Health
Everything else is in, including soda. In the last decade, Americans have stopped drinking bottled soda. Sales are down by more than 25% in the past 20. While soda waters are enjoying a revival, they have been a popular choice for many consumers. Vox highlights the case of LaCroix, a Wisconsin-flavored sparkling water that took advantage of this trend to boost sales.
What’s good for health-conscious customers isn’t so good for beverage companies. The non-alcoholic beverage market is now more competitive than ever. Soft drink manufacturers are trying new flavors and health benefits to make their products stand out.
Sparkling Bitters is a new launch that flavors sparkling water with cocktail bitters. The bitters promise digestive benefits in addition to a unique flavor profile. The website claims that the drink can do everything from relieving heartburn to stimulating enzyme production. A sparkling drinking vinegar was also introduced to the market by Live Drinks, a Kombucha company. The vinegar contains prebiotic fibers to complement the probiotics in kombucha.
Duane Primozich is a managing partner of Boulder Investment Group and a Live Beverages Investor. He told BevNET, “When you look at the category right now, it’s important to differentiate yourself.” It takes a lot of work to scale and do this well. When you consider the early days of a product, you want it to be distinct. Live soda has that.
The ingredient that is growing in popularity among companies looking to create the next generation of caffeinated drinks is Yaupon. Native Americans used to drink Yaupon, which is rich in caffeine and antioxidants. Yaupon, a cousin to guayaba and yerba mate, is the only plant in North America that contains caffeine.
In an interview with Beverage Daily, Lou Thomann, the founder of Asi Tea, said, “Every time that I met a yerba-mate drinker, they preferred this.” Asi Tea is one of the newest products at the food show and the first ready-to-drink Yaupon. It’s based on ancient tea recipes using modern brewing methods. The company wants to encourage other growers and producers to experiment with native ingredients like aronia berry fruit, paw-paw, and American Ginseng.
The Paleo Diet is no longer the only way to eat ancestrally. Beverage makers are looking for new flavors and ingredients that are unique and sustainable in production. See our Food and Drink Trend Report for more information on this trend.
Birch water was one of the most talked-about products at the show. Companies like Sapp tout the water made from birch sap as the new organic super-drink. Birch water is made from birch sap and has nutritional benefits ranging from vitamins and minerals to proteins. The company makes two herbal infusions, nettle, and rosehip. These products expand its health offering.
Since coconut water became a phenomenon, other alternatives have emerged. A representative from Sapp said to The Innovation Group that the functional water category was one of the fastest-growing trends in the beverage industry. We believe that the size of the market is increasing – customers are switching from coconut water and sugary cold-pressed drinks to birch waters as a way to supplement their daily hydration. They also change from many of the “infused waters” when they realize forests rather than formulas produce birch.
