What new beverage is trending in Saudi Arabia, a country that bans the sale and consumption of wine and other beverages containing alcohol?
A. Saudi Champagne (a mix of fruit juice and soda water)
B. A no-vodka cocktail called Sex in the Desert (pomegranate syrup and tonic water)
C. Dealcoholized craft beer made from couscous, farro, and other ancient grains
D. No-alcohol sweet wine made from figs and dates
A.
According to drinks market analysts at IWSR, as Saudi Arabia becomes more international and initiates social and economic plans aimed at changing the perceptions of the country, it has taken a slightly different tact on the subject of alcoholic beverages. Such beverages are still strictly forbidden, but no-alcohol substitutes—that are sometimes similarly named—abound. The country is already a top ten market for no-alcohol beer and consumption of malt-based soft drinks is huge. There’s also a growing market for zero-alcohol wines and sparkling grape juice. One popular version of the latter is called “Saudi Champagne”—a mixture of fruit juices and soda water that many Saudis make at home.