Whether it’s for suppliers or finished beverages, trade shows can provide an eye-opening experience about what trends are on the horizon.

At this year’s National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show, the Cool New Products section was a great introduction to what innovations companies were showcasing. And on the show floor there was no shortage of emerging brands and categories.

Among the numerous beverage trends, one that caught my eye was hangover shots.

Packaged similarly to energy shots, hangover shots are positioned as an alternative to hangover pills, and two companies at NACS showed alternative ways their products address this emerging trend.

Hangover Joe’s Products, Cincinnati, featured its Hangover Joe’s Recovery Shot, which is designed to be taken in the morning to aid in relief of a hangover, the company says. The formulation contains a combination of vitamins, including niacin, B6 and B12. The product also contains Hangover Joe’s proprietary Get Up & Go Blend, which includes the kudzu root and flower because of their cooling properties that address the heat component of the alcohol, the company says.

Another brand, Party Armor, Bay City, Mich., addresses the hangover shot category, but is designed to be consumed prior to going to sleep. The company says a 2-ounce solution contains 17 ingredients to help your body recover while sleeping. Part of Party Armor’s proprietary blend is prickly pear extract, which contains antioxidants that support the liver with detoxification abilities and as an anti-inflammatory agent that aids in the relief of a typical hangover symptom, nausea, the company says.

As the anti-hangover trend continues to emerge, it will be interesting to keep an eye on this category and see where it will land in the future of the beverage industry.