It’s no secret that the beverage industry has evolved during the past decade or so. With new demands from consumers, beverage-makers
have developed new products that provide function, low or no calories and flavor. “[W]e know that changing lifestyles and preferences of Americans is what drives our industry,” says Susan Neely, president and chief executive officer of the American Beverage Association (ABA), Washington, D.C. “To meet this demand, our member companies are being more innovative than ever to provide consumers what they want — whether that’s new beverage options that fit their lifestyles or clear calorie information so they can make more informed choices.”
As beverage-makers accommodate consumers’ changing preferences, retailers are tasked with filling their aisles with a new assortment of beverages, particularly those with a continued drive toward health and wellness. “In 2000, liquid refreshment beverages [LRBs] with less than 5 calories made up only 39 percent of the full LRB market,” Neely says. “In 2014, zero-calorie LRBs made up 46.4 percent of the LRB market. The beverage industry is in a new age, one in which every American will find something in the beverage aisle that they enjoy — and there’s a lot more to come.”