As beverage manufacturers get more creative in their product development, more beverages seem to be blurring category lines. One category that has been both aided and challenged by this multi-platform approach is the energy drink category.
Jonas Feliciano, beverage analyst for Chicago-based Euromonitor International, notes that non-alcohol beverages typically are broken into three categories: hydration, refreshment and function. Hydrating beverages typically consist of bottled waters, isotonics and sports drinks, while refreshment beverages include juices, carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), ready-to-drink (RTD) teas, etc. The function category traditionally includes energy drinks and various functional waters, he explains. However, innovation from energy drink manufacturers has allowed the category to capitalize on the hydration and refreshment segments as well, he says.