Live Nation Bets on Feel‑Good, Non‑Alcoholic ‘Social Tonics’ With New Hiyo Partnership

Published: December 2, 2025

Live Nation is deepening its push into non‑alcoholic and “better‑for‑you” drinks, announcing a multi‑year partnership — and equity investment — in Hiyo Social Tonics that will bring the brand’s functional, alcohol‑free beverages to select venues and festivals across the United States. ^[1]

The deal, first detailed in a Live Nation newsroom release and quickly picked up by outlets including Brand Innovators, TicketNews, That Eric Alper and others, is being positioned as one of the biggest milestones in Hiyo’s young history and a key pillar in Live Nation’s evolving beverage strategy. ^[2]

At a glance

Partnership: Multi‑year Live Nation–Hiyo deal with an equity stake from Live Nation
Product: Non‑alcoholic “social tonics” with adaptogens, nootropics and botanicals aimed at delivering a calm, clear “float” feeling
Rollout: Launching at select U.S. venues and festivals, starting with a Blackberry Lemon flavor on menus
Strategy: Part of Live Nation’s broader move into next‑gen beverage brands alongside Liquid Death, Owen’s Craft Mixers, JOLENE Coffee and major CPG partnerships like Kraft Heinz ^[3]

What Live Nation and Hiyo Just Announced

On December 1, 2025, Live Nation and Hiyo Social Tonics jointly unveiled a multi‑year partnership that does two things at once: brings Hiyo’s non‑alcoholic drinks into Live Nation’s ecosystem of venues and festivals and cements the relationship with an equity investment from the live entertainment giant. ^[4]

According to the company’s announcement, fans will begin seeing Hiyo on menus at select U.S. Live Nation locations, with the partnership framed as a way to “accelerate” Hiyo’s national footprint while giving concertgoers more sophisticated non‑alcoholic choices. ^[5]

Key elements of the deal include:

Distribution at live shows: Hiyo will be poured at selected Live Nation venues and festivals across the U.S., putting the brand directly in front of millions of concertgoers. ^[6]
Equity investment: Live Nation is taking a stake in Hiyo, adding the startup to a growing portfolio of beverage bets. ^[7]
Flagship flavor first: The rollout will start with Blackberry Lemon, described as a fruit‑forward, low‑calorie option designed to pair with a wide variety of shows and genres. ^[8]

Industry coverage throughout December 2 underscores that this is more than just another concession‑stand addition. TicketNews calls the agreement a defining moment for the brand, noting that the Live Nation tie‑up represents one of Hiyo’s largest milestones to date and positions it as a “better‑for‑you” alternative in the live events space. ^[9]

Why Concert Drinks Are Changing: The Data Behind the Deal

The Live Nation–Hiyo partnership is being driven as much by consumer behavior as by brand strategy.

Live Nation’s internal research — cited in multiple reports and in the company’s own release — highlights two key insights: ^[10]

Around six in ten concertgoers say they alternate between alcoholic and non‑alcoholic drinks during events.
80% of fans say that having a great beverage in hand makes the live experience meaningfully better.

Those findings dovetail with a wider global shift in drinking habits:

The no‑alcohol segment of the beverage market is expected to grow volume at roughly 7% compound annual growth between 2024 and 2028, outpacing total beverage alcohol growth, according to IWSR analysis. ^[11]
In the U.S., the broader non‑alcoholic beverage market was valued at about $169.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to climb to roughly $246.9 billion by 2032, reflecting sustained consumer demand for low‑sugar, functional and health‑oriented drinks. ^[12]
Non‑alcoholic beer alone has surged, with global consumption up about 9% in 2024 while overall alcohol volumes declined, driven heavily by millennial and Gen Z drinkers embracing “sober curious” and “damp lifestyle” trends. ^[13]
Recent coverage has even framed the shift as a kind of “self‑prohibition,” noting that U.S. alcohol consumption is at its lowest levels in decades while booze‑free brands and bottle shops multiply and non‑alcoholic products are on track to contribute to a market expected to reach roughly $5 billion by 2028. ^[14]

Against that backdrop, Live Nation’s move looks less like a niche experiment and more like a response to a mainstream, long‑term consumer shift: audiences still want something special in their cup, but increasingly not at the cost of a hangover or a hazy memory of the encore.

Meet Hiyo: The Social Tonic Built Around the “Float”

Hiyo describes itself as an organic social tonic brand built to help people celebrate and connect more intentionally — without alcohol. Founded in 2021 in Venice, California, the company has grown quickly in the booming functional beverage space. ^[15]

According to Live Nation’s press release and supporting coverage, Hiyo’s drinks are: ^[16]

0% ABV (completely alcohol‑free)
Crafted with adaptogens, nootropics and functional botanicals
Designed to deliver a signature mood effect the brand calls the “float” — a calm, clear, gently uplifting sensation
USDA Organic certified, non‑GMO, vegan, gluten‑free and around 30 calories per can

The current lineup spans six fruit‑driven flavors — including Blackberry Lemon, Passion Fruit Tangerine, Peach Mango, Strawberry Guava, Watermelon Lime and Pineapple Coconut — positioning the brand squarely in the premium, flavor‑forward end of the functional drinks market. ^[17]

The rise of adaptogenic and functional drinks

Hiyo sits at the intersection of two hot categories: non‑alcoholic and adaptogenic/functional beverages.

Market researchers expect the adaptogenic beverages segment alone to grow from around $1.5 billion in 2025 to roughly $2.8 billion by 2035, with ready‑to‑drink formats accounting for a major share. ^[18] Consumers in this space are seeking drinks that don’t just taste good, but also promise benefits linked to stress relief, focus, mood or energy — often via ingredients like ashwagandha, L‑theanine, or other botanicals and nootropics.

With Hiyo, Live Nation is effectively betting that those same preferences are coming to the concession stand, not just the wellness aisle.

What Fans Can Expect at Live Nation Venues

For concertgoers, the partnership will be most visible at the bar.

Coverage from Live Nation and TicketNews indicates that rollout begins with Blackberry Lemon on menus at select venues and festivals in the U.S., with availability expanding over time and updates posted on Hiyo’s website. ^[19]

In practical terms, fans can expect:

A new non‑alcoholic option at the bar that feels more like a crafted cocktail than a soda or water
A drink designed to be sessionable — something you can enjoy throughout a show without feeling sluggish or intoxicated
A flavor profile built around fruit and botanicals, aligning with cocktail culture but without spirits

Live Nation’s own positioning emphasizes that the “float” effect is meant to pair with the emotional highs of live music — social, relaxed, present — while giving those who are moderating or skipping alcohol a drink that still feels like part of the celebration. ^[20]

Fans who want to know whether Hiyo will be available at a specific concert are being directed to drinkhiyo.com and Hiyo’s social channels, where the brand will list venues and markets as the rollout widens. ^[21]

Inside Live Nation’s Broader Beverage Strategy

The Hiyo deal doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s the latest in a series of strategic beverage plays by Live Nation aimed at monetizing the bar more effectively while aligning with cultural trends.

Recent years have seen Live Nation:

Take stakes in brands like Liquid Death, Owen’s Craft Mixers and JOLENE Coffee (the latter co‑owned by Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and entrepreneur Shane Powers). ^[22]
Ink a broad partnership with Kraft Heinz, under which the CPG giant is designated the “Official Condiment” and “Official Mac & Cheese” at select Live Nation venues. ^[23]

Positioning Hiyo alongside those names suggests Live Nation sees beverages as brand platforms, not just commodities.

For Live Nation, equity partnerships like this can:

Create incremental revenue streams beyond traditional ticketing and concessions
Offer exclusive or differentiated experiences that help venues stand out
Tie Live Nation more closely to emerging consumer trends — in this case, non‑alcoholic and functional drinking

For Hiyo, the upside is obvious: access to one of the largest live entertainment distribution networks in the world, plus the marketing halo that comes with being poured at iconic venues and festivals.

The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Live Events

Zooming out, the Live Nation–Hiyo tie‑up is part of a broader rethinking of how people consume during live events.

A few implications:

1. More inclusive experiences

Not everyone wants to drink alcohol — for health, religious, personal, or practical reasons — but many still want something special in their hand at a show. Premium non‑alcoholic options like Hiyo give those fans a way to participate in the ritual without sitting on the sidelines with plain water or soda.

2. Functional drinks become part of “going out”

Until recently, adaptogenic or nootropic beverages lived mostly in wellness aisles and boutique retailers. Putting them on the bar menu at major venues normalizes the idea that you can enhance the night with focus, calm or mood support rather than intoxication.

3. Pressure on traditional beverage partners

As non‑alcoholic categories grab more share — with forecasts pointing to faster growth than full‑strength alcohol in many markets — traditional beer, wine and spirits brands will face increasing pressure to innovate their own no‑ and low‑options or risk losing bar space and relevance at high‑visibility properties like Live Nation venues. ^[24]

4. A template for other venues and festivals

If the Hiyo rollout is well‑received, it could become a playbook other promoters and venue owners emulate: partner early with fast‑growing, functional brands, secure equity or exclusive rights, and market the bar as part of the overall experience, not an afterthought.

Key Takeaways for December 2, 2025

As of today, the story around Live Nation and Hiyo looks clear:

The partnership is official and multi‑year, with Live Nation taking an equity stake in Hiyo Social Tonics. ^[25]
Hiyo’s Blackberry Lemon flavor will spearhead the rollout at select U.S. venues and festivals, giving fans a new non‑alcoholic, functional drink option at shows. ^[26]
The move responds to fan data showing strong demand for both non‑alcoholic choices and elevated beverage experiences, in line with global trends toward moderation and functional drinks. ^[27]
It strengthens Live Nation’s broader strategy of investing in next‑generation beverage brands, from canned water and mixers to coffee and now social tonics. ^[28]