With 61% of Gen Z ditching alcohol, can sparkling tea power the next generation of creative consumption?
Date
03/16/2026
Author
Team Coeus
For decades, alcohol has been the default social drink. Not necessarily because people loved it, but because there weren’t many alternatives that felt designed for the same moments of social activity.
The “default” assumption is beginning to shift. Younger consumers are drinking less, moderating more often, and increasingly looking for beverages that align with wellness and lifestyle choices without sacrificing flavor or ritual.
But the non-alcoholic category is still early. Many products try to replicate alcohol itself rather than rethink what a social drink could be.
So, OOSO sits within an emerging shift. The Brooklyn-based brand produces sparkling teas made with organic tea, vitamins, and adaptogens, designed to function less as a replacement for alcohol and more as a distinct category of drink altogether.
As the culture around drinking continues to evolve, products like OOSO reflect a broader question within what we would like to call the “creative consumption” component of the beverage industry: if alcohol is no longer the default, what replaces it?