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Beverages: naturality and clean-label as watchwords

The beverage sector is generally a rather competitive environment. This is all the more so as the trend of naturalness is becoming more and more deeply rooted in consumer demand, to the point of completely reorienting the sector. As new drinks are introduced, it becomes clear that we are moving away from caloric and very sweet sodas and towards natural drinks that are good for the body. Here is an overview of some of the trends we have identified, with examples of natural beverages that have caught our attention.

 

The clean-label as a guiding principle: ever shorter lists of natural ingredients

The simpler the recipe, the better. The objective is to have lists of ingredients that are natural, and as few ingredients as possible. This means avoiding sweeteners, preservatives, colorants, stabilizers and other texturizers. Whenever possible, it is even ideal to have ingredients from local and organic sourcing.

Contrex has joined the trend by launching Contrex Green, based on infusion of mate and mineral water, and only 4 ingredients. An organic drink that allows Nestlé Waters to enter the natural drink market with its 3 flavoured water recipes.

Eau aromatisée Contrex Green
Contrex Green

Functional and natural drinks thanks to carefully selected ingredients

Many new beverages claim functional properties thanks to the ingredients in their composition. We had already told you about the trend of fermented foods, and this is confirmed as kombucha drinks become as numerous as they are diversified.

Odwalla invented Smoobuchas, kombucha style smoothies. This combines the benefits of fruit (fibre, vitamins) and fermented foods (probiotic bacteria). Smoobuchas are available in 3 recipes.

boissons naturelles Symples
Symples

Another possibility is to exploit the natural benefits of plants. This is the challenge of Symples, a young start-up that produces drinks based on herbal infusions and organic fruit juices. They tick a lot of boxes: natural and organic ingredients, few sugars, made in France and packaged in glass bottles that can be recycled endlessly. With their potions, they hope to bring herbal medicine and its ancestral knowledge of plants up to date. We can find the power of plants in the energizing version, and their calming properties in the relaxing potion.

Finally, super foods have become a must, and are found in beverages for their natural properties. At Four & Nat, we find drinks that contain chia seeds, for their cocktail of nutrients (vitamins, minerals and fatty acids), aloe vera juice for its detoxifying properties, or flax seeds, which are associated with cholesterol regulation. Each recipe combines a super food and fruit.

A common enemy: sugar

Soft drinks are considered sweet products, not drinks. And for good reason: its over-consumption in Western countries is associated with rising rates of overweight and obesity. There are more and more products labelled « with no added sugars », « with natural fruit sugars ». Other drinks rely on stevia, a plant with a very high sweetening power but a very low glycemic index.

Oasis will soon launch O’verger, fruity waters with no added sugars and more than 40% fruit. 4 flavours will be available: apple-pear, apple-blackberry-cassis, apple-strawberry, peach-apple.

Gamme O'verger
O’verger d’Oasis

In the same vein, Andros launched fruit drinks with no added sugars at the beginning of 2019. The drink is available in 3 recipes: cucumber-mint apple, clementine apple and exotic fruits.

 

Innovations in concept and packaging to challenge traditional soft drinks

Boisson Kolibri
Kolibri

Innovations do not only affect the composition. In the softs and sodas sector, the very concept of drink is revolutionized. In the United Kingdom, Kolibri challenges codes and offers drinks that consumers can adapt to their desires and preferences. The brand aims to be an ambassador of the individuality of each individual by offering the possibility of expressing it through as many different drinks as there are consumers. To achieve this, the drink consists of 2 elements. In the bottle, there is a sparkling and slightly sweetened drink, and in the push cap, the « Kolibri drops » that you simply dose as you wish into the sparkling drink. It is found in 3 original recipes, which contain no preservatives, no alcohol, and few sugars.

 

A global trend that has conquered the entire beverage industry

This trend, initially driven by small companies and start-ups, has spread to large groups. Today, all the players in the beverage sector have taken the direction of naturalness. This trend is in line with public health policies, which are alerting us to the increase in obesity and related diseases.

 

This article was written with Solène, we thank her for her help!

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