“I can’t believe they said today was warm,” said Tom Holland, casting a dubious eye out the window at the slush-crusted streets of downtown Minneapolis as the temperature hovered near 40 degrees.
The “Spider-Man” star made his first trip to the state to meet with workers at Target’s headquarters and promote his nonalcoholic beer brand Bero, which has been prominently stocked on the retailer’s shelves across the country. Target officials say it’s just part of efforts to bring more nationally known wellness brands to its stores.
Holland sat down exclusively with the Minnesota Star Tribune on Jan. 7 to talk about Bero’s place in the fast-growing field of NA beer, why he can’t resist a Target run when he’s in the states and what personal rewards four years of not drinking alcohol have given him.
Opportunity brings awareness
Holland is part of a generational shift in the way people approach not drinking. Growing up as a child actor — his first brush with fame came at 12 as the star of the hit musical “Billy Elliot” — he recalled moving into adulthood and using alcohol first as a social opportunity to head to the pub to connect and later as a tool to quiet the amplification of pressure and anxiety.
“A little liquid courage goes a long way,” he said. “Unfortunately, I just went all the way. What I realized when I quit was that I didn’t need that nudge to that place of feeling confident. I didn’t need that catalyst. And I don’t wake up and have to text at least 12 people to apologize.”
Bero was an opportunity that the actor sought out. In an era when part of the job is to capitalize on brand collaborations, Holland looked for a partner to create a nonalcoholic beer that scratched that itch to enjoy a social beverage while also delivering on all the ways a beer is satisfying: hoppy flavors, rich malts, fine bubbles and a frothy head. Target stores stock four varieties of Bero: Kingston Golden Pils, Double Tasty West Coast IPA, Edge Hill Hazy IPA and Noon Wheat ($11.99 for a six-pack). There will likely continue to be other flavor profiles, he said, along with seasonal options.
“My ambition was to create a product that would help me personally, from a health point of view,” Holland said. “And then help other people. One of the beautiful things about people who go through the program — not that I went through the program — but that they encourage you to help other people. It’s not about self-service.”
The growing NA market
Holland’s Bero is part of a fast-expanding global market of nonalcoholic beers that is anticipated to reach $29 billon in 2026, according to ARC Industry Research. Once a marginal part of the industry, NA beer styles are as varied as those who drink them. Local breweries also have embraced the trend, with several, from Bauhaus Brew Labs to Surly, brewing alcohol-free options. At Bero, the brewing process uses a special yeast that doesn’t produce the alcohol byproduct traditionally found in ferments.
