Shire City Herbals added Elderberry Tonic to its lineup of ACV-powered functional beverages. 

Whether hot, iced, cold brew, nitro, ground or in pods, coffee and RTD coffee are “brewing up” expanding drinking opportunities in a hot market.

For more than 20 years, high-pressure processing (HPP) has helped beverage-makers bring fresh, healthy and functional beverages to store shelves. Now, pioneering engineering efforts are working to bring this processing technique to even more applications.

Co-founded by beverage entrepreneurs Ben Goodwin and David Lester, OLIPOP is a functional low-calorie, low-sugar beverage that combines the benefits of prebiotics, plant fiber and botanicals in a “New Kind of Soda” that promotes digestive health.

The numbers don’t lie — botanical ingredients are gaining favor in the food and beverage market. Interest in botanicals is on the rise for various reasons, which has only been boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic, experts note.

Emeryville, Calif.-based REBBL, a plant-based functional beverage brand founded to make a positive social impact and uphold human rights, is making health-conscious soda and a functional coffee solution with the launch of two new product lines: REBBL POP, a sparkling functional soda, and REBBL Stacked Coffee, a plant-powered cold-brew with additional health benefits.

LIFEAID Beverage Co. has hit the ground running post-pandemic with two recent product launches and a return to in-person tastings. On the road ahead, consumers can expect to see more functional offerings and “exciting” news in 2022.

The utilization of functional ingredients is prompting beverage-makers to source masking solutions so that the next generation of beverages deliver on function and taste.

KeVita, a brand of PepsiCo, released an on-the-go drink offered in a 2-ounce bottle to help support digestive health. 

Data shows that more consumers value clean-label ingredients for beverages. However, sourcing these ingredients as well as producing clear labeling surrounding a vague “clean label” definition are among challenges beverage brands face.