Belgium: Duvel Moortgat expanding its range of alcohol-free beers

Belgium’s Duvel Moortgat Brewery is significantly expanding its range of alcohol-free beers with alcohol-free versions of beers La Chouffe and Vedett and is also introducing a Vedett energy drink, VRT News reported on March 31.

An alcohol-free Duvel is not yet in the pipeline, although this is not ruled out for the future, CEO Michel Moortgat said in an interview. There are no plans for price increases due to the spike in energy prices.

Duvel Moortgat is the brewer behind Duvel beer as well as La Chouffe, Liefmans, Vedett and Het Bolleke. Until now, the range of alcohol-free beers has been rather limited, or they contained 0.4 per cent alcohol. Today low and alcohol-free beers account for 5 per cent of Duvel Moortgat’s turnover but the figure is growing 20 per cent annually.

“Like many breweries, we are increasingly focusing on non-alcoholic beers,” says Michel Moortgat. The new beers retain the classic brew taste with the same flavour-defining yeast. The beer is then vacuum-distilled to remove the alcohol. “This way, the beer is closer to the original. Zero per cent alcohol is also clearer for the consumer."

In the La Chouffe range, for example, the 0.4 per cent variant is being replaced by a 0.0 per cent version. The cherry-flavoured variant is also getting a 0.0 per cent version. “Until now we didn’t have an alcohol-free lager in our range; we do now with Vedett 0.0."

Vedett Energy is being launched as an energy drink variant. It is the non-alcoholic Vedett supplemented with ‘energy-boosting ingredients’ such as guarana. This plant naturally contains caffeine. “I must admit that we’re not entirely sure which consumers we’re targeting. Beer drinkers or ‘energy drinkers’ – only time will tell.” Duvel Moortgat will be heavily promoting the drink at music festivals this summer.

Duvel Moortgat also has a new variant of its JARR kombucha, essentially fermented tea. The drink is a collaboration with three-star restaurant Boury in Roeselare, run by chef Tim Boury.

An alcohol-free Duvel isn’t on the cards just yet. The beer is virtually “untouchable”, according to Michel Moortgat. “On the other hand, 10 years ago I would have said ‘never’. Today I wouldn’t dare say that anymore, and I think it will happen one day.” After all, technology is changing rapidly. “Twenty years ago, alcohol-free beers weren’t any good. Now they’re really good,” says the CEO. “If we want a Duvel without alcohol, it will have to be very close to the real Duvel.”

“These are challenging times” says the CEO, summarising the current situation. “But the brewery is performing very well. Last year, turnover remained virtually stable, whilst volumes saw a slight decline.”

Volumes fell by 2 per cent to around 2.2 million hectolitres, mainly due to a decline in China and the United States. Turnover fell slightly, partly due to the weakening of the dollar and the Chinese currency, the renminbi, according to Moortgat, and stood at around 600 million euros in 2025. Cash flow (EBITDA) came in at approximately 160 million euros. “Overall, we are very satisfied with the situation.”

The company is currently fairly well hedged against the current spike in energy prices through its contracts, so the brewer is not immediately feeling the impact of those higher prices. “There are certainly no price increases on the horizon,” is the message to customers. “We want to try to keep our prices at this level for as long as possible. If possible, we will not implement any price changes.”

Duvel Moortgat ranks among the top three largest brewers in Belgium. The company employs around 1,800 people, just over 500 are based in Belgium. It brews beer at its headquarters in Puurs-Sint-Amands (Antwerp Province), as well as in Oudenaarde (East Flanders) and Achouffe (Luxembourg Province). At De Koninck in Antwerp, beer is currently not being brewed temporarily due to major construction work in the vicinity. “In the spring of 2028, we will review the situation and are likely to restart beer production there,” the company says. The company also has breweries in the Netherlands, France, China, Italy and the US, among other places.

01 April, 2026