The rise of functional drinks: What are consumers looking for?

2021.05.20

Consumer buying habits are changing. In the past, it was about buying into a lifestyle that a snack or drink’s brand offered, rather than the actual product itself. Now, consumers are much more focused on health and functionality.

Now consumers are looking for products that will add value to their life. So, when creating a new Food & Beverage brand, you need more than just great taste and eye-catching packaging, you need to provide functionality and health benefits. It’s about the product providing something extra.

Brand loyalty is now linked to brand benefits and transparency. Consumers are looking for, and then sticking with, products that can trust to deliver on the claims they make.

It can be a challenge for new start up brands, without the years of trust-building to capture the attention of the millennial consumer. To do this, you now need a functional drink, one that has added benefits. There are the drinks that are attracting consumers and enabling brands to charge a premium.

Functional benefits

Functional snacks and beverages are those containing non-traditional ingredients like minerals, vitamins, amino acids, dietary fibers, probiotics, added raw fruits, etc.

This encompasses energy drinks, sport drinks, and bottled water with added vitamins. You could argue that energy drinks were some of the very first “functional” drinks. However, these don’t give you an added “health”benefit. In fact, many could be classed as unhealthy as they contain large amounts of sugar and caffeine.

Today’s consumers are beginning to steer away from high sugar and caffeine drinks and instead opt for a favourite barista coffee where they not only get a drinking experience but can regulate their caffeine and sugar intake.

All the drinks in the functional category aim to have some sort of effect on you other than just hydration. For example, Kombuca, Aloe Vera, Coconut Water, Green Tea and Morning Tea-these are all examples of the new breed of functional drink flooding the market.

COVID-19 has made healthy drinks, that offer a function and benefit to the consumer, more important and popular than ever before.

Functions of resistant dextrin in beverages

Resistant dextrin can be added in the beverage to replace part of the syrup, which can quench thirsty, replenish water, reduce the calories and provide with needed dietary fiber for human body.

Attributes

Increase total fiber in any beverage

Reduce calories & sugar

Improve mouthfeel in low- or no-sugar options

Support satiety & weight management claims

Helps curb off notes, pairs well with protein

Clear, transparent solution

Applications

Juices & fortified waters

Shakes & smoothies

Protein & nutritional

Yogurt & dairy-based