Bartesian’s CEO says Gen Z wants quality over quantity in high-end home brews
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
The alcohol industry has been relying on young adults for a long time and ended up being drunk all the time. Now, Gen Z is forcing the industry to change as they embrace “curious” lifestyles and demand quality beverages.
A 2025 Gallup poll found that the percentage of American adults who say they drink alcohol has dropped to 54%, the lowest level in 90 years. From 1997 to 2023, Gallup found that at least 60% of Americans reported drinking alcohol. This figure dropped to 58% in 2024 and again to 54% in 2025.
The alcohol industry is facing a new challenge. Rather than simply turning young adults into long-term customers, they now have to convince them that their product is worth the price.
GEN Z STILL DRINKING, EARLY AS THE ‘DAYCAP’ TREND BEGINS TO RESTORE NIGHTLIFE
Bartesian CEO Ryan Close says consumers want a premium experience, which opens up new opportunities for the home cocktail industry. (Courtesy of Bartesian)
Ryan Close, CEO and founder of Bartesian, said he sees consumers choosing quality over quantity. He said they are not looking to drink more or less alcohol, but they are looking for better and higher quality drinks.
“I’m not going to argue with the data, you know, maybe they’re drinking less alcohol. I think they’re drinking less, but with the expectation that ‘I want better,'” he told Fox News Digital, about Gen Z’s drinking habits.
Bartesian makes an automated home cocktail machine that allows users to make bar-style cocktails by inserting flavor capsules and adding their own spirits.
Close told Fox News Digital that before starting Bartesian, he noticed that people were drinking wine and beer at home, despite ordering cocktails while leaving bars and restaurants. He said that many people find that cocktails are too complicated and they don’t want to collect all the necessary ingredients for flavoring and other ingredients. Despite having bartending experience for years, Vala struggled to make a classic cocktail: the Old Fashioned, the flavor found in Bartesian pods.
Close said his company was built on the idea that consumers want premium cocktails at home made with quality ingredients.
“We use only real ingredients so we don’t put anything artificial, there are no artificial colors or flavors in the cocktails, so, you get that real quality freshness,” he said.
TOP, READY-TO-Drink FOOD CHOICES TROUBLE OVEREATING IN GEN Z ADULTS
Bartesian CEO Ryan Close believes that young consumers are looking for a premium experience rather than just a drink. (Media images via iStock/Getty Images)
Industry research suggests that Close isn’t alone in seeing a shift toward quality search. In the report of Jan. 2 that reveals the five consumer trends shaping the liquor industry, NielsenIQ (NIQ) identified a similar pattern among drinkers. NIQ found that 67% of spirit drinkers and half (52%) of average drinkers said they would be willing to pay more for higher quality drinks. Although the NIQ report looked at patterns in premises, not drinking at home.
Close believes the change goes beyond what consumers drink and extends to why they drink in the first place. He pointed out that Gen Z consumers are not looking to “drink to drink,” but instead want to have a shared experience. Bartesian not only allows users to choose different flavors of the cocktail, but also what kind of spirits and how much alcohol goes into the drinks, something that Close depends on this idea of seeking experience.
“I think the younger generation is more serious and it’s not about, ‘Hey, I don’t want to drink at all,’ it’s, ‘I want to drink better, a little bit more, and a higher level,'” Vala told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE NEWS AND CULTURE
Bartesian machines allow users to choose the type of spirits that go into their cocktail and the strength of their drinks. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
Many older Gen Z consumers turned 21 during the violence of COVID-19, as restaurants and bars across the country were closed or operating under strict restrictions. Close said he believes younger consumers are increasingly viewing the home as “an extension of restaurants and bars,” creating a demand for a premium at-home cocktail.
Vala said the rise in cocktail prices has only accelerated that change, as consumers become more selective about how they spend their money. He recalled that on a recent trip to New York City, he found himself paying nearly $24 for a martini that was missing a key ingredient — blue cheese olives.
“I’m not looking to spend $75 on martinis when I know — especially without blue cheese — when I can go home and make that same cocktail for $3 or $4,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
This trend, according to Close, is not about changing bars and restaurants entirely, but rather meeting the needs of consumers who are more serious about what they drink, where they drink it and the value of the experience.
