Architects live by the adage that “form follows function.” You could easily say beverage formulators also follow that guideline—considering that London’s Technavio, a market researcher, projects the functional food and beverage segment will grow at a CAGR of 7.8% through 2021.

Functional health benefits are delivered across categories, and they’re more frequently prevalent in platforms that consumers can enjoy while on-the go. Fad diets are out, while fringe is in (as in, consumers appreciate benefiting from lesser known ingredients).

Before delving into some specific beverage categories slated to experience innovation and growth in 2018 and beyond, here are a few macro-trends that are greatly influencing the food and beverage industry.

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