Juice-infused energy drinks, premium teas and fermented beverages are becoming increasingly popular with consumers, according to recent trend forecasts from Canadean and Wild Flavors.
Energy Drink Innovation
Energy drinks are particularly popular with consumers. According to forecasts from Canadean, this segment will grow 11.3% in 2013, making it the fastest growing segment within the non-alcoholic soft drinks sector in Europe. Wild recently unveiled a new zero calorie version of energy drinks with a variety of cocktail flavors, such as Mojito, Ederflower and Mint – along with concepts based on Ginger and Chili.
Tea is Hot
Ready-to-drink teas are widely popular and Canadean is predicting that, in 2013, this category will see year-on-year growth of 5.4% in Europe. For instance, Wild is featuring pure tea beverages to combinations of premium teas, such as Ceylon, Green Tea or White Tea with fruity mango or fresh mint flavors, in addition to its tea extracts and tea infusions range (with a “freshly brewed tea” product that is processed within 48 hours).
Malt with a Hint of Fruit
Combinations of malt with fruit juice, such as malt with Pineapple or Pink Grapefruit, are also new products on the market. Wild is using fruity flavors that combine well with the malt taste, in terms of both the flavor and the juice.
Fassbrause Craze
Fassbrause is a trendsetting drink and is especially popular in Germany. “Brewed lemonade” is fashionable with consumers, both the fruit flavored version and the version containing a portion of juice, such as Lemon, Elderberry or Maracuja.
Cloudy Beer Mix Drinks
Also on trend, Wild said is presenting concepts for cloudy beer mix drinks containing fruit as well as new products with citrus, including red grapefruit and green apple-lime. It also has a cocktail version in its portfolio containing Elderflower and Mint, which is based on the fashionable drink, “Hugo”. For this range Wild has flavored and added juice to different beer based products, both with alcohol and alcohol-free.
Exotic Tastes
With a nod to the exotic, Wild is also presenting a variety of juices where a precise declaration of origin is necessary. The range covers blends from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Amazon. The concepts combine popular classics, such as pineapple and orange, with exotic products of a specific region. The African version includes the Marula fruit and Pink Guavas from South Africa. For the Asian blend, Wild combined Alphonso Mangos from India, Tamarinds, and Coconut Water to provide a harmonious taste profile. Wild's portfolio also includes a Caribbean mix of Red Grapefruit from Cuba and Pineapple from Costa Rica; as well as a tropical verisons.
