and plans to roll out draught across the UK on-trade this summer.

Here’s the gap Sunrise is betting on. Alcohol-free beer makes up just 3% of total beer sales in the British market. In Europe, that figure is 10%. That delta is the opportunity.

Why it matters. Big brewers and distributors are no longer treating alcohol-free as a side hustle. Sunrise has scale, routes to market and deep pub relationships. Plugging a high-growth brand into that machine could accelerate zero in both grocery and draught.

Quick take. The UK is behind Europe on alcohol-free penetration. Acquisitions like this suggest the industry thinks 3% is not a ceiling. It is a starting line.

Key facts

  • Sunrise Beverages has acquired alcohol-free beer brand Days as it looks to capture market share in the growing zero-alcohol category.
  • Sunrise is the UK distributor for Turkish and Japanese beers Efes and Orion and owns British breweries including Gipsy Hill, Curious, Portobello and St Peter’s.
  • Founded in 2021, Days became the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beer brand in UK grocery by 2024.
  • Days launched nationwide in Stonegate Pubs in 2025 following a successful pilot and plans to roll out draught across the UK on-trade this summer.
  • Days is stocked in more than 3,500 distribution points across the UK, including Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado and Prezzo sites.
  • Alcohol-free beer accounts for 3% of total beer sales in the British market, compared with 10% in Europe.
  • 2021
  • 2024
  • 2025
  • 3,500
  • 3%
  • 10%

Coverage