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Food Business Review | Saturday, May 20, 2023
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Juices and sodas are no longer enough. Alternative beverages are experiencing a boom in the food and beverage industry.
FREMONT, CA: Alternative beverages are non-alcoholic beverages made with non-traditional ingredients. They often improve well-being and have additional health benefits. These benefits may include enhanced energy, hydration, and probiotic strength. Alternative beverages include sports drinks, energy drinks, and plant-based water.
The rise of energy drinks, sports drinks, and beverages focused on health paved the way for an entire movement of beverages with a specific purpose.
Contributors to the emergence of alternative beverages, such as Red Bull and Glaceau, opened the market by generating demand for new options and identifying areas where the business could be improved or expanded. As the forerunners of vitamin-based beverages and energy drinks, the two firms demonstrated that consumers desired more from their beverages. In doing so, they capitalized on consumer preferences that helped propel the alternative beverage business to its current state.
ALTERNATIVE BEVERAGE MARKET TRENDS
Plant-Based Milk
Plant-based milk includes almond, coconut, soy, and rice beverages. This trend is manifesting in coffee shops around the nation, where plain dairy milk is now merely one of several options among an abundance of plant-based alternatives.
Although soy milk continues to lead the market, almond milk has seen the most increase in the United States. The largest market for these alternatives, especially soy, is Asia-Pacific. Plant-based milk is beneficial not only for lactose-intolerant individuals but also for vegetarians and those seeking to minimize their consumption of animal-based goods.
Premium Hydration
Customers place a premium on hydration in their beverages. Enhanced specialty waters and beverages comprise premium hydration. Coconut water from companies such as Vita Coco, SmartWater, and Voss exemplifies the differentiation of water-based products to cater to the market's diversification. These products can be distinguished from standard water by their flavor profile, source, or mineral and vitamin additions. Some of these waters have pH readings indicating that they are alkaline, and Aloe and maple water are more examples of non-traditional waters.
Premium hydration beverages are for consumers seeking alternatives to regular water that provide the same hydration level without the additives in certain hydrating beverages.
Incorporating the advantages of ordinary water and plant-based beverages, the appeal of premium hydration will increase as health professionals continue to emphasize the significance of drinking eight glasses of water every day. It is a perfect alternative for those who wish to mix up their routine or increase their nutrient intake.
Innovations in Traditional Tea and Coffee
Even though they contain caffeine, plain coffee and tea are boring enough to induce sleep, and it has been accomplished as often and in as many ways as feasible. Nonetheless, the alternative beverage craze has transformed how we consume even these traditional beverages. Tea has health advantages, including anti-aging, weight loss, and cancer prevention. It is hardly surprising that beverage makers are experimenting with their nutritious leaves.
The tea industry has tripled since 1990, from $1.8 billion to $10.8 billion, according to the Tea Association of the United States. Teas inspired by lattes, from matcha to chai, are proliferating in coffee shops around the nation, offering a delightful and nutritious alternative to plain, steeped tea.
In both coffee and tea, iced specialty beverages are gaining popularity. Fifty-five percent of coffee market expenditures will be allocated to specialty coffee. A popular iced coffee innovation is cold brew coffee. This drink's sales have surged over the previous five years and will continue to climb in the following years.