Flavored Water Trends
It can be particularly tricky to predict trends in the beverage industry. One thing is for sure, though, consumers are educating themselves more and becoming more careful about what they drink. That means that some ingredients, such as sugar, are on their way out, while others – especially natural, functional ingredients – are on their way in, in a big way.
Of course, some old favorites are still going strong. Water will always be one of the most popular beverages around, but today’s water isn’t your plain, everyday variety. While pure drinking water will always have a place on grocery store shelves, water that offers something extra is the beverage of choice for many thirsty customers.
Flavored waters containing functional ingredients are important now – think relaxation, energy, mental acuity, and beauty. CBD, in particular, has captured the industry’s imagination like no other ingredient. CBD is sought-after for its wide range of purported benefits, including pain relief, better digestion, relaxation, quality sleep, and general stress relief. Other popular ingredients also center on stress relief, such as holy basil, lion’s mane, and ashwagandha.
Another important trend in the flavored water industry includes floral, spice, and botanical ingredients. Many of these ingredients such as lavender, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric are so versatile that they can be useful in a wide range of beverages. Other ingredients often used to create floral and herbal profiles include rosemary, elderflower, rose, and basil.
We fully expect consumers to embrace new flavored waters with functional ingredients and even broaden their collective palate as they discover more ethnic flavors such as spicy flavors of Asia and Latin America. For example, habanero, cardamom, and cayenne is a popular combination found in many new products.
Indeed, the days when consumers had only fruit flavors to choose from in bottled water are long gone. Just as people are becoming more and more adventurous when it comes to food, they are seeking the new and unique in their water and other beverages as well. What a bottle of water can accomplish is irrelevant if it doesn’t taste good, so be sure to browse our natural flavor ingredients to find the right ones to help you create your latest signature drinks.