Health halo of natural energy ingredients boosts consumer acceptance
July 1, 2014
Americans seem to be busier than ever. The average work day is 8.6 hours, according to Rochester, N.Y.-based Harris Interactive, and 39 percent of Americans between the ages of 19 and 36 report that they do not have enough leisure time, according to Chicago-based Mintel.
In recent years, consumer concerns about sugar intake have created a macrotrend of healthier beverages. As a result, the beverage industry has seen natural sweeteners like stevia evolve and become more widely used.
Although consuming something that’s alive might sound like a challenge from NBC’s “Fear Factor” TV show, probiotic beverages introduce consumers’ digestive systems to beneficial live cultures in a more appetizing way.
Whether for new product launches or reformulations, natural zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia and erythritol are gaining ground in the beverage market, says Melanie Goulson, sweetness applications leader for Cargill, Minneapolis.
Games like Nintendo’s Brain Age and websites like lumosity.com can help users exercise their brains to keep them in tip-top shape while making cognitive training fun.
When it comes to the latest trends, “healthy” and “natural” continue to top the list of consumer needs and interests for beverages, according to respondents of Beverage Industry’s annual New Product Development Survey.
The existence of daily, weekly, monthly and even fashionable pill-organizing containers is enough to prove that taking multiple pills a day has become routine for many consumers.
Performance drink ingredients give athletes an extra boost
October 16, 2013
Similar to how Popeye the Sailor Man consumed spinach to fuel his strength to save the day, many athletes turn to performance beverages to fuel their performance and help put them on the path to victory.