Special Report INDUSTRY
Nutrition Top Priority in Beverage Sector Drinks with healthy ingredients will be at the forefront in the space post-pandemic world
How is the beverage industry looking like today, during the post-COVID era? Prior to the pandemic, the “healthy” trend was already growing vigorously and consumer purchasing power was thriving. When the pandemic hit our shores, consumer awareness of immunity increased exponentially in light of our fight against COVID. This led to the increased popularity of immune-boosting functional beverages such as probiotic concepts, herbs with anti-infection properties (e.g., ginger, curcumin and finger root) and vitamin waters.
new flavour profiles that whet the appetite and interest of consumers. Botanical extracts in beverages, such as herbal extracts of finger root, ginger, galangal and lemongrass, are gaining in popularity especially in Asia due to an increased focus on immune-boosting products. Furthermore, we see spices such as Indian or Chinese spices including masala,
As we enter the post-pandemic era, new habits formed by consumers will continue to stay, and immunity and health concerns will remain a focus on the mind of consumers.
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As we enter the post-pandemic era, new habits formed by consumers will continue to stay, and immunity and health concerns will remain a focus on the mind of consumers. Recognising this, ingredients that provide health benefits and synergistic functions are being increasingly incorporated into beverage formulations. Today, we continue to see a growing amount of beverage products on the market with added vitamin C and beta glucan, probiotics and vitamins C & D, and added minerals like selenium & zinc. While soy and almond have become popular sources of plant-based alternative drinks, we are seeing that consumers are seeking new flavours and are excited to try other ingredients. Oat milk, barley milk, and millet milk are just some plant-based alternative drinks that have begun to gain acceptance and popularity. Consumers are also seeking out drinks that are able to contribute to immune boosting, deep sleeping, mood boosting (calm, energy), or alleviate dry-eye symptoms from prolonged screen time. What are beverage ingredients that are gaining popularity and are set to make a difference? We work with our customers to develop
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Asia Food Journal
Drinks filled with nutritious ingredients will be the top pick of consumers.
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