- The trend of drinking less alcohol is gaining momentum, with Gen Z leading the way
- Dry Spokes co-founder Mi-Ya Mata says Gen Z views alcohol the same way Millennials view cigarettes
- Watch to learn why young adults in Omaha are living alcohol-free
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The trend of drinking less alcohol is gaining momentum, with Gen Z leading the way. The Cleveland Clinic found education and health to be at the forefront of this trend — they say Gen Z sees alcohol as a toxin and doesn't subscribe to the "clean living" lifestyle adopted by many young adults.
"I've heard a lot of people in the non alcoholic sector talk about how Gen Z sees alcohol the way my generation, I'm a millennial, sees cigarettes," said Mi-Ya Mata.
As the new generation searches for healthier alternatives, another industry is growing. IWSR market research found the low to no alcohol industry was worth $11 billion in 2022 and expected to grow by 7% in the next four years.
Mata has been sober for 5 years and says she needed a creative outlet and joined this movement, creating Dry Spokes, an alcohol-free bar.
"We have people who have been sober for 20 plus years and some people who are sober just for the night. But, every single time someone comes in they feel like they're not missing out in our space they can have something that tastes good tastes adult and drive safe," said Mata.
Other neighbors like Christian Cervantes made the decision after seeing his father struggle.
"I could take myself, for example. My dad was like a really bad alcoholic when I was younger he had 3 DUI's, he went to prison for a while and Generation Z we see it as, I don't want to go through that," said Cervantes.
Cervantes says he fought his own battle with alcohol three years ago and after hitting rock bottom, knew he had to make a change.
"In 2021 I decided to quit drinking. It was fun in the moment but, I realized I woke up with a headache, I puked a lot, and I got into some horrible situations when I was younger that I'm not proud of," said Cervantes.
Neighbors told us they like going to alcohol-free venues like Dry Spokes, because they don't want to miss out on social gatherings.
