Articles Tagged with ''health and wellness''

Although the eCommerce effect has presented a new dynamic for the retail market, the convenience store (c-store) channel has shown itself to be resilient. However, experts note that the channel still is navigating other consumer packaged goods (CPG) trends in order to meet the needs of today’s consumer.

With the emergence of bottled water as the No. 1 most-consumed beverage and the growth of better-for-you products like cold-pressed juices and ready-to-drink teas, it’s clear that many consumers are becoming more aware of their everyday health. In line with this trend, consumers have become more aware of the importance of supporting their immune systems on a consistent basis as a way to prevent illness before it happens.

Whether quick-service, fast-casual or a full-service restaurant, consumers are experimenting with new flavors and seeking more premium offerings like specialty coffee, cold-brew coffee and iced tea while dining out.

With health-and-wellness trends driving product innovation, sports and protein drinks are benefiting from a changing consumer base beyond hard-core athletes to a widening demographic including women and seniors.

A natural health halo has been benefiting the tea category as consumers look for back-to-nature, better-for-you and functional beverage options.

The juice and juice drinks category has been challenged to maintain its share of the beverage market as consumers look for products that contain less sugar. On the upswing, juice concentrates experienced dollar sales increases of 4.5 percent for the 52 weeks ending May 14 in U.S. multi-outlets and convenience stores, and shelf-stable bottled juices were up 1.1 percent for the same timeframe, according to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI). However, IRI data indicates that dollar sales for aseptic juices were down 0.7 percent, canned juices were down 1.6 percent and refrigerated juice/juice drinks were down 1.5 percent. 

With a hand in many of the trends impacting consumer packaged goods, millennials have played a role in the growth of natural, organic and non-GMO products. In conjunction with the demand for better-for-you products, consumers are looking for flavors that are perceived to be healthier.

Once a niche trend, health and wellness has gone mainstream as many market research firms have highlighted in reports. As better-for-you options abound throughout the consumer packaged goods market, beverage formulators are turning to stabilizing ingredient sources to maintain product efficacy.

Continued interest in health and wellness, back to nature and proactive health trends have resulted in consumers turning to products that boast a natural, healthy halo. Although bottled water has experienced the most notable gains from these trends, bagged, loose-leaf and ready-to-drink (RTD) teas also have benefited from their associations as better-for-you products.