The beverage market is quickly evolving. Staying up-to-date with new product improvements is pivotal to preserving tempo with client preferences.
Over the previous few years, the market has skilled many shifts and adjustments. The core traits Mintel has recognized are the rise of practical claims in drinks, the shift towards alcohol moderation, and elevated well being consciousness affecting beverage buy habits. On this article, we’ll discover how these adjustments can current progress alternatives for companies within the beverage business.
The affect of well being and wellness throughout beverage segments
Individuals are taking measures to make sure that their well being just isn’t negatively impacted by their beverage consumption. In truth, many are proactively in search of drinks that positively affect their well being throughout quite a lot of segments.
The sober curious motion and alcohol alternate options
The sober curious motion, consisting of people consciously lowering their alcohol consumption resulting from long-term well being considerations, is shaping the alcohol alternate options market. Practically half of sober curious shoppers say they’re lowering their alcohol consumption to enhance general bodily well being, whereas others are doing so to enhance their psychological well being.
Nevertheless, the attain of the alcohol alternate options market is restricted exterior of sober curious people due to a couple components, together with the premium pricing and the style profile of the drinks. Success inside this phase lies in a mix of daring branding, better-for-you (BFY) claims, and fascinating flavors that rival conventional alcoholic drinks.
Shopper notion of carbonated smooth drinks and well being
Within the carbonated smooth drinks (CSDs) market, shoppers’ well being perceptions proceed to forged a shadow. The bulk regard carbonated smooth drinks as an unhealthy selection for normal consumption. But, there’s an urge for food for reformulation and important curiosity in CSDs fortified with nutritional vitamins or minerals. Notably, 61% of CSD customers aged 35-54 state that nutritional vitamins/minerals would make a CSD a wholesome drink possibility. Furthermore, area of interest curiosity in drinks supporting mind well being and leisure indicators alternatives for product differentiation and innovation.
Vitality drinks resonate with ladies’s wellness aspirations
The power drinks sector rides the wave of health and wellness traits, notably amongst youthful ladies. Merchandise corresponding to Celsius and Alani Nu succeed resulting from their low/no sugar and calorie contents, advertising and marketing themselves as BFY sources of power. The packaging design and life-style branding resonate with this client demographic, encapsulating an aspirational health life-style.
That includes wording and imagery that resonates with a health life-style, Celsius attraction to younger ladies with this packaging. Supply: Celsius
Vitamin drinks stability bodily and psychological well being
Lastly, the vitamin drinks sector stays targeted on weight administration, reflecting shoppers’ ongoing affiliation of well being with weight. Whereas 43% of US shoppers nonetheless view calorie counting as a main technique for weight administration, an identical share say calorie counting harms psychological well being. This presents a chance for manufacturers to attach wellness achievement with positivity, creating methods that contemplate each bodily and psychological well being.
Throughout all segments, the US non-alcoholic beverage business reveals a robust drive towards well being and wellness, resulting in product innovation and an emphasis on bodily and psychological well-being.
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Innovation within the beverage business
Innovation within the non-alcoholic beverage business is creating new paths ahead. Fueled by evolving client preferences, main gamers are stirring adjustments that fulfill each style buds and the need for constructive well being outcomes, amongst different client calls for. Maintain studying to grasp how these developments unfold throughout totally different beverage segments.
The way forward for CSDs: performance and well being
Well being consciousness, alongside a renewed ardour for CSDs, has spurred the arrival of manufacturers like Olipop, Poppi, Revive, and United Sodas of America. They make use of pure elements and promote well being claims, efficiently relighting the spark for lapsed and present CSD shoppers, and intriguingly, doubling as interesting alcohol alternate options for these eager to chop again.
The deal with well being, nonetheless, has led to a potent query: May performance be the subsequent evolution for CSDs? Manufacturers like Rebbl, GuTSY, and Molson Coors are answering with a convincing ‘sure,’ integrating probiotics and different useful components into their choices. The aim is to remodel indulgent habits into more healthy routines, and as Individuals transfer towards aligning their non-alcoholic beverage consumption with constructive well being outcomes, this turns into more and more related.
Taste: the gateway to practical drinks
Taste serves because the introductory handshake in terms of practical claims in drinks. That is made clear by the truth that over 40% of shoppers usually tend to strive a brand new drink primarily based on taste than practical advantages. An identical variety of shoppers say that unfamiliar elements or flavors are extra interesting when paired with acquainted elements. The important thing then lies in balancing a constant core number of acquainted flavors with fascinating improvements, thereby catering to each devoted and impulsive customers. Manufacturers that encourage shoppers to positively join practical advantages with already loved flavors are more likely to see success, as shoppers can fulfill their cravings while having fun with the additional advantages.
Demographics driving vitamin drink innovation
For the vitamin drinks market, mother and father are driving class engagement and innovation curiosity, particularly fathers. This demographic is proving to be a gateway for households in offering the youngsters with their vitamins on busy days, however dads even have robust calls for of the class. They not solely search for “all-natural” and “natural” claims greater than different demographics, however need merchandise with these claims to ship on vitamins simply as a lot as alternate options. Apparently, fathers additionally hunt down new/attention-grabbing flavors at greater charges than different demographics. Interesting to fathers by way of focused innovation might be a clever step ahead, notably with new flavors.
On the identical time, older shoppers (aged 55+) are lowering their engagement as vitamin drinks shift towards health dietary supplements and away from the normal vitamin components that this demographic values. These shoppers, due to this fact, characterize an untapped viewers. Manufacturers ought to innovate to encourage retention of older shoppers, preserving in thoughts their desire towards conventional vitamin components like high-protein, high-micronutrients, and low sugar.
Bottled water innovation: sustainability and performance on the forefront
The bottled water phase is taking up the problem of environmental stigma with single-plastic use elevating considerations. As youthful shoppers’ curiosity in sustainability amplifies – with 63% stating that they’re prepared to pay extra for environmentally pleasant bottled water – manufacturers are responding. Mintel International New Merchandise Database (GNPD) information reveals that US water product launches with environmentally pleasant claims have been rising year-on-year. The aim, nonetheless, is for manufacturers to decide to sustainability not solely of their use of packaging supplies but in addition within the sourcing of water itself, notably with rising considerations round water shortages.
Performance can be making a mark on the bottled water market. Topping the checklist of shoppers’ most well-liked practical advantages in water is “superior hydration,” adopted by different capabilities corresponding to “pores and skin well being” and “digestive well being assist.” General, shoppers are searching for a variety of advantages from their water consumption, and types are beginning to reply to this with success. Innovators ought to take into accout the significance of taste to shoppers, and likewise of speaking practical advantages.

”Full of vitamin C,” this rising model focuses on the added advantages of lemons to water, together with performance. Supply: The Lemon Excellent Firm
The important thing drivers of innovation within the US non-alcoholic drinks business are well being and wellness, client demographics, and sustainability. This innovation is paving the best way for a various and inclusive beverage expertise that caters to the evolving preferences of shoppers.
How ought to manufacturers transfer ahead within the non-alcoholic drinks business?
Manufacturers seeking to make their mark and thrive should align with the well being consciousness wave. Tapping into practical elements could also be a step ahead on this space, while remembering that taste stands because the gateway for shoppers for many segments. Acquainted flavors can act as a bridge, encouraging shoppers to cross over to the unfamiliar, whether or not or not it’s flavors, or elements which will present fascinating wellness claims.
Is your online business technique aligned with the evolving preferences of beverage shoppers? Have you ever absolutely explored your prospects’ consumption habits? With Mintel’s main unbiased market and client analysis, you possibly can strategize in keeping with the newest traits and developments in non-alcoholic drinks within the US. Discover our Drinks Market Analysis, or fill out the shape under, and an business knowledgeable will contact you straight.
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