Ingredients such as acidifiers, buffering agents, sweeteners and nutritional components must be carefully balanced to deliver the nutrition, function and flavor consumers love.
The diverse beverage category is finding new ways to attract consumers, with altered flavors being the direction of choice, though other approaches are likewise proving successful.
A product targeting specific demographic groups is something of a tradition for manufacturers in the global consumer packaged goods world. Lately, there has been an influx in products targeting women, both broadly and also on a more segmented level--expectant mothers or older women, for instance.
The use of superfruits and natural ingredients and formulations are major trends, as consumers reduce artificial ingredients in their diets and focus on natural health benefits of fruits and vegetables.
According to Mintel’s report, “Tea and RTD Tea--U.S.--May 2007,” tea sales reached more than $3 billion in the U.S. alone, a growth of almost 30% since 2001. Tea, as an ingredient, has also been the nucleus of product innovation across food and beverage categories.
The addition of fortifiers such as vitamins and minerals can go smoothly, if developers are aware of the perils and solutions available during processing.
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