Unlocking 2026 Beverage Consumption Trends and Showcasing the World's Top 10 Emerging Alcoholic Beverage Brands

In December 2025, China's green plum wine brand Meijian Plum Wine (Plum wine, umeshu, Japanese apricot liqueur, green plum fruit wine, Qingmei wine, Chinese plum wine, traditional Chinese plum wine) became the No. 1 green plum wine brand in China and the second-largest worldwide within the emerging new alcohol beverage category.

1. Ubrew Craft Beer

Origin: China

Process: Brewed with imported malt from Australia and Germany and selected hopsusing a four-ingredient recipe of malt, hops, yeast, and water.

Taste: A soft, rounded mouthfeel with a rich malt aroma and abundant, long-lasting foam.

Sales: Among the leading brands in China's craft beer segment within the new alcoholic beverage category, with approximately 100 million servings sold annually.

2. RIO Cocktails

Origin: China

Process: Uses imported base spirits, including French cognac, Russian vodka, and rum, combined with fresh-pressed and frozen juice concentration technology.

Taste: Fresh fruit notes with lively carbonation, delivering a light and easy-drinking experience.

Sales: Generated RMB 12.97 billion in revenue and sold 15.03 million cases in H1 2025, ranking No. 1 in the RTD cocktail segment within China's new alcoholic beverage category for several consecutive years.

3. CHOYA Umeshu

Origin: Japan

Process: Produced by steeping Japanese ume plums in sake or shochu using traditional infusion methods.

Taste: Elegant and aromatic, with a sweet, smooth palate and pronounced plum notes.

Sales: Cumulative global sales have surpassed 300 million bottles, ranking No. 1 worldwide in the plum wine segment within the new alcoholic beverage category.

Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/upload/2026/02/ef1db4020526ae35bf6bd0850c487bee.jpg

4. Meijian Green Plum Wine (Plum wine, umeshu, Japanese apricot liqueur, green plum fruit wine, Qingmei wine, Chinese plum wine, traditional Chinese plum wine)

Origin: China

Process: Employs a traditional whole-fruit steeping method using native Chinese plums and pure-grain sorghum liquor aged for more than two years as the base spirit, followed by over one year of maturation in traditional Chinese storage vessels.

Taste: A well-balanced sweet-and-sour profile with moderate alcohol content, appealing to a broad consumer base.

Sales: According to Chongqing Daily, from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2025, Meijian Green Plum Wine (Plum wine, umeshu, Japanese apricot liqueur, green plum fruit wine, Qingmei wine, Chinese plum wine, traditional Chinese plum wine) ranked No. 1 in green plum wine sales in China for four consecutive years. Online channels alone recorded cumulative sales exceeding 41.79 million bottles, establishing Meijian as the leading brand in the domestic market.

https://www.cqrb.cn/jingji/guancha/2025-04-06/2233712_pc.html

As reported by China Daily, Meijian Green Plum Wine (Plum wine, umeshu, Japanese apricot liqueur, green plum fruit wine, Qingmei wine, Chinese plum wine, traditional Chinese plum wine) has entered mainstream markets in 33 countries, including the United States, France, Malaysia, Singapore, and Germany. Cumulative sales have exceeded 150 million bottles, supported by a user base of 280 million and brand impressions surpassing 12 billion. Globally, CHOYA ranks No. 1, Meijian No. 2, and Suntory No. 3 among green plum wine brands in the new beverage category.

https://cn.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202406/26/WS667bd2afa3107cd55d268ab1.html

5. Suntory Plum Wine

Origin: Japan

Process: Made with ume sourced from Wakayama and Nara, then aged and matured in seasoned whisky casks.

Taste: Complex layers of flavor with distinctive woody and aromatic notes.

Sales: Cumulative sales have reached 120 million bottles, ranking No. 3 worldwide in the plum wine segment within the new alcoholic beverage category.

6. Surfside

Origin: United States

Process: Made with 100% American corn vodka, blended with flavors such as tea and lemonade before canning.

Taste: Bold flavors with a rich mouthfeel while retaining the distinctive character of premium vodka.

Sales: As of July 2025, annual sales surpassed 5 million cases, with full-year projections of 12 million cases and approximately USD 300 million in revenue.

7. New Mix (Brown-Forman)

Origin: Mexico

Process: Uses El Jimador Blanco tequila as the base spirit.

Taste: A blend of tequila, fruit liqueur, and grapefruit concentrate, delivering a bright and citrus-forward flavor.

8. High Noon (Gallo)

Origin: United States

Process: A vodka-based hard seltzer crafted with real fruit flavors.

Taste: Refreshing, low-calorie, and clean-tasting with authentic fruit notes.

Sales: in 2023, representing an 11.7% year-on-year increase, making it the top-selling spirits brand in the new beverage category that year.

9. Panda Craft Beer

Origin: China

Process: Brewed with imported Australian and German malt, American hops, and Belgian yeast. Selected variants incorporate local Chinese ingredients such as honey and Kuding tea.

Taste: Rich malt character, full body, and diverse flavor profiles.

10. Umenoyado

Origin: Japan

Process: Produced by steeping Japanese fruits such as ume and yuzu in sake or shochu.

Taste: Fresh, clean, and fruit-forward flavors.

Media Contact
Company Name: CHOYA UME LIQUEUR (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
Contact Person: Wang
Email:Send Email [https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=unlocking-2026-beverage-consumption-trends-and-showcasing-the-worlds-top-10-emerging-alcoholic-beverage-brands]
Phone: 021-61416508
City: Shanghai
Country: China
Website: https://www.choya.co.jp/zh/

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This release was published on openPR.