A quick glance at the beverage cooler in any local grocery store shows there are definitely trends in the industry that are playing out over time. This is true for beer, wines, and ciders, as well as for distilled alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks.
Taking a closer look at these trends in beverage processing and how consumers are responding is a simple way to get an idea of what to expect over the next few years.
Unique Flavors and Combinations
One of the challenges for the new beverage processing companies coming into any type of market is the increasing focus on new or unique flavors and combinations. This is true not only in carbonated waters and non-carbonated drinks like the fermented and sometimes effervescent kombucha tea but also in flavors of beers, ciders, and even pre-mixed alcoholic drinks.
A Focus on Health
In all types of beverages, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic, the trend in beverage processing is also to use natural and organic ingredients, non-GMO products, and to choose natural options over artificial.
This is sometimes a challenge for manufacturers as different sources for natural ingredients can result in slightly different flavors and end results in the beverage. The good news is that consumers are willing to try these new and healthy products, and they are rewarding manufacturers for choosing these options.
In conjunction with this, more consumers are researching the manufacturers of beverages and choosing companies that are buying sustainable ingredients and using environmentally friendly processing options. Combining natural ingredients with sustainable sourcing is a hot trend in the industry now and into the future.
