Healthy Drinks: Approaches by Active Players to Enhance Nutrition Proposition

Consumer preference is shifting towards healthy and nutritious products. Healthy drinks need requisite features such as bioavailability and an essential part of daily consumption, and it has become a priority for the product to be associated with health benefits. The article includes various types and formats of healthy beverages, competitive landscape, and innovation focus.

Healthy Beverages

Types and Formats

Consumers continue to demand healthy and performance-improving products that include dairy, sports, and energy drinks. Exhibit 1 illustrates significant formats of health-improving drinks.

Significant players in the segment include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Danone, and Nestle Waters, among big players, while several startups are also actively enlisted in Exhibit 2.

Notable trends in the healthy beverages segment in the market include:

• Reduced/Low/Zero sugar drinks (Low-calorie drinks) that are considered healthy and nutritional
• Fermented or fortified drinks that enhance nutritional values
• Circular economy of drinks/ingredients for functional benefits
• Nootropics that impart cognitive benefits
• Drinks with no additives/preservatives claims

Innovative players such as Quiny, HEYLO, AB InBev, and others are developing healthy drinks catering to the trends mentioned above.  These players focus on introducing functional ingredients or utilizing unique technologies claiming/enhancing benefits to consumer health or ecosystem. The subsequent section covers an overview of the identified innovative players.

Innovative Entities

Enlisted below are a few active players with innovations in the significant trends mentioned above.

Reduced/Low/Zero sugar drinks (Low-calorie drinks)

Zùsto – Zùsto NV.

Zùsto is a functional 1:1 sugar replacer, consisting of a unique core matrix of (non-digestible, water-soluble) fibers from natural sources. The unique composition of Zùsto provides 100% replacement of sugar in any sugar-containing food product on a 1:1 weight basis.

HEYLO – Unavoo Food Technologies

HEYLO, by Unavoo Food Technologies, is a breakthrough alternative to sugar with zero glycemic value and no taste trade-offs. HEYLO is a patented blend of natural, organic Stevia and natural dietary fibers. It is zero glycemic value indicates that it is safe for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

Fermented or fortified drinks

Mo’zumo – Probitat Oy

Mo’zumo, a patent-pending smoothie by Probitat Oy, is developed from quinoa, beetroot, fruits, and berries fermented together with lactic acid bacteria – Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 33007, which is a fortified fermented drink with gut health benefit.

First Ferment -Water Kefir Smoothie – Happy Gut Probiotics

A fermented, non-effervescent beverage, First Ferment -Water Kefir Smoothie by Happy Gut Probiotics is coconut-based kefir with probiotics and vitamins to boost gut health, energy, and immunity.

Quiny – Swebol Biotech AB

Quiny by Swebol Biotech AB is a product concept made from Bolivian quinoa grown by farmers in Bolivia. Swebol results from a long-term research collaboration between Sweden, Bolivia, and two universities: Lund University, Sweden and UMSA, San Andes University, Bolivia. Quiny is available both as a drink and as an instant drink mix.

Sustainability/Circular economy of ingredients

AES – WET Group

Activated Enhancement System (AES) Machine by WET Group (Water Enhancing Technologies Group) is an augmented water enhancement system. The system can produce clean, fresh-tasting great-tasting non-acidic water with a stable pH set at any level up to pH 10.5. It can meet any bottling/canning line commercial production demands. WET Group is an innovative water-enhancing technology business that aims to deliver transformative solutions with proven benefits for health and wellness to address severe water management challenges, quality, and safety in a more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way.

Saved Grains – AB InBev

AB InBev converts grain residues after beer brewing into nutritious, fiber-rich breakfast drinks. Louvain-based GITeC (AB InBev’s Global Innovation & Technology Center) developed Canvas, a sustainable, plant-based barley beverage made from spent grains. Each bottle comprises dietary fiber, complete plant protein, medium-chain fatty acids (from coconut), and a blend of taste-impacting ingredients. Designed to offer balanced nourishment for a health-conscious lifestyle, Canvas comes in one convenient, ready-to-drink size (12 fl oz) and five incredible flavors: Original, Cocoa, Cold Brew Latte, Matcha, and Turmeric Chai.

Nootropics

Synapse

Synapse nootropic drink by Synapse is a nootropic drink, which comprises plant-based nutrients and boosts cognitive performance.

Shine+

Shine+ Mind Water Pty Ltd., an Australian startup, introduced Australia’s first smart drink – Shine+, that enhances brain function and is made with natural ingredients. The beverage comprises nootropics, which help in boosting energy and improves immunity.

Drinks with no additives/preservatives claims

Nutrixin

Nutrixin Apple Peel Essence is an award-winning, novel, and innovative nutraceutical beverage designed and developed to offer the clinically-proven cardiovascular and immunity-boosting benefits of apple flavonoids and polyphenols. It is 100% natural, free from added sugar, artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives.

References

1. FutureBridge Internal Database
2. Company Websites
3. Press Releases
4. Espacenet