Rethinking the coffee replacement
Coffee alternatives are rising not as replacements, but as functional upgrades
Functional beverages
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
10 top trends in functional beverages
Gut health, energy and relaxation are booming: but what else are consumers looking for in functional beverages and how can brands meet their needs?
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.
Functional drinks shift focus from body to mind
Functional drinks have traditionally concentrated on the body. The next frontier is exploring brain health, cognition, focus, stress-relief and mental wellbeing
New product development
New beverage launches: Patrón, Nestlé, Starbucks, prebiotic soda and more…
From functional sodas and iced coffee formats to high-proof tequila and design-led whisky, brands are pushing to capture new consumption occasions
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.
Wellness brands dominate Alantra fast-growth poll as Dirtea takes gold
Dirtea, the once-niche mushroom coffee pioneer, has been named the UK’s fastest-growing food and drink brand in Alantra’s Food & Beverage Fast 50 with functionality taking over the mainstream poll.
The evolution of the energy drink category
Energy is reaching new audiences and opening up new opportunities
Mood beverages: How a new generation of drinks is helping us relax
An emerging functional frontier looks at a key consumer need
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?
How functional beverage brands can build trust and loyalty
Trust is key to building brand loyalty and reaching new audiences
Mood beverages: The ingredients spurring the category forward
Botanicals are the star of the show
Carving out the functional frontier of alcohol-free drinks
It’s an exciting area of innovation - but are consumers ready?
Collagen beverages and ingestible K-beauty gain US retail traction as Clöud Café launches at Ulta
Clöud Café has launched its coffee and matcha offerings at Ulta Beauty as alternative to leading collagen RTD products and marking the company’s first placement inside a US beauty specialty retailer.
Olipop ramps up focus on flavour innovation as functional beverages boom
Flavour innovation is top-of-mind for the gut health superstar as US consumers value taste above all
Inside the functional beverage craze: What benefits are consumers really looking for?
From gut health to energy, there’s a huge range of choice in the functional beverage category. What do consumers actually want?
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
Natural Products Expo West 2026
New beverage launches to watch at Expo West 2026
Pura Soda, Beyond Meat, Nixie, Malk, Tractor Beverage and more unveil their latest innovations in natural and organic drinks
Poppi launches in the UK
The US gut health soda launches its first international market with its UK debut on March 5
Why Arla wins through protein and trend-driven drink formats
Arla Foods’ record-breaking 2025 was forged by carefully-executed long-term strategy. Here’s how the dairy co-op has gone from strength to strength
Inside the $330bn functional food frenzy fuelled by PepsiCo, Coke & Nestlé
From PepsiCo to Nestlé, global giants are racing to cash in on the booming functional food craze, but with trends shifting fast, the stakes have never been higher
What is yerba mate and why is this natural energiser going global?
Yerba mate is breaking out from its South American roots, fuelled by soaring exports, innovation and booming global demand for natural energy beverages
Functional drinks hold mass market appeal – but there’s work to do
Functional beverages are popular with wellness enthusiasts: but how wide is their appeal?
Inside FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ protein strategy - amid a whey shortage
When ingredient trends boom, suppliers need a strategy to ensure they meet demand
Clean label vs. functional foods: Can the two trends coexist?
Functional foods are often ultra-processed – but can they be clean label?
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
Meet the futuristic functional ingredients reshaping human health
From the mental health crisis to keeping an ageing population active, state-of-the art ingredients promise to help humanity bio-hack its way to peak performance. Here’s how
Functional coffee trends: Nootropics, gut health, collagen and more
Coffee is nature’s original ‘energy drink’: thanks to the caffeine burst that gives energy every morning. But the coffee of tomorrow is going far beyond that...
Will the EU ban energy drink sales to children?
There’s growing pressure to ban energy drink sales to children: but is it that simple?
Brand on fire: How Trip has pioneered the calming beverages category
With tens of millions of views on TikTok, Trip has found fame with Gen Z and pioneered the calming beverages category. What are the brand’s secrets to success?
Target leans on functional beverages to steady slipping sales
Prebiotic sodas, better-for-you energy drinks and Halloween candy give embattled retailer Q3 lift
The future of functional food is female: Startup The Cycle taps into huge whitespace with PMS and period relief beverages
Targeting the growing demand for functional products designed by and for women, the startup blends clinical science, tradition and taste to normalize self-care during menstruation
The evolution of the energy drink category: Odyssey Functional Energy heralds drive towards added functionality
Clean energy has already swept across the energy drink category. Now, Odyssey Functional Energy heralds the next era of added functionality: becoming a favorite in offices of SpaceX, Uber, Google, Meta, Amazon and more
DrinkAid’s co-founder ventures into performance nutrition with creatine gummies
Ryan Foo, co-founder of Singapore-based hangover prevention firm DrinkAid, is venturing into the sports nutrition space with the upcoming launch of creatine gummies through his new business FOULPLAY.
5 functional beauty drinks driving innovation
The trend for functional beauty drinks doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon. Take a look at five of the latest innovations in this space.
New beverage launches: Innovation in functional beverages
From energy to relaxation, we take a look at some of the latest beverages in the functional beverage aisle and the ingredients they’re using
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
Pocono Maple Water taps into natural hydration opportunity
Pocono Maple Water is looking at the traditional drink through a modern lens: highlighting the hydrating power, authenticity and taste of the beverage
Sweeteners in focus
Liquid I.V., IQMIX and G Fuel lead zero-sugar drink mix shift
The $38.7 billion category’s momentum reflects consumer appetite for natural sweeteners, energy and focus
Twins triumph: Gut health guinea pigs turned burgeoning business leaders
The Gut Stuff, a multi-faceted business devoted to improving the general public’s awareness of gut health, has been recognized in the UK Fast Growth 50 index this year.
How to build a beverage brand: Tenzing on carving out the natural energy category
As one of the earlier brands to explore the idea of ‘clean energy’, Tenzing now holds a powerful position in the UK energy drink market
Healthy snacking trends
Släcka aims to redefine healthy snacking with ‘snack in a can’
Within the saturated functional beverage market, Släcka is betting on cravings instead of energy to stand out
Sparkling brain drinks: Ārepa targets fatigue and mental performance
New Zealand-based Ārepa has launched sparkling beverages designed to tackle fatigue and support mental performance
How to build a beverage brand: Bulletproof on shifting from biohacking to the big time
A decade ago, Bulletproof was a biohacking sensation. Today, it’s moving into the mainstream as it sees functional coffee gather momentum. How do you stay true to your brand while adapting to consumer trends?
What makes a GLP-1-friendly yogurt drink? Danone tells all
By formulating a dairy drink that specifically caters for weight loss medication users, Danone has set a new standard with Oikos Fusion
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.
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.