Many new and innovative functional drinks and drinkable supplements have hit supermarket shelves recently. Energy drinks, a category growing at an impressive pace for some time, are far from a novel concept in functional drinks. However, new this time around is the sheer number of new natural and organic energy drinks and shots, many with novel ingredients.
One significant new development is kombucha’s rising profile in energy drinks and shots. Some consumers already know this healthful, tea-based, fermented drink is loaded with probiotics and antioxidants, but the vinegar-like taste of kombucha can be divisive. Aficionados describe it as “bracing,” and that could explain a groundswell of interest in kombucha in shot form—a serving size long associated with energy products. Offering the best of both worlds is the launch of Celestial Seasonings’ Kombucha Energy Shot, an all-natural drink. Will consumers see a natural marriage between kombucha and energy? Research on energy shots performed by Growth Ventures in March 2011 found 64% of kombucha users already regard energy as kombucha’s primary health benefit, so the odds of success may be good for this type of drink.