Image Credit: Flickr user Jun Seita

Natural ingredients. Soda’s decline. The rise of energy drinks, dairy alternatives, and ready-to-drink tea and coffee—manufacturers are already aware of major movements sweeping through the beverage industry. But lesser-known trends are poised to be just as disruptive.

Manufacturers looking to make on-trend beverage products this year are turning to food trends for inspiration, such as exotic spices, protein, and meal replacements. Other times, manufacturers already have a solid concept but find ways to enhance the ingredients and experiential properties of those concepts. This could be through processing methods or removing controversial ingredients like sugar and alternative sweeteners.

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