Pécs Brewery develops “healthy beer” family

Pécs Brewery has developed a new range of alcohol-free, isotonic drinks through a research and development programme costing more than 800 million forints (EUR 2.1 million), the company has announced.

Pécs Brewery develops “healthy beer”

The project received nearly 400 million forints in funding from the National Research, Development and Innovation Office.

In a statement, the firm said it had produced prototypes of the products, which “combine brewing industry technology with the health-conscious consumer expectations for functional beverages”. One variant is already in production, with further flavours to go on sale in the second half of the year. The drink is currently unique on the Hungarian market.

The statement recalled that Pécs Brewery was the first in Hungary to launch a radler-style beer – a mixture of pale lager and carbonated soft drink – in the mid-1990s.

Opening up a fresh market segment

Rising demand for such products is evident from the firm’s output in this segment having increased tenfold over the past three years, prompting the decision to develop a new “functional product”.

The initiative opens up a fresh market segment for health-conscious, active lifestyle consumers, with the company expecting to secure a meaningful share in the functional drinks category. This sector is expanding dynamically in Hungary, several EU member states, and Middle Eastern countries.

Thanks to the project, the company has created ten new workplaces. Its aim is to increase production volume gradually and enter the market with the new products in the second half of 2026. In the next few years, the brewery would like to expand the product family and further develop its successful bio beers.

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