Anheuser-Busch latest move: pricier organic beer

It’s not just big food corporations looking to change up their products to target health-conscious consumers anymore — now big beer companies want in.

The world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, announced Monday that its Michelob Ultra brand has a new beer called Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold, which is made with organic grains and is free of artificial colors and flavorings.

The new lower-calorie beverage is part of the company’s push to capitalize off Americans’ desire to eat and drink cleaner.

“More and more, we’re seeing that people want to know what ingredients make up the products they enjoy, and they work hard to try and incorporate organically sourced food and beverages into their daily lifestyle,” Azania Andrews, vice president of Michelob ULTRA, told FOX Business.

The light beer will begin hitting U.S. stores on Monday, including popular organic grocer Whole Foods Market. However, the beer will be priced higher than its regular ULTRA, Andrews notes.

“It will be priced at parity with Mexican imports,” she said, adding that she hopes the new organic addition will play a significant role in what they believe is a growing market in the beer business.

“As the overall trend of consumers seeking out organic products continues to gain popularity across non-alcoholic food and beverages, we expect the beer category to follow suit and are excited to be a leader in this category.”

Pure Gold isn’t AB InBev’s only footprint in the organic space. Last year, the company acquired HiBall Energy, an organic energy drink company, and last May it said it plans to invest $2 billion in U.S. breweries and soft drink facilities through 2020.

What’s more, ULTRA has been performing well on its own, growing double digits for the last 10 quarters, the company said.