Australia innovates with non-alcoholic wine to cater to Indonesia’s predominantly Muslim population.
Many young people are interested in wine due to the influence of foreign tourists and the appeal of a Western lifestyle. However, since the majority of Indonesia’s population is Muslim, many people abandon this drink because they are considered intoxicating. In addition, as a Muslim, it is religiously prohibited to consume alcohol or liquor.
After observing the Indonesian Muslims’ general attitude towards alcohol and liquor, Australia, being the number one alcohol supplier in Indonesia, is trying to come up with an alternative by producing non-alcoholic wine for those who, due to religious reasons, cannot drink alcohol.
At the “Taste the Wonders of Australia” press conference which took place in Jakarta on Tuesday, the 21st of May, 2024, the chief executive officer of Wine Australia, Martin Cole, said that they were planning to produce non-alcoholic wine which will be marketed in Indonesia, with hopes that the Muslims in Indonesia can also consume the wine.
“There are many types of Australian wine, including non-alcoholic wine [still in the research phase], so it is perfect for the Indonesian market which is predominantly Muslim,” said Cole.
Quoting Wine Australia’s official website wineaustralia.com, a non-alcoholic wine is an oenological practice, namely fermented grapes that have had most of their alcohol removed before being bottled. This term is not defined in the Food Standards Code but is generally understood to refer to products that contain a small amount of alcohol. These products are often labelled with statements such as:
- Non-alcoholic wine;
- Less than 0.5% alc/vol; or
- Less than 1.0% alc/vol.
Products with an alcohol content of less than 0.5 percent by volume are not required to state that they contain alcohol on their labels, although many manufacturers choose to voluntarily include this information.
As of the year 2024, there are more than 18 importing companies established in the Indonesian market. Alcoholic drinks with an ethanol content of more than 5% may only be sold at retail and consumed in hotels (the latter having already been granted 3, 4, and/or 5 stars), certain restaurants, bars/pubs/nightclubs, duty-free shops, or certain places appointed by the mayor or regent.