Functional beverages once languished at the back of an aisle, but now they are taking center stage as consumers prioritize health and well-being – particularly among younger consumers.
Brands are capitalizing on micro-trends to meet consumer expectations by offering benefits like hydration, digestive support, energy boosts and immune enhancement.
Boosts Energy
Functional drinks provide consumers with energy-boosting ingredients to help reach their fitness goals more easily, and can improve cognitive focus through nootropics, adaptogens and prebiotics. Many retailers are now providing dedicated functional drink brands for sale online and in store.
However, these drinks may contain hidden sugars and make unfounded health claims. For instance, a drink with turmeric, ashwagandha and ginseng might not give the promised immunity boost and could contain too much caffeine, leading to insomnia and anxiety.
Retailers must understand the ingredients in these beverages and how they fit into a wellness regime, to provide products tailored specifically to each of their customer needs – for weight loss, bone health improvement or stress relief purposes. This knowledge allows retailers to offer products that fulfill those specific requirements.
Supports Weight Loss
January diet culture can cause health and wellbeing levels to plummet, but functional drinks offer consumers an ala carte approach to improving their wellness without succumbing to trendy diets or fads. According to Mintel research, consumers expect functional drinks to offer them three key functions – hydration, energy boosts and immunity support are the top three priorities they expect functional drinks provide them.
Consumers are seeking to enhance both mental and physical performance through beverages containing adaptogenic ingredients such as mushrooms, L-theanine and various herbs such as ashwagandha to valerian. Retailers across the UK have taken notice and now feature dedicated ‘functional drink bays’ offering CBD, kombucha, clean energy drinks and other functional drinks that adhere to EU health claims without making false or misleading claims.
Supports Digestive Health
As consumers take a more holistic approach to their wellness, they’re turning more frequently to functional beverages for stress relief and energy and immune support. These beverages contain ingredients such as adaptogens, probiotics, and collagen which provide unique advantages beyond mere hydration.
These healthy ingredients may also aid with digestive issues; however, it’s important to remember that beverages like these shouldn’t be seen as a panacea – instead they should be used alongside a nutritious diet and regular physical activity.
Functional drinks have grown increasingly popular with younger populations. A wide range of beverage options exist today ranging from kombucha and collagen drinks, energy drinks, isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic solutions – it’s easy to find something suitable to your individual needs!
Supports Immune System
Functional drinks that boost immunity and mental health have become more and more popular as consumers strive to invest in themselves, such as probiotic-rich kombucha, teas with adaptogens like ginseng or ashwagandha, or nootropic ingredients that reduce stress while increasing cognitive focus.
Drinks containing functional beverages may offer essential vitamin D to support bone and muscle health, and many are lactose intolerant or milk protein allergy friendly to meet individual needs. While functional beverages have become popular choices for some consumers, they should never replace healthy eating and physical activity in terms of overall wellbeing.
Also important to keep in mind is that these beverages should not be consumed by pregnant women or those living with certain health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Read labels carefully and contact a medical professional if there are any queries or concerns.
Supports Mental Health
Functional beverages contain medicinal and aromatic plant extracts to provide numerous health benefits, including mood enhancement. By stimulating GABA receptors with ingredients like chamomile or L-theanine, functional drinks may help increase focus while decreasing stress.
Gen Z and millennial consumers are particularly drawn to functional beverages designed to soothe anxiety and maintain mental health, such as those containing CBD, ginseng or other natural herbs that reduce stress hormones while improving cognitive performance. These beverages offer great relief.
No matter their rising popularity, new product launches of functional drinks have declined due to decreased consumer interest. Manufacturers must find effective formulations that secure health claims while simultaneously satisfying consumer preferences in terms of texture, taste, and appearance – this is where Sweegen’s advanced flavour optimization technologies can really shine!
