Almost 3 in 10 consumers say they would “happily try a new drink flavor out of simple curiosity,” according to Holly Inglis, Beverages Analyst at market intelligence firm GlobalData. The data are from the company’s Q2-21 global consumer survey. Inglis goes on to say that the results highlight “huge incentive for producers such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, and PepsiCo to launch new product developments – and reinforces soft drinks as a fast paced, innovative industry.”
What might those new products taste like? Here are GlobalData’s top five beverage flavor launches for 2021 so far.
Hemp and CBD
“Hemp and CBD infused drinks are continuing to garner interest,” Inglis says, pointing to options like Trader Joe’s non-dairy hemp beverage. The survey data show that there’s quite a bit of room for consumer education about these products — while one-third of consumers have a positive view of hemp beverages and one-fifth have a positive view of CBD beverages, many are still unfamiliar with the ingredients.
Mango
Mango is gaining popularity on its own as well as in flavor combinations. For example, PepsiCo’s Bubly Bounce combines mango and passionfruit into a no-calorie, no-sweetener beverage.
Peach
Peach-flavored products, like Lipton’s peach tea with honey, are also making waves. Incidentally, Lipton makes a peach mango herbal tea that capitalizes on both this and the preceding flavor trend.
Ginger
Ginger is widely seen as a health- and wellness-boosting ingredient. More than three-quarters (78%) of global consumers in the survey believe that ginger has positive health effects. This “[promotes] manufacturer opportunity to innovate in line with consumer trends,” Inglis says.
Grape
Grape is making an appearance as it “[fights] off current stereotypes of…being high in sugar and bad for health,” Inglis says, highlighting a product in Brazil that has no added sugar.
Finally, though they didn’t make the list, Inglis expects aloe, berry, and non-fruit and herbal combinations to also to gain popularity as well.
