The non-alcoholic drinks sector recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.9 %* between 2015 and 2020. Producers have seen a challenging landscape in recent years, battling rising costs, sugar taxes, packaging legislations and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in global efforts to reduce calorie and sugar content in product ranges, as well as develop ‘novel’ flavors, to attract consumer attention, writes GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Holly Inglis, Beverages Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Beverage flavors are arguably the most important factor in determining consumer purchasing decisions, with 29 %** of global consumers stating they would happily try a new drink flavor out of simple curiosity. This highlights huge incentive for producers such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever and PepsiCo to launch new product developments – and reinforces soft drinks as a fast paced, innovative industry.”
Inglis highlights the top five flavor launches in 2021 so far that are shaping the global soft drinks landscape:
Going ‘green’ with hemp and CBD
“Hemp and CBD infused drinks are continuing to garner interest, with products such as Trader Joe’s non-dairy hemp beverage in the US and Sonnenstar hemp juice shot in Austria. While hemp and CBD are positively received by a third and fifth of global consumers respectively, GlobalData’s survey indicates that a considerable portion are still unfamiliar with the ingredients – producers must address this to ensure the longevity of their hemp- or CBD-infused launches.”
Mango, let’s go
“Mango flavored drinks have emerged in Romania and Singapore, though a flurry of innovations with flavor combinations that incorporate mango have been observed in the US, UK and France. In the US, PepsiCo’s Bubly Bounce product tags no calories or sweeteners and is a carbonated water brand combining grapefruit, mango orange and passionfruit aromas.”
Isn’t that just peachy
“Peach-based products such as Lipton’s peach tea with honey, and Badoit’s peach flavored sparkling flavored water in France both tag either low calorie or low sugar bases, reinforcing positive brand connotations, and favorable views on peach as a flavor base.”
Ginger spice and everything nice
“Ginger, on the other hand, has been integrated across parts of the globe such as Nigeria, South Korea and Peru, in line with consumers opting for products that promote digestive health and wellness claims. In fact, 78 %** of global consumers believe that ginger has a positive impact on their health, reinforcing those links to health/wellness, and promoting manufacturer opportunity to innovate in line with consumer trends.”
It’s ‘grape’ to be back
“Interestingly, grape-based products have also made an appearance in 2021, which is fighting off current stereotypes of grape flavored beverages being high in sugar and bad for health, especially in parts of West Europe where they have less-than-favorable links to low quality. A notable launch in Brazil from EBBA tackles this narrative via its grape nectar, which is claimed to have no added sugar.”
Inglis concludes: “What can be seen in the soft drinks landscape is the development of several unique flavor launches, all of which apply to varying consumer trends across the globe. Health and wellness attributes are meeting experimental flavors, which then crosses with exotic launches, appealing to a wide array of consumers. These launches will set the tone for the future of the soft drinks market, as one that is highly innovative and prospering.
“Although only five ingredient developments have been highlighted, the future is expected to see a number of developments from flavors such as aloe and berry; we will also see more flavor combinations hit the shelves, combining non-fruit and herbal notes, with unique fruit bases.”
* GlobalData’s Annual Soft Market Analyser – Global
** GlobalData’s Q2-21 Consumer Survey Results – Global
To prep for the warmer weather and festivities summer brings, Smoothie King launched Metabolism Boost smoothies—designed to boost metabolism and help control appetite.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are made with clean ingredients and come in two flavors—Strawberry Pineapple and Mango Ginger. When combined with a fitness routine, these smoothies help guests boost metabolism and control their appetite with whole, organic veggies, non-GMO fruit and naturally derived caffeine. An excellent source of both fiber and protein, Metabolism Boost smoothies help guests feel fuller and satisfied longer, and when combined with Smoothie King’s proprietary Metabolism Boost enhancer, help to accelerate metabolism and calorie burning.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are the newest menu item designed to help guests feel their best for swimsuit season and beyond. Smoothie King is committed to helping guests attain their health and fitness goals through nutritious smoothies complete with whole fruits, organic vegetables and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
For health-conscious guests looking for the perfect meal replacement smoothie to Rule the Day, Metabolism Boost smoothies are masterfully crafted with nutritious, wholesome ingredients and contain 280 calories and over 17 grams of protein per 20 ounces.
- Smoothie King Metabolism Boost Strawberry Pineapple: Strawberries, pineapples, protein blend, Gladiator Protein vanilla, fiber, kiwi apple juice blend and Metabolism Boost enhancer
- Smoothie King Metabolism Boost Mango Ginger: Mangos, organic ginger, banana, organic spinach, protein blend, Gladiator Protein vanilla, fiber, white grape lemon juice blend and Metabolism Boost enhancer
Metabolism Boost smoothies are available in all Smoothie King locations in the US.
Flying Embers, an Organic Hard Kombucha brewed with botanicals and live probiotics, is expanding beyond its Reyes Southern California footprint into the San Francisco Bay Area, Oregon and Washington; southwestern states Arizona and Texas; and jumping to the east coast via New York, Philadelphia and into the New England area. Flying Embers is in partnership with distributors including Crescent Crown Distributing, Columbia Distributing, Sheehan Family, Ben E Keith, Mancini Beverage, Matagrano, Penn Beer and more to be announced soon.
Flying Embers Organic Hard Kombucha currently comes in three flavors: Ginger & Oak, Lemon Orchard, and Ancient Berry. Each refreshing, smooth flavor is fermented with black tea, botanical adaptogens, and a kombucha culture with live probiotics. All Flying Embers Hard Kombuchas have a unique botanical adaptogenic base of roots including ginger, turmeric, ashwagandha, and astragalus. Flying Embers is USDA-certified organic, gluten-free, vegan and has zero grams of sugar at a sessionable 4.5 percent abv.
About Flying Embers
Flying Embers is Organic Hard Kombucha, with live probiotics, adaptogenic ingredients at 4.5 percent alcohol by volume. The Organic Hard Kombucha is made from a sparkling fermented tea kombucha culture with adaptogenic botanicals. Flying Embers was founded in 2017 by Bill Moses, proven beverage entrepreneur, co-founder and former CEO of Kevita sparkling probiotics, which sold to PepsiCo in December of 2016. The Organic Hard Kombucha line features innovative live brews: Ancient Berry, Lemon Orchard, and Ginger & Oak. Flying Embers is a presentation of Fermented Sciences Brewing.
Odwalla is bringing a smooth, tasty twist to the kombucha craze.
Odwalla Smoobucha, which hits stores in the U.S. after a buzzed-about unveiling at Natural Products Expo West tradeshow in Anaheim, Calif., blends the great taste and texture of fruit smoothies with the boldness of pasteurized kombucha.
Three flavors – Citrus & Guava, Berry & Ginger and Apple & Greens – offer a unique mashup of flavor and function, with 40 percent less sugar and fewer calories than leading smoothies. The cleverly named beverage also includes 500 million colony-forming units of “good” bacteria, an excellent source of fiber that helps support digestive health and delivers 100 % daily value of antioxidant Vitamin C. Odwalla Smoobucha, offered in 15.2-oz. bottles, can be enjoyed as a nutritious, on-the-go snack.
Odwalla also is introducing two limited-edition flavors inspired by the vibrant essence of spring. Hot Tropics and Mint to Be Berry offer a refreshing blend of 100 % juice, coconut water and trendy botanical ingredients such as jalapeño and mint.
Shou Quan Zhai (SQZ), founded in 1760 and one of the oldest food companies in China, is expanding into the beverage market with a new line of ready-to-drink products. The ginger tea and plum juice drinks are the first non-dairy beverages in China available in lightweight flexible packages from Ecolean.
The drinks will be available in the 200 ml Ecolean® Air Aseptic packages on February 20, on SQZ’s online store, e-commerce channels and at retail locations across China. The products are part of a larger traditional Chinese beverage line that will include more products in the future. SQZ is developing, manufacturing and selling herbal beverages to create a healthy lifestyle and is a bestseller of ginger tea products in China.
According to SQZ, the company is engaged in environmental issues and has a long-term view of its work in the sustainability field. The company is committed to keep refining its technology to provide the best experience for the consumers as well as for the environment. SQZ chose Ecolean for its unique package characteristics and low impact on the environment. Ecolean packages are lightweight, almost half in weight compared to many traditional packaging formats, and contain up to 35 % chalk. Using fewer raw materials from the start saves energy during production, transport and waste handling. The packages can also be completely flattened, minimizing food waste and using less space in the waste bin.
In addition, the packages can be used in the microwave — a main benefit to SQZ since ginger tea is typically served warm. The packages are also easy to open and pour and stand upright.
“With a 259-year history, SQZ proudly respects the environment for generations now and in the future,” said Lin Lei, Director, Public Relations and Government Affairs for SQZ. “Ecolean’s advanced packaging technology from Sweden has a minimum impact on the environment, is easy to recognize on the store shelf and is convenient for consumers to use.”
Just as Ecolean is committed to producing lighter, flexible packaging, its filling equipment is also light and compact using minimal resources. Ready-to-fill packages are sterilized using electron beam treatment, hermetically sealed and distributed on reels from Ecolean plants, bringing a considerable part of the complex sterilization process from the liquid food producer back to Ecolean. SQZ chose the Ecolean aseptic filling machine EL4+ for its operations. As for all Ecolean filling machines, it follows the philosophy of keeping it simple, providing a reliable, economical and lean operation. It is easily operated and maintained by SQZ’s personnel.
“The new ready-to-drink beverages from SQZ represent the first non-dairy beverages in Ecolean packages in the Chinese market,” said Johnny Sajland, Regional Director, Asia North and Oceania, Ecolean. “We are excited to work with SQZ to bring new innovation and products to the more than 1.4 billion population in China, both now and in the future.”
A mouth-watering blend of sparkling spring water, apple cider vinegar with mother, honey, fruit juices and carefully selected botanical extracts that will delight your taste buds, satisfy your thirst and fuel your body with natural goodness.
Sugar Tax exempt, with only naturally occurring sugars from the fruit juices and honey, and certified organic by the Soil Association, Switchle is curiously crafted in small batches from only the finest natural ingredients. Each 250 ml serving has just 55 calories – is vegetarian, gluten-free and in 100 % recyclable cans.
The inspiration behind Switchle is centuries old. In fact, in its most basic form it dates back to the 400 B.C. when Hippocrates, the father of medicine, prescribed apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for a number of ailments. Fast forward to 17th Century United States and ‘Switchel’, as it became known, was popularised by colonial farmers who added water and ginger and drank it to quench their thirst in the hot fields whilst harvesting the summer hay.
In 2017, we set out to evolve the formula by adding the finest organic ingredients to create a modern British version with a twist and subtly altered the name to Switchle. Using real spring water, Switchle is then blended with organic honey and organic apple cider vinegar ‘with mother’; which today is known to help alkalise the body, lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol and is also said to increase satiety, helping you lose weight. We then added a unique combination of popular health-giving organic fruit juices, spices and botanical extracts to produce 3 unique flavour combinations (Matcha, Lime and Mint, Rooibos, Raspeberry and Pomegranate & Tumeric, Ginger and Peach).
What will be the next hype after the turmeric latte?
Turmeric latte, or “golden milk”, was 2017’s dairy-based sensation. The golden-hued drink featured on menus of trendy cafés, and also emerged in chilled packaged formats. According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), hot beverage launches in Europe containing turmeric have more than quadrupled since 2013, growing by 359 % between 2013 and 2017.
Julia Büch, Food & Drink Analyst at Mintel, explains the trend:
“The turmeric latte is inspired by a traditional Indian remedy based on hot milk and turmeric infused with spices such as pepper, cinnamon and ginger. The drink has purported health benefits, but equally, its appeal comes from the photogenic and intense, social media-friendly colour. Milk has not traditionally been a trendy or social media-worthy drink, but colourful, flavourful offerings such as the turmeric latte could change that.”
And there is clear consumer interest in such beverages: 35 % of Germans aged 16-34 would like to see more flavoured milk launches, such as chocolate or spices. Even 77 % of German consumers aged between 35 and 54 say that they like to explore new flavours. The near future will see dairy brands looking to other new colours and textures to create the next trendy, attention- getting and ‘social media-worthy’ dairy drink.
Julia elaborates:
“Future formulations could include fizzy milk, new colors and new textures. Fizzy milk, for example, is already a popular concept in China and other parts of Asia. Colourful matcha or spirulina could be the next buzz-worthy ingredient in the West, where they are currently less known. As Mintel’s 2018 Global Food and Drink Trend ‘New Sensations’ explains, the next evolution will bring texture into the limelight. Already, we can see new foaming ingredients that infuse drinks with an unexpected texture such as the tea macchiato from China – a drink that blends tea with whipped cream cheese.”
Indeed, although matcha has been around for centuries, it is only now booming in Europe. Hot beverage launches containing matcha have increased more than tenfold in Europe between 2014 and 2017 and its vibrant green colour is already finding use in eye-catching matcha lattes. Spirulina is one of Mintel’s Trend ingredients for 2018, and is quickly becoming a trendy ingredient in the food service industry and with blue ‘mermaid lattes’ appearing across Instagram feeds.
Global launches of carbonated soft drinks with dairy ingredients, or ‘fizzy milk’, have also grown over the past five years, albeit from a small base. Asia Pacific currently accounts for 86 % of fizzy milk launched in 2017. The combination of carbonation and dairy can create a creamy texture that is rare in carbonated drinks. This novel texture innovation is primed to be ‘the next big thing’ according to Mintel research’.
Shot-sized health-boosting juice launches take off
Consumers are increasingly interested in naturally-functional food and drinks. This increase in health consciousness, coupled with busy on-the-go lifestyles, has fuelled innovation around smart, nutrient-rich snacking solutions. Tapping into this trend, health-promoting juice shots provide a quick, natural boost of nutrition in small to-go bottles. Though still niche, the share of juice shots in total juice launches in Europe has increased sixfold over the past four years.
Nordic countries take a leading role in innovation
Nordic countries, led by Denmark, take a prominent role in juice shot launch activity in Europe. Of all juices described as shots/boosters launched between October 2015 and September 2017 in Europe, 39 % were launched in Denmark. Germany, Norway and Sweden follow with 13 % of launches each. Repeatedly referred to as “the healthiest countries in the world”, Nordic countries put a strong focus on wholesome, nutrient-rich and naturally functional diets.
Ginger dominates the scene, but probiotic-rich ingredients on the rise
Using concentrated doses of fruits, vegetables, plant extracts and herbs, juice shots are designed as a preventive measure to boost consumers’ overall wellbeing, but can also address specific health issues…
The whole blog by Julia Büch, Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel
