If you toss a coconut into the ocean, it will rise and fall with the waves, but remain afloat. Much like the physics of a coconut, plant waters as a category have seen their fair share of ups and downs the past five years while “riding the waves” of fluctuating sales and consumer interest. However, coconut water remains one of the most market-viable plant waters, maintaining a decent market share when compared with other categories. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how coconut water will stack up against newer plant waters gaining traction in the market.
There are a wide variety of plant waters from which to choose, including tree waters (such as maple and birch), aloe beverages, coconut water, artichoke water and cactus water. According to New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC), plant waters are the fastest-growing segment of the plant-based beverage market. Yet, its performance has not been consistent.