PARIS, April 29 — After vitamin water and protein shots, fitness fans can now replenish with alcohol-free beer enriched with nutrients and minerals. Surprising as it might sound, this new kind of beer is an improbable addition to the sports drinks sector.

To repair muscle fibres, restore pH balance and, above all, provide hydration after losing water through exercise, it can be helpful to aid post-workout recovery with a suitable drink. And there are plenty of them on the market, from vitamin-enriched waters to protein shots to powdered preparations to be mixed up after a gruelling session. And this seemingly well-established category is still innovating and expanding.

In Europe, it is estimated that this market will grow by 4.5 per cent annually by 2027, according to Mordor Intelligence. And, against all odds, it is not just new waters enriched with all kinds of good stuff that are innovating in the field, but also more unusual beverages. In this case, it is an alcohol-free "sports beer.” In Montpellier, in the South of France, a triathlete is hoping to launch a beer that not only contains no alcohol but also has isotonic properties like many sports drinks. Such drinks typically have the same concentration of particles as blood. The beer in question is called Goxoa — pronounced "goshoa” — and contains nutrients and minerals. It could be landing this June.

Its creator, Jonathan Dubois, promises half the calories of a traditional blonde ale. On LinkedIn, he states that the product is under development, and it seems that this drink is being produced in Belgium, one of the countries typically associated with beer. The fledgling start-up intends to rely on a crowdfunding campaign to achieve its product launch.

With this fresh formula, Goxoa is exploring a new avenue in what is now a booming sector. Worldwide, the market value for no- or low-alcohol products is expected to exceed US$11 billion (RM49 billion) in 2022, according to forecasts by the British firm IWSR. By 2026, consumption of these drinks is expected to increase by a third. By targeting fitness fans in particular, the category could appeal to a whole new audience, in addition to followers of "Dry January,” who pledge to take a break from alcohol once a year. — ETX Studio