Today’s consumers are demanding “better-for-you” products, and fortified beverages are one way to provide them. Fortification of food products is done, in essence, to satisfy a deficiency. Historic examples are iodine in salt, vitamin C in juices, and vitamins A and D in milk. Beverages favor fortification, because they offer an aqueous phase for dispersion and hydration of concentrated additives. Beverages also are convenient for consumers—often requiring no or little preparation; offering the ability to be consumed on the go; and often viewed as healthful.
Beverages satisfy an immediate need for consumers starting off the day, as a meal alternative or for body restoration after a physical workout. Frozen beverages, in particular, are often chosen for fortification, as they offer the advantages of (typically) fresher taste and fewer, if any, preservatives or high-temperature processing.