Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Commentary

Non-alcohol drinks influence consumer dining options

Foodservice operators creating unique beverage solutions

By Jessica Jacobsen
Jessica Jacobsen
October 17, 2018

When it comes to my grocery retail shopping habits, the store’s beverage selection plays a major part in where I opt to spend my dollars. Based on data from Technomic, a Winsight company, it seems as though beverage options increasingly are impacting consumers’ restaurant selections.

The market research firm reported in its 2018 Beverage Consumer Trend Report that more consumers today than two years ago indicate that non-alcohol beverages are “very important” when deciding where to dine. According to the report, 23 percent of respondents indicated this compared with 18 percent in 2016.

“Beverages are increasingly important to creating memorable foodservice experiences,” said Anne Mills, senior manager of consumer insights at Technomic, in a statement. “Brands are leveraging beverages to differentiate through signature drinks like mocktails, over-the-top options like extreme milkshakes and better-for-you options. But, demand for innovation continues to rise and it will be critical to take beverages to the next level while still meeting demand for familiar favorites.”

Based on responses from more than 1,450 consumers, as well as menu and industry data from the Ignite database, Technomic’s report also found that 39 percent of consumers overall purchase four or more beverages a week from foodservice establishments. Respondents also indicated they are most willing to pay extra for 100 percent fruit juice.

Beverage-makers and restaurants owners are heeding this call through their latest innovations. For example, Cooper Tea Co. launched B.W. Cooper’s Organic Cold Brew Tea 11:1 Concentrate, a cold-brew tea concentrate designed for restaurants, coffee shops and other commercial foodservice applications, it says.

“Once the cold-brew phenomenon moved beyond coffee and into tea, we started getting requests,” said Colleen Norwine, Cooper Tea executive director of sales and marketing, in a statement. “Everyone loved the taste of cold-brewed tea and wanted to capitalize on the higher price point it commands; but there wasn’t a practical way for high-volume restaurants to serve it. We’re excited to be the first to provide a solution.”

Packaged in shelf-stable, 32-ounce miniature milk jugs, each “mini-jug” of concentrate makes 3 gallons of cold-brew tea when mixed with water. Batches of tea can be made based on demand, which reduces the amount of stale tea thrown out, conserves water, and improves environmental sustainability in local communities, the company says.

Foodservice operators also are turning to seasonal favorites when developing non-alcohol beverage options. For example, Smoothie King introduced limited-time smoothies featuring real, organic pumpkin. Available through Dec. 26, the four flavors are as follows: Slim-N-Trim Pumpkin, a 240-calorie smoothie with 2.5 grams of fat and 15 grams of protein; Coffee High Protein Pumpkin, a post-workout smoothie featuring 31 grams of protein; Vegan Pumpkin, a better-for-you vegan treat; and Pumpkin D-Lite, a smoothie made with frozen yogurt with no added sugar.

As non-alcohol beverage selections become more important to consumers, it will be exciting to see which new products will engage foodservice operators and consumers.

KEYWORDS: better-for-you beverages foodservice juice smoothies non-alcoholic drinks tea

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Jess 200

Jessica Jacobsen, editor of Beverage Industry, visits a range of beverage companies for cover stories and facility tours, represents the magazine at trade shows and industry events, and works with the Beverage Industry team to determine the content and direction of the magazine and its online components. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Marquette University.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Carbonated Soft Drinks
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Wine & Spirits
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Sting Energy

PepsiCo, Sting Energy unveil global partnership with Formula 1

PepsiCo + poppi

PepsiCo completes acquisition of poppi

people drinking Wynk

Mindful drinking prompts growth for THC beverages

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

June 26, 2025

FAST. FOCUSED. FUELED: Delivering Energy Consumers Can Feel

Learn how to formulate products that deliver the energy experiences that people want, and keep them coming back for more.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Beverage News

    Frey Farms launches new beverage line

    See More
  • Madrinas Coffee

    Twitch star partners with Madrinas Coffee

    See More
  • Simply Beverages Smoothies

    Top 2019 Headline: Simply smoothies begin nationwide rollout

    See More

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • April 9, 2025

    2025 State of the Industry: Non-Alcohol Beverages

    On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Non-Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at Beverage Marketing Corporations provide an in-depth look at how the major and emerging players fared in the past year and what the future holds for them in 2025.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing