Archive for category: Beverages & Drinks

Consumers are Replacing Traditional Breakfast with Nutritional Drinks

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The adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is no longer valid today, thanks to the rise in the popularity of performance and nutritional drinks. With the dietary habits of people evolving, many people opt for nutritional beverages as a favorite breakfast item these days.  About 35% of Americans agree that they do not adequately take care of themselves because they live very busy lifestyles and drinking performance drinks has become the norm for breakfast. Research conducted by Mintel indicated that 39% of people consume nutritional drinks every morning as a meal replacement while 48% consume them as part of their daily meals.

 

What Consumers Think About Nutritional Drinks

About 80% of consumers view nutritional drinks as a guilt-free beverage. Moreover, 69% believe that they are excellent sources of nutrients compared to tablets and pills. Many consumers drink nutritional drinks because they provide a more convenient method for eating whole foods.

Nutritional beverages are marketed very effectively by convincing consumers that they can maintain healthy lifestyles just by drinking them. The functional characteristic of nutritional drinks sets them apart from the rest of the beverages sold in the market.

Senior Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel, Beth Bloom, noted that performance drinks are the epitome of modern drinks as they provide the convenience that can fit the lifestyle and diet choices of the average American. Moreover, as many consumers move away from eating the traditional three meals a day, such beverages, fit in perfectly with their current lifestyle as they are affordable and accessible to many people who live very busy lives.

The Large Market Share of Nutritional Drinks

The favorable attributes of nutritional drinks are the reason why they are gaining a significant market share in the beverage category. Currently, there are now a lot of types of drinks under this category which includes weight loss formulas and sports drinks. Many consumers look for three basic characteristics when buying nutritional drinks including flavor, amount of protein, high fiber content, essential vitamins, and minerals.

Between 2010 and 2015, there was a surge in the sales growth of nutritional drinks of around 67% which is equivalent to $31 billion. Most of the sales come from sports drinks, which the industry growth is pegged at 22% during the same period. Weight loss drinks only have a 5% growth.

According to the Mintel’s Global New Products Database, manufacturers of products such as fruit juices, water, coffee, and tea have used the functional positioning as a platform to sell their goods to the market. Currently, many products have used the value of having functional attributes which are challenging the nutritional drinks in their strategy. Since the competition is very tough, the market has diversified the choices to their consumers. Nutritional beverage manufacturers should focus on promoting and substantiating their products’ efficacy by going for more natural products.

Inspired by mintel.com

Taste is Leading Consumer Indicator for Beverages

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The rise of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity have created a growing concern for parents and everyone at large to move to beverages that offer more benefits. This migration is what has come to be known as the better-for-you alternatives. It is the direction that the non-alcoholic beverage companies are moving with 90% of the new products they bring to market. However, taste still plays a major role in new product development of healthy alternatives.

Taste + Health = Top Beverages

After recent research by Mintel, it is clear that most people’s choice in non-alcoholic beverages is still primarily driven by taste. The percentage of individuals that prioritize taste above all else stands at a staggering 72% while health or nutritional benefits follow by a far cry at 21%.  The least influential factor for consumer preference according to the study happens to be functional benefits at 12%.

The same research shows that there was a stagnant or decline in sales between 2014-2015 and the saddest part of the story is that this trajectory is synonymous with the findings of the research. Carbonated soft drinks had a 0.1 percent growth, and juices grew by the same margin. The largest hits, however, were dairy milk that fell by 7 percent. On the other hand, beverages like coffee had an 8.7 percent growth and energy drinks had an 8.9 percent growth.

In the report, Mintel indicated that consumer preference was quickly changing and the numbers that stood at 66% for juice drinkers, 64% of carbonated soft drink drinkers and the same for dairy products would soon shift. This was as a result of the more than half of the Americans (67% to be precise) were often buying different or new style beverages. Another 18% indicated that they drink a vast variety of drinks. This goes to suggest that the scope of the non-alcoholic beverage industry is rapidly changing.

There is no doubt that the beverage market is doing all it can to meet the consumer’s need for healthier options. However, flavor and taste are still a big part of why customers prefer different drinks. If the taste is not great, then there is no doubt that the consumers will not even touch it. One of the beverage analysts at Mintel went ahead to state that the vast diversity of products that were available in the market made it much easier for consumers to move on to the next one.

It is true that the better-for-you movement is reshaping the industry, and the sales trends are proving this. However, brands will still have to consider factoring in the flavor factor which is primary as well as function and health.

The Future of Beverages

There has also been an emergence of cross-category beverages that has led to the development of new drinks. They add to consumer preference confusion and makes it also challenging for brands that would like to keep their new customers without polarizing those that have not yet made up their minds.

These varieties continue to diversify the options with 40% of customers being encouraged to purchase a new beverage as long as there is a sample in the store that they could try. The playing field is quite open, and the one brand that can incorporate great taste and health is more than likely going to take over the market.

Inspired by mintel.com

Bottled Water is Top Beverage Among Generation Z

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For more than a few decades, carbonated drinks and sodas have remained as the number one beverage. In fact in 1998, an average American drank 54 gallons of soda and only 30 gallons of water a year. However, the excessive consumption of soda fueled the country’s rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and as a result many have shifted to other healthier beverage options. But with the age of Generation Z and Millennials at hand, soda is now being replaced by a pure and unadulterated drink–water.

Gen Z and Millennials have been taught to make healthy choices. This is especially true when it comes to choosing beverages. A recent survey conducted by the Beverage Marketing Corporation and Fluent indicated that most Millennials and Gen Z prefer natural drinks like water.

It is important to take note that these generations grew up knowing that soda and sugary beverages are bad for you. This is the reason why many opt to drink water. However, this also creates an opportunity for beverage companies to create healthy drinks to fill in the niche.

 

Bottled Water Tops the List

It is interesting to know that bottled water tops the list of beverages that gen z and millennials prefer. In the survey, 43% of the correspondents consume water seven times per week while 22% consume it with coffee, milk or tea.

The popularity of bottled water as the healthiest alternative to soda and other flavored drinks is the reason why it became the second most popular drink in the United States. Soda companies are shaking in their boots.

What makes it perplexing is that tap water is also available, but respondents still prefer bottled water. In fact, 20% indicated that they solely drink bottled water instead of tap water due to safety concerns (Flint, Michigan). However, more are willing to drink from the tap as long as it has been filtered with an efficient filtering system.

As more and more people have become conscious about their health, water has become the most favored beverage in the country. Unlike other drinks, water does not contain any calories. It makes sense since we need it to survive.

What’s Next for Bottled Water?

The bottled water industry has fast-tracked since people started drinking more water than soda. In fact, an average American today drinks 58 gallons of water compared to two decades ago. That’s a 20-gallon increase since 1998. So what’s next for bottled water?

Industry experts suggest that the bottled water will surely hold on to the top spot for many years to come. But the question whether people will start drinking from the tap is still uncertain unless they are sure about the source of their water.

The popularity of water as the number one beverage allowed companies to develop their line of flavored water as well as enhanced water to appease the market’s growing need for innovation. However, the concerns for plastic can cause a backlash in the industry, and this is something that water bottling companies need to address.

Inspired by beveragemarketing.com

Guilt-Free Products Account for 45% of PepsiCo’s Portfolio

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Americans love to eat unhealthy snacks. In fact, the US snack food industry is one of the largest in the world. With many food manufacturers jumping on the health bandwagon, PepsiCo is not an exception. Over the past few years, the company has geared to producing healthier and guilt-free snack products for their health-conscious consumers.

Pepsico’s Chief Executive Officer, Indra Nooyi, noted that most of the sales of the company come from its carbonated drinks. With the reshaping of its portfolio, the company is planning to release more products that use natural and healthy ingredients like fruits, grains, vegetables, and proteins. They also plan on releasing other beverages like water and unsweetened tea to give variation to their consumers.

The company’s plan to sell guilt-free food products will result in changing their entire product line up. In fact, the company noted that the health and wellness focused products account for 45% of the company’s revenue.

 

The Shift to Healthier Options

PepsiCo sees the need to change their products after being criticized for producing beverages that can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and other metabolic syndromes. Moreover, most consumers today have shifted to healthy lifestyle thus opting for beverages that are made from natural ingredients. With the rising obesity rates in the United States, the company also wants to contribute to solving the problem by releasing drinks that have fewer calorie counts than usual.

 

Benefits for PepsiCo

PepsiCo has always relied on their fizzy drinks to drive their sales up. But since most of the consumers have shifted their attention to healthier beverages, the decision of the company to create guilt-free products has paid off.

The growth of the company by promoting nutritious and guilt-free food products now accounts for 45% of the revenue portfolio of the company. And with the high demand from consumers for healthy products, it is expected that the corporation’s return on investment will grow as more market trends take shape. This trend does benefit not only PepsiCo but also other food manufacturers. Companies are doing their best to focus on health and wellness products as consumers continue to connect food to their health.

With the high demand for healthy snacks and foods, it is no wonder why PepsiCo and other food companies have started producing their guilt-free products. What will PepsiCo do next to stay ahead of the curve?

Inspired by marketwatch.com

Kid Fruit Juices Contain a Day’s Worth of Sugar

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How many times have you given your kid a glass of 100% natural juice and next thing you know, they are bouncing off the walls? The answer is probably close to 100% of the time. It turns out those “healthy fruit juices” are not so healthy after all. According to a recent research study, more than half of the natural juices that are marketed towards children have unbelievably more than the recommended amount of sugar. The recommended amount of sugar for children in an entire day is about 19 grams or 5 teaspoons. The research study looked at over 200 products,  and more than half of these products pack that same amount in one drink.

Professor Simon Capwell led the research, and this is how they came to the conclusion above. After taking their broad class of samples, the group started to calculate the free sugars. This is the amount of sugar that has been added to the products which include glucose, sucrose, table sugar and also fructose. The free sugars also include the naturally occurring sugars found in honey and syrups. However, this does not contain the sugars that are found in fruits and vegetables.

Parents Beware of Sugar in Fruit Juices

After learning about the impact of other fizzy drinks and sweetened juices, most parents will opt for a healthier option, and when they do, the fruit juices come beckoning. They seem like a much better option, but this is not the case. Parents and even children have been misled into thinking that this is a “healthy” drink for a kid when it is not.

The lead researcher advised parents to look for alternative ways for supplementing their children’s diet. One of the ways would be by feeding the child actual whole fruits. These contain essential fiber that allows the slow release of sugar into the body making it more manageable. If the parent has to opt for fresh juice for their child, they should pick the unsweetened variety and only serve during meals. They can also try to dilute the juice with water to reduce the concentration of sugars. Another tip, when serving juice, the amount should be limited to about 150ml a day.

As expected, the research did not sit well with the representatives of the Juice Based Products Association, who thought that parents should feel good about having the sweetened fruit juice for their children. The naysayers referred to research that indicates that drinking the juice does not lead to dental cavities and that in fact, more frequent drinking might have a protective effect in the dental nature of the kid. That is a debatable matter. What is not debatable, is that by letting your child drink this fresh juice filled with sugar, you are pumping them with way more than they need for the day.

Inspired by health.usnews.com

NutriFusion® Transforms Fruit Juices for Kids

So, we have too much sugar in our 100% fruit juices…It’s time to make a change and develop a better for you product line. The biggest problem that we see with juices other than the elevated sugar content is the lack of nutritional value. One would think if you are drinking fruit juice, then you are getting all the nutrients from fruit. Well, that is not the case. In fact, the majority of these juices have no vitamins and minerals, or they are fortified with synthetic forms of the nutrients. We can help you add back the natural nutritional value that these products desperately need.

NutriFusion® developed a patent pending method to stabilize the nutrients in whole fruits and vegetables. Our proprietary method keeps the nutrients stable through the intensive heating and cooling of modern day beverage processing. If you are interested in learning more about NutriFusion® for beverages, please visit the page below.

What’s Next for Probiotics in Sports Nutrition?

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There is a high demand for healthy beverages all over the world, which has given rise to probiotics, cold-pressed, organic, and plant-based beverages. This is the reason why food and beverage manufacturers have started developing sports nutrition drinks that are not only natural but also contain probiotic ingredients to attract a new market of health-conscious athletes and individuals.

Defining Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for the digestive system. In fact, we naturally have probiotics inside us.  The gut is where millions of bacteria live and if the population of your gut microflora is made up of good bacteria, you reap the benefits by having proper digestion as well as a healthy well-being.

So why should you drink probiotics if you already have them inside your body? Unfortunately, abusive lifestyles such as being stressed and eating processed foods can affect the number of good bacteria in your body. Moreover, if you have been taking antibiotics, your good bacteria are also eradicated as antibiotics are not selective when it comes to killing bacteria in the body. Adding probiotics to your diet is an excellent way to replace the population of good bacteria in your body.

Adding Probiotics in Sports Nutrition

Probiotics are already found in many fermented products that we consume. These include sauerkraut, vinegar, kimchi, yogurt, and many others. But many market innovators want to add probiotics to boost foods that do not traditionally contain them.

The use of probiotics as a primary ingredient in sports nutrition is becoming a popular trend and is expected to reach a global market value of $46.55 billion in the next four years.  For instance, companies like Ingredion, GoodBelly, and NextFoods Inc. are aiming to tap into the sports drink market by improving their product using probiotics. Soon, many companies will also join this trend and will create probiotic product lines that are not only limited to beverages but also protein bars and snacks.

The Rising Demand of Probiotics

In a recent survey conducted by Ganeden, it was noted that 70% of the consumers are open to consuming probiotics in food instead of supplements. The respondents also mentioned that they are willing to pay more for healthy foods especially those containing probiotics.

More and more people are becoming health conscious. They are aware and picky when it comes to what they are eating. People are now interested in looking for food that can give them more health benefits. The increasing demand for healthy and functional foods is the reason why food and beverage manufacturers are developing ways to incorporate probiotics into their products.

For now, probiotics are seen primarily as a potential ingredient for sports drinks, but manufacturers are innovating for the future use of probiotics in fruit beverages, baking mixes, granola bars and much more. It is forecasted that probiotics are set to make appearances in different types of products not only in sports nutrition but also in functional day to day products.

Inspired by fooddive.com

Unhealthy Additives Are Transforming Gatorade

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Consumers are now connecting their health to the food and beverages that they consume. PepsiCo, who owns Gatorade, is facing a backlash regarding the types of unhealthy additives used in making their signature drinks.

So what’s inside a 32-oz Gatorade? It contains 54.4 grams of sugar which are more than the recommended daily allowance of an average person. Although 50 grams of sugar provides energy for individuals who are always working out or on the go, an average person does not have a need for it.

Sugar is the Silent Killer in Sports Drinks

There are different types of sugar. In chemistry, sugar is categorized as sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, and lactose. They are carbohydrates that fuel the body by providing the energy that it needs to sustain daily activities. Many food experts believe that sugar is one of the unhealthy additives that we include in our diet. It is important to take note that there are different forms of sugars, but one of the dangerous types of sugar for our health is sucrose, also known as white sugar or table sugar. Sugar is made from plants, and they can come from sugar beets or sugar cane. The natural juices are extracted from both plants and are crystallized to form white sugar which is made up of 99% sucrose.

Sugar is not a low-calorie additive. In fact, it has a high glycemic index (GI) which is a measure of blood glucose response after eating a particular food. Since its GI is high, this means that your blood sugar level is immediately elevated just a few minutes after consuming a tablespoon of it.

 

The Fight Against Sugar & Unhealthy Additives 

The ability of table sugar to raise the blood sugar level within a few minutes of ingesting it is the reason why people want to avoid Gatorade and other beverages.  For this reason, beverage companies are now launching innovations to keep their customers not only happy but also healthy. Many beverage companies are now offering low-calorie drinks, but their marketing strategy does not end there. Many companies are now attempting to create natural drinks by cutting out synthetic ingredients from their beverage mixtures.

For instance, PepsiCo removed the brominated vegetable oil from Gatorade’s formula in addressing the call of a 15-year old activist who launched an online campaign against the unhealthy additive. Moreover, the company also developed a sports drink that does not have artificial coloring and is sweetened with natural cane sugar.

The new line of beverages looks promising, but consumers are seeking drinks that fit their nutritional needs. Sport drink companies are trying to capitalize on the opportunity by creating healthier drinks without sacrificing the taste. For instance, both PepsiCo and Coke are now investing in coconut water, Suja juice, and sparkling water after calls by nutritionists to switch from sports drinks to drinks with less sugar and unhealthy additives.

Today, beverage companies are not only looking into making low-calorie drinks, but they also want to deliver beverages that are healthy—to fit the lifestyles of its many health-conscious consumers.

Inspired by businessinsider.com

Where are the Nutrients?

How are we able to market a beverage as “sports nutrition” and there are ZERO nutrients in the drink? On the other hand, some of these “nutritious” drinks are using synthetic vitamins and minerals to fortify their products. How is that any better? We should be looking for ways to deliver whole food nutrients into beverages like Gatorade and Powerade.

NutriFusion® developed a  patented method for stabilizing the nutrients in whole fruits and vegetables. We are here to help sports nutrition brands bring healthy, nutritious products to market. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the Beverages page below for more information.

Nutrients by Nutrifusion Logo

Fortified Premixes: Fundamental Considerations

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Research by the International Food Information Council Foundation on Food and Health revealed that 47% consumers prefer food with added nutrients. Consumers are now more aware of the food they eat. They read labels carefully and are informed enough to know the difference between what’s right for them and what isn’t. The massive demand for nutrient-rich food with added vitamins and minerals has given way to food fortification.

Food Fortification is the process of incorporating essential vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, iodine, vitamin A and iron into food products. These are blended into powdered premixes which are then added to products.

Fortified food was a breakthrough for disease elimination. Fortification is now used for filling nutrition gaps and balancing nutrient loss in the storing process of goods. Manufacturers are on the lookout for partners to launch their own fortified premixes and give their products additional features. However, it’s the process of formulating fortified premixes that pose the challenge. Here are the aspects that need to be considered regarding fortified premixes:

  • The fortification process relies heavily on the kind of food product that’s being fortified
  • Manufacturers need to chart a profile for the desired nutritional value.
  • The size of serving and shelf life must be considered.
  • Manufacturers will have to change the entire packaging and present the product as a new brand before the consumers.
  • The cycle of production will go through a significant change.
  • Cost-effectiveness is a major aspect of consideration for manufacturers.

The Desired Amount of Nutrients in Fortified Premixes

Manufacturers will have to chalk down the quantities of natural vitamins and other nutrients that are already present in the food and then decide what kind of nutrients must be added and in what quantities so as to meet the claim the product is looking to make. This is a critical decision when using GrandFusion® products in your premixes. GrandFusion® is heavily concentrated nutrients from whole fruits and vegetables. 112 mg of the GrandFusion® fruit mix is equivalent to 25% daily value in 6 essential vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B1, and vitamin B6.

Loss of Nutrients in Food Processing

To hold true to the labels, formulators will have to ensure that nutrient loss in the production processes and treatment of the product is calculated in advance and taken into consideration while creating the formula for the premixes. Nutrient loss in processing has caused problems for formulators and food manufacturers for a long a time. NutriFusion® is the solution to this problem. Our stabilized nutrients are capable of withstanding the intensive heating and cooling of modern day food processing. Our GrandFusion® products also have a minimum two-year shelf life to keep your nutrients stable through distribution and retail.

Adding the Right Elements

Vitamins and minerals that are to be added must blend in with the distinct taste, color, and aroma of the product recipe.

Fortified premixes do nothing to change the texture or taste of the food product. Therefore, manufacturers get to introduce a new product that isn’t very different from other items their brand is known for. But, it will have all the nutritional perks consumers are looking for.

The push for NutriFusion® nutrient fortification is simple: the difference is natural. Our GrandFusion® products are blends of whole fruits and vegetables so that we can deliver complete nutrition in a variety of products. The big difference between NutriFusion® nutrient fortification and synthetic nutrient fortification is bioavailability. Our products have 100% bioavailability versus 10% to 20% bioavailability for synthetic vitamins. Why? Our bodies need complete nutrients from fruits and vegetables to function properly, so we easily absorb these natural vitamins. On the other hand, synthetics are chemical formulations trying to resemble nature, and are bodies do not entirely recognize them. If you are building a non-GMO or Organic food product, please reach out to learn more about our nutrient fortification process. Also, please visit your respective category below to learn more about our products!