Functional drinks have quickly become an emerging trend, providing health-enhancing beverages with ingredients tailored specifically to each person’s wellbeing. Most functional beverages contain health claims or feature premium ingredients in order to provide targeted benefits.
Younger generations are driving this beverage trend, seeking energy-boosting options in the morning and post-workout recovery drinks in the evening. To take full advantage of this trend, operators must offer beverages that support hydration, energy and mental wellness.
Hydration
Consumers today want beverages that do more than simply satisfy thirst, such as supporting their health and wellness goals, providing energy enhancement or offering mental well-being benefits. This trend has increased sales of functional drinks – an increasingly growing segment of the beverage industry.
Hydration is one of the key functions of functional drinks and consumers desire it as the top benefit. Other desirable characteristics of functional drinks include immunity support, soothing properties and improved beauty and cognitive functioning.
Bars that want to attract their target audiences need RTD beverage options that support current trends. Regular tasting sessions and ingredient workshops are a great way to foster genuine enthusiasm among staff about these products, which is essential when explaining them to customers. Some customers may be skeptical of functional drinks; authenticity and transparency are therefore key for building trust with consumers. Utilizing scientific research from credible sources is also key in upholding consumer trust.
Energy
Functional beverages designed to boost energy levels are an increasingly popular trend in functional drinks. Probiotics, adaptogens, and ginseng are often included as ingredients that offer healthy energy boosts; drinks that support digestion or mental clarity are also in high demand.
Consumer interest in beverage applications that support cognitive functions, enhance beauty and anti-ageing has been steadily growing, yet hydration remains the top function sought-after from functional beverages.
Effective marketing and consumer engagement will be vital to driving sales of functional drinks. Clear and concise product benefits descriptions can build consumers’ trust in purchasing these beverages, while in-venue tastings and social media campaigns that highlight health benefits can drive brand recognition and consumption. In-venue tastings as well as social media campaigns highlighting health benefits can further build awareness while increasing consumption. Staff education such as training materials can assist bartenders confidently explain product benefits to customers – such as listing functional ingredients with individual benefits as well as how these are achieved – which may help build consumer confidence for beverages containing medicinal or aromatic plants containing medicinal or aromatic plants containing medicinal or aromatic plants as this approach helps create brand recognition while driving consumption of functional beverages containing medicinal or aromatic plants containing medicinal or aromatic plants in particular.
Focus on Health and Wellness
Health-minded consumers are seeking beverages with additional health benefits beyond simply hydration, such as immune support, cognitive enhancement, energy boosts or stress relief. Functional drinks provide an easy and accessible way for busy individuals to incorporate these ingredients into their wellness regimes.
As functional drinks become more widely consumed, brands must ensure their products contain consistent and quality ingredients. This can be challenging given that many functional ingredients can deteriorate during production or storage processes, creating additional challenges.
Consumers want to trust that any claims made on packaging are supported by research. Incorporating clean-label ingredients with clinical proof of efficacy – like probiotics for gut health, adaptogens for stress relief or nootropics for focus – into products can help build trust between a brand and their target consumers. Yet unfamiliar ingredients could create confusion or even distrust among these target groups – this makes it even more essential that functional beverage brands provide transparent information regarding ingredients used and benefits offered in their offerings.
Mental Health and Relaxation
At home or on the go, taking time for yourself and relaxation is vitally important in order to remain balanced and peaceful. While traditional relaxation techniques like yoga or herbal tea may help, functional beverages offer another powerful method for holistic wellbeing. From CBD-infused drinks to adaptogenic elixirs – products designed to promote mental clarity and reduce anxiety are popular choices among consumers searching for balance.
People of all generations desire beverages that support their goals for leading a healthier lifestyle, such as providing hydration, energy, cognitive enhancement, mood or stress support or even just mood stabilization. Functional beverages have the power to build trust with consumers while driving sales growth.
Husch Blackwell has vast expertise advising beverage businesses on state and federal laws regarding labeling and health claims, while helping them develop innovative and effective products to meet consumer demand. For more information contact your nearest office of Husch Blackwell (Law Clerk Alexandria Pontious contributed to this blog post.). This blog article was originally published on February 25, 2019.
