Brazil: Ambev launches new alcohol-free beer containing 10 grams of protein
Ambev has raised the stakes in the premium beer segment—the industry’s crown jewel—with the launch of a new alcohol-free beverage containing 10 grams of protein, Spaten Pro. It’s the first protein-enriched beer AB InBev has developed anywhere in the world. According to Daniel Wakswaser, Ambev’s vice president of marketing, the move is part of the group’s broader push to create new occasions for consuming beer beyond bars and weekend get-togethers, Valor International reported on July 23.
The premium beer market and its subcategories—alcohol-free, gluten-free, lower-calorie—have drawn growing attention from the brewing industry. Premium beers accounted for about 4% of sales volumes in Brazil in 2010; last year, the segment topped 25%.
By contrast, Brazil’s total beer production fell 8.85%, to 15.688 million hectolitres. The decline mainly reflects weaker performance among mass-market brands, which have struggled as Brazilian consumers tighten household budgets. The figures come from the 2026 Beer Yearbook, published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) in partnership with the National Beer Industry Association (Sindicerv).
Wakswaser said health and wellness have become an increasingly important trend in the beverage industry, pointing to products such as Guaraná with added fiber and beers with lower alcohol content or no gluten as part of that shift.
“Within this segment, we looked for an attribute that beer hadn’t offered until now. Now it will,” he said, referring to protein. Ambev began studying the protein beverage market in recent years, the executive said. “There are opportunities in the occasions when people consume these products. What we’re borrowing is the social aspect,” he said.
Spaten Pro is a dark, all-malt beer in the Munich Dunkel style, with notes of roasted malt, caramel, vanilla and cocoa. Wakswaser said Spaten was chosen for the launch because of the brand’s association with sports, including martial arts.
The new beer will initially be available only in the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro markets, as well as through the Zé Delivery platform, and is expected to reach retailers in early September. It will be produced at the company’s brewery in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. Pricing has not yet been finalized, but the estimated retail price is between R$10 and R$13 for a 350ml can.
The project originated in Brazil but has the potential to expand to other countries down the line, Wakswaser said.
The new beer was developed at Ambev’s Innovation and Technology Center (CIT) in Rio de Janeiro. Lucas Dato, the unit’s director, said innovation is central to the company’s business, but that consumers won’t compromise on taste. “It took more than 100 prototypes over five years to arrive at the final version of Spaten Pro,” Dato said.
The CIT, located at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Technology Park, has also developed products such as Stella Pure Gold (gluten-free), Skol Zero Zero (alcohol-free and sugar-free), and Guaraná Antarctica with added fiber. The center opened in 2018 following an investment of R$180 million.
Ambev’s main rival in Brazil, Heineken, launched its own beer aimed at consumers seeking more balanced options in May: Heineken Ultimate. The company chose Brazil for the global debut of the new label, which has 97 calories—30% fewer than the regular version—is gluten-free, and carries an alcohol content of 3.5%.
The two launches arrive amid fierce competition in the premium segment. Since the third quarter of last year, Ambev has said it regained leadership of Brazil’s premium beer market after a decade. Heineken disputes that claim, pointing instead to a price war, particularly involving Ambev’s Original brand.
23 July, 2026
