An alcohol-free version of its Spanish style lager, the new variant has been created in partnership with La Sagra brewery in Spain.
Madrí Excepcional 0.0% will be available for on-trade venues in the UK from Monday 3 March.
The rollout of Madrí Excepcional 0.0% is backed by a multi-million-pound marketing campaign, including advertising, PR, paid social, and a programme of influencer activity.
Cutting back
The brand will also be unveiling a new experience on its Conectada platform, in order to support the launch from April 2025.
MCBC stated the no- and low-alcohol category has outpaced the rest of the beer market, growing by 50% and worth £142m to pubs, bars and restaurants over the last 12 months.
The amount of drinkers choosing to moderate their alcohol intake has also increased dramatically, by 2.2m between the years of 2016 and 2023.
More than half (53%) of 18–34-year-olds, and 41% of Britain’s total adult population have been cutting back on alcohol. Some 51% of these no- and low-alcohol drinkers have done so in bars, pubs and restaurants, according to the global brewer.
Madrí Excepcional marketing controller Sophie Mitchell said: “Consumers increasingly expect to see no- and low-alcohol versions of their favourite beers.
Refreshing beer
“With Madri Exceptional fast becoming the flagship brand in the world beer category, launching 0.0% is a natural evolution for us.”
She continued: “It means consumers can stick with one of their favourite beers, even when looking to moderate, and enables venues to better cater for a growing no- and low-alcohol market, while still tapping into the popularity of the Madri Excepcional brand.”
In 2024, data from CGA revealed Madri Excepcional had become the second-largest world lager brand within the on-trade since its launch five years ago. Sales also grew by 14.3% last year.
Throughout consumer testing, Madrí Excepcional 0.0% was also preferred to other zero-alcohol world beers for it’s appearance, taste, aftertaste and mouthfeel, MCBC claimed.
MCBC head of R&D and innovation Simon Smith added: “Madri Excepcional 0.0% is brewed using cutting edge technology, which is proven to retain the best flavour and quality, resulting in the same well-rounded taste profile as Madrí Excepcional, and a crisp, clean and refreshing beer full of flavour and aroma.”
