Botanicals and wellness beverages spotlighted at BrauBeviale 2019

15 Nov 2019 --- The beverage space is booming with NPD, as consumers increasingly look for new flavors and the added benefits of functional ingredients. As the consumer palate expands, never has the beverage category been so blurred. FoodIngredientsFirst reports from the show floor of BrauBeviale 2019, in Nuremberg, Germany, which took place this week, on the latest beverage trends sweeping the industry. Alcohol reduction, hybrid drinks, floral infusions and flavored water are especially popular, with a pronounced focus on the use of natural ingredients.

Innova Market Insights has pegged “Hello Hybrid” as one of 2020’s Top Ten Trends as formulators seek to meet an array of consumer demands. Several hybrid beverages, especially those bridging the gap between soft drinks and alcoholic beverages or juices and waters were on display at BrauBeviale 2019. The key theme of the 2019 edition was “Future viability of the beverage industry.”

Doehler showcases its Multi-Sensory Experiences solution.Adult beverages redefined
One of the biggest consumer trends we see is that alcohol consumption is decreasing on a global basis or stagnating, Jens Birrer, Head of Market Segment Beverages at Doehler, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. In response to the downturn in alcohol sales, Doehler has helped its clients develop soft drink portfolios, which can allow them to continue growing their numbers. These novel soft drinks, which target adults who wish to reduce their alcohol consumption, are formulated to be exciting and sophisticated with the use of fruit and botanical extracts, he notes.

“We are headed in the direction of fusing the alcoholic industry with soft drinks, so we are fueling ideas like brew-based soft drinks,” adds Birrer. Doehler’s brewed sodas in Brewed Lime or Brewed Ginger flavors position themselves as having “grown-up” tastes, in part due to their reduced sugar content.

Austria Juice also sees plenty of possibilities in the market for non-alcoholic beverages. “We feel the market is there for these products, which bridge soft drinks and alcoholic drinks,” Gerd Diefenthäler, Innovation & Market Intelligence Manager at Austria Juice, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “We are seeing spicy or hot flavors in low- or no-alcohol content beverages as alternatives to drinking alcohol,” says Diefenthäler. Maple Syrup & Ginger Cider is one of the company’s own formulations that delivers sweet and spicy in a sparkling alcohol-free concoction. Another flavor combo by Austria Juice is mango jalapeno, created with a spicy jalapeno extract.

Flavored water and floral NPD
Gerd Diefenthäler displays Rosemary Lemongrass flavored water and a Maple Syrup and Ginger Cider.Flavored water is growing in popularity as consumers continue the trend to reduce sugar and calorie intake. Diefenthäler comments that many consumers don’t get enough pure water because they simply don’t like the taste. Adding herbal or fruity flavors encourages consumers to rehydrate. An example from Austria Juice is a Rosemary Lemongrass flavored water. Between 2014 and 2018, the indexed number of global food and beverages tracked with a botanical ingredient climbed at an 8 percent annual growth, according to Innova Market Insights data. While a 22 percent CAGR was noted in alcoholic beverages with botanical flavors.

Birrer at Doehler also notes that consumers are seeking more natural ingredients for their well-being, which is driving the flavored water trend. Fruit or floral extracts are becoming a popular part of brands’ portfolios, whether in water or other beverages. “We offer the possibility to get the homemade taste of fruit infusions in flavored water and bring it to an industrial scale,” notes Birrer.

Botanical and floral flavors, as well as less-known fruit flavors, are gaining momentum in the beverage industry. BrauBeviale flags calamansi, yuzu and mangosteen as “rising stars” in the non-alcoholic beverage sector in Europe. The addition of more plants and herbs not only speaks to the trend towards well-being, as with flavored water, but also the demand for more plant-based food and beverages.

In line with the floral trend, Kalsec launched a new line of botanicals at the show for a versatile range of beverage applications. Meanwhile, Destilla displayed a line of botanical beverages released exclusively for exhibition at BrauBeviale. Visitors at the Doehler stand could sample iced coffee with a touch of lavender extract. Although alcohol consumption was down in 2018, BrauBeviale predicts that alcohol consumption is set to rise in many parts of the world in the coming years, with the most growth expected in the Middle East. As to be expected, BrauBeviale 2019 also had hundreds of brewers creating alcoholic beverages, including companies with innovations in liquid yeast and wet hops. A number of companies positioned their products through provenance storytelling with signs that read Belgian malts, Polish hops or hops from Germany. 

Nevertheless, the ongoing trend for natural, plant-based beverages for health and well-being has had a far-reaching impact on the range of low-sugar, healthy drinks now available. In a testament to a new era with reduced alcohol, two out of eight bars at the Craft Drinks Area did not serve alcohol at all. One bar served tastings of innovative non-alcoholic drinks, while the other bar offered diverse types of water.

By Missy Green