2017 Ingredients for Health Guide: Food (and Drink) for Thought

New global product launches positioned on a brain health platform have demonstrated steady growth since an initial surge in activity in 2013

Take5 relax and focus beverage — Relaxation drinks represent a small but growing segment.

With so many stressed out consumers and a worldwide aging population, products with cognitive and/or relaxation health benefits should be a booming market. However new product development—particularly that targeting seniors—remains low.

New global product launch activity tracked by Innova Market Insights positioned on a brain health platform has demonstrated steady growth since an initial surge in activity in 2013. Product launch activity tracked containing brain health ingredients in 2015 is led by China (14%) and the United States (11%). Together the two countries represent one-quarter of all product launches tracked.

The majority of brain health product launch activity in 2015 tracked by Innova Market Insights is dominated by the Baby Food market, followed by Sports. The Baby Formula/Milk sub-category leads with 68% of product launches, whereby DHA is often incorporated for its brain development attributes. The next most popular market categories for brain health claims are Baby Cereals/Biscuits (12%) and Sports Powders (6%).

Leading brain health ingredients used for new product launch activity tracked with brain health claims in 2015 include vitamin B6, vitamin B12, taurine, magnesium, choline and DHA.

Just Relax

In its April report titled “Relaxation Drink Production in the US,” IBISWorld highlights that the industry rapidly gained momentum during the five-year period to 2016, as many producers introduced products to the market during this timeframe, it states. Additionally, the industry, in which the market research firm excludes ready-to-drink tea, dairy-based drinks and carbonated beverages, generated $218 million in sales, a 24.7% annual growth rate between 2011-2016, it says.

For its part, the IBISWorld report predicts future growth.

“As industry operators extend their sales to new markets across the United States and customers show a growing interest in their products, relaxation drinks are anticipated to become a mainstay,” it states.

Meanwhile, there are new products hitting the shelves, like those from Take5Drink, Austin, Texas; and Marley Beverage Company, Detroit.

Last spring saw Marley Beverage launch a brand revamp and redesigned packaging for its line of Mellow Mood relaxation drinks. The effort included a shift from glass bottles to aluminum cans and it brought a line extension. Joining Mellow Mood’s five decaffeinated teas were three new zero-calorie sparkling waters. The waters, along with two zero-calorie teas, are sweetened with a blend of erythritol and stevia.

The brand’s latest Low Calorie Raspberry Tea Lemonade includes decaffeinated black and green tea that’s brewed using triple filtered water, pure cane sugar, erythritol, pear juice from concentrate, lemon juice from concentrate, natural flavors, citric acid, sodium citrate, stevia leaf extract, chamomile flower extract, lemon balm extract, valerian root extract, hops extract and passionflower extract.

This summer saw Take5Drink introduce its self-titled stress-relief dietary supplement shot. That 2oz shot offers natural, non-drowsy stress relief and improves focus, the company says. The zero-calorie shot contains L-theanine, gaba, magnesium and B vitamins to provide the stress-relieving and focus-boosting functions, which last for four hours, it adds. The shot retails nationwide for a suggested retail price of $2.99.