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Podcast: Functional beverages are slamming

Consumers pivot to “better for you” options

Chloe Riley, Executive Editor

October 19, 2023

 

The landscape for center store beverage categories has been shifting dramatically, as consumers gravitate toward newer players that provide functional benefits, like prebiotic and probiotic sodas, as well as old standbys like energy drinks.

Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley sat down with Numerator’s Mike Scavuzzo at the recent EXPO East Natural Products show in Philadelphia, Penn. to talk about the significant growth in functional beverages. 

Highlights from Scavuzzo’s 2022 recap on the prebiotic and probiotic soda category:

  • Just shy of $162 million in category projected sales on 107% growth vs 2021

  • Total households, up 71%

  • Average spend per household, up 22%

  • Purchase frequency, up 12%

  • Spend per trip, up 9%

  • Spend per unit, up 2%

  • Units per trip, up 7%

“The brilliance of these brands is that they took a high penetration, mainstream category and made it ‘better for you.’ Mainstream means consumer approachability and little education needed to understand what the product is.. Better for you is self explanatory. That deadly combo is making a dent in CSD (carbonated soft drink) sales and you better believe Coke and Pepsi are on high alert.”

Take a listen.

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About the Author

Chloe Riley

Executive Editor, Supermarket News

Chloe Riley is the Executive Editor of Supermarket News, which delivers the ultimate in competitive business intelligence, news and information for executives in the food retail and grocery industry. A graduate of the School of Journalism at Columbia College Chicago, Chloe previously served as a Digital Strategist at SEO firm Profound Strategy, Associate Editor at B2B hospitality mag HOTELS Magazine, as well as CEO of her own digital strategy company, Chlowe. She lives in Woodstock, Illinois. 

Email her at [email protected], or reach out on LinkedIn and say hi. 

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