The functional beverage checklist
From flavour and functionality to fun: here are the five crucial areas every functional beverage must address
Health & wellness
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Going for red: Ocean Spray taps health and visual appeal to localise in China
Cranberry specialist Ocean Spray is leveraging multiple health benefits and bright red red visual appeal to tailor products for China, aligning innovation with local tastes
From protein to prebiotics: 11 launches tapping into longevity nutrition
Brands are reformulating everyday foods with more protein, fibre and functional ingredients as consumers look to support strength, digestion and long-term wellbeing through daily eating habits
Healthy ageing beyond the wrinkle: 4 big opportunities in food and drink
The longevity trend is moving from beauty and wellness into food and drink, and the opportunities are big
Rethinking the coffee replacement
Coffee alternatives are rising not as replacements, but as functional upgrades
Coffee’s cognitive benefits may act through the microbiota–gut–brain axis
New research from APC Microbiome Ireland suggests coffee-driven changes in the gut microbiome may relate to brain function and behaviour.
How to build a beverage brand: Neutonic on reaching its $60m valuation from nootropic drink growth
Co-founder and personal trainer James Smith talks innovation, growth and social media stardom... and his hands-on approach to customer service
TRIP expands night-time portfolio with CBD-free sleep range
UK-based CBD drinks brand TRIP has expanded its night-time offering with the launch of new Dream Gummies and Dream Powder, formulated without the brand’s flagship ingredient.
Calm in a can: Savvy launches functional beverage targeting mental, menopausal needs
Aussie brand Savvy has released a ready-to-drink functional beverage targeted at reducing stress and anxiety while maintaining mental performance, which also responds to a growing need for menopause support among women.
The evolution of the energy drink category
Energy is reaching new audiences and opening up new opportunities
Modern soda’s influence spreads across the beverage category
The category has taken US shelves by storm over the last couple of years: but what will it look like in 2026 and beyond?
Carving out the functional frontier of alcohol-free drinks
It’s an exciting area of innovation - but are consumers ready?
How alcohol-free drinks can become the life of the party
Alcohol was once what held social occasions together. Now alcohol-free has the opportunity to take up the mantle
How to build a beverage brand: Spindrift on embracing the sparkling opportunities in better-for-you drinks
Flavor innovation has been key for Spindrift’s sparkling water: and now the brand has expanded into soda and iced tea as it continues to embrace opportunities for growth...
GLP‑1 drinks take off as brands race for $3.5bn functional growth
From protein shakes to collagen coolers, brands are reinventing beverages for the GLP‑1 era and the race for dominance in this fast‑growing $3.5bn category is just beginning
PepsiCo plays ‘offense’ to transform portfolio for health-conscious consumers
CEO Ramon Laguarta outlines plans to reduce sugar and sodium, boost protein and fiber, and “restage” core brands to drive higher value per consumption
Gen Z is drinking again, but alcohol is still in trouble
Alcohol consumption is in decline, and not just because of the allegedly health conscious young
The rise of clean alcohol
Widespread demand for clean label is finally reaching the alcohol category
New safety thresholds for toxin disrupting infant formula sector
It’s hoped EFSA’s proposed limits will offer clarity for manufacturers and regulators alike
Free AF: The brand riding the canned cocktail wave in alcohol-free
A rising star in the US canned mocktail category, Free AF is betting on a big alcohol-free future
Drinking less but drinking better: Understanding the moderation movement
Consumers want to be healthier; so they’re cutting back on alcohol. But is it really that simple?
Reinventing decaf coffee: Nolo creates functional RTD brew to elevate taste and texture
The new launch uses prebiotic fiber to help create a creamier, more luxurious brew: an innovative new take on the decaffeinated coffee category
Diet Trends
Alcohol-free beverages become part of the wellness diet
From Dry January to everyday routines, alcohol-free beverages are integrating into wellness diets with functional, mood-enhancing ingredients
Diet Trends
What ‘healthy’ means to Americans is changing, and so should marketing
Consumers want healthier food but struggle to trust nutrition information, creating both challenges and opportunities for brands, according to new data from the International Food Information Council
The rise of the social tonic: Hiyo highlights functional beverage potential in alcohol-free
Packed with a proprietary blend of adaptogens, nootropics and botanicals, Hiyo makes social connection the center of its brand
How alcohol-free marketplace Boisson connects brands and consumers
Boisson’s revived mission goes beyond stocking the best in alcohol-free: it’s about building the category with a community of mindful drinkers
Top tips for global expansion from alcohol-free spirit innovator
As the world’s leading independent non-alcoholic spirits brand, CleanCo knows just how quickly drinking trends are changing...
Is Dry January still in vogue?
Consumers are cutting back on alcohol year-round. Is January still important for alcohol-free brands?
US drinking guidelines revamped in dramatic shift
New US drinking recommendations now simply state that less alcohol is better
Medjool dates, saffron and cardamon seeds: Entrepreneur creates flavorful functional alternative to traditional milkshakes
Finance professional turned food entrepreneur Masuma Zahara Bukhari brings an exotic flair to the fast-growing functional dairy-free category
Will soda taxes serve as the model for future UPF regulations?
The beverage industry has long argued that soda is singled out unfairly when it comes to soda taxes. But now there’s pressure to extend measures across ultra-processed foods
Healthy beverages
Lipton leans into function and flavor with new herbal teas and concentrates
Lipton is expanding into concentrates and herbal teas to meet growing demand for flavorful, functional and convenient tea formats, while keeping pace with trends like GLP-1 wellness and stress management
How Sprouts scouts out the next big thing in beverage innovation
Sprouts Farmers Market’s approach to NPD keeps it on a constant search for the hottest beverage innovations
Yuka brings aspartame fight to the US
Report calls for ban on ingredient found in thousands of common food and beverage products
The ‘proteinification’ of everything
Once just a bottle shaker staple, protein is taking on new forms and finding its way into everything from soda to chips to macaroni and cheese.
Americans are drinking less than ever: The key figures from Gallup’s latest poll
Alcohol consumption has reached a 90-year low in the US. Gallup’s latest poll reveals today’s consumption habits
Water kefir: A new gut-health growth opportunity?
Kefir’s dairy-free twin has enormous growth potential
Beating the mid-afternoon munchies: Släcka brings new take to the GLP-1 world
With consumers’ focus now on appetite control, new brand Släcka believes it’s perfectly positioned to carve out a new beverage category
Otsuka Pharma grows electrolyte drink business across Asia
Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical is trying to grow its POCARI SWEAT electrolyte drink business through market expansion, including recent entry into India and across the Philippines.
Behind the big idea: How Air Up creates beverages from thin air
Most of what we ‘taste’ actually comes from smell. So can a beverage be based on that alone? Yes, says Lena Jüngst: a product designer turned beverage entrepreneur who took this simple idea into a bottle that’s built a fan following among kids and young...
Cold pressed hemp drinks creator aims to disrupt CBD category
The founder of a UK-based cold-pressed hemp drinks brand says the moment is ripe to enter the thriving functional drinks market, armed with Novel Foods exempt drinks that comply with the legal CBD limit.
Bottled water thrives in the face of health drive
As consumers turn away from soft drinks and alcohol, they’re being drawn to another beverage - water
Graasí’s organic barley water taps into the functional beverage boom
Founder Chris LaCorata shares how Graasí evolved from a community revitalization effort into an organic barley-based wellness drink built for today’s health-conscious consumer
Why alcohol-free beer is set to become second-largest beer category globally
Having rocketed up 9% in 2024, alcohol-free beer is set to overtake ale to become the world’s second largest beer category by volume this year
UK considers putting health warning labels on alcohol
The government is exploring the idea of mandatory health warning labels and nutritional information on alcohol, as momentum towards similar legislation grows around the globe
Prebiotics, low sugar and botanicals are reshaping the beverage market
Millennials and Gen Z are fueling explosive growth in the low-sugar soda segment - but as brands like Poppi face legal scrutiny, success now depends on clinical backing, clear labeling and regulatory compliance
Oatly bets on coffee and science to fuel plant-based milk’s comeback
Oatly defends processed food, doubles down on coffee and pushes for the next wave of plant-based milk growth
Strong flavours brew growth as English Tea Shop enters Middle East
Strong flavours drive English Tea Shop’s Middle East debut as it looks to capture premium tea demand
New sugar reduction tech hits Europe - and it’s not a sweetener
Better yet, products using it won’t be considered ‘novel foods’
Hydrogen-rich water shows promise for muscular protection
Supplementation with hydrogen-rich water may reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and improve sleep quality, according to new research.