…For the same timeframe, Cola was the largest sub-segment, with sales of $13 billion, an increase of 12.6 percent; Citrus, at $4.6 billion and an 8.7 percent increase; Pepper, which saw a 12.2 percent increase and sales totals of $3.4 billion; Lemon Lime with sales of $2.9 billion, a 12.8 percent rise; and Ginger Ale saw sales of $1.4 billion, an increase of 13.2 percent.

Ilana Orlofsky, senior marketing manager at Imbibe, Niles, Ill., suggests it will take a long time before the core CSD flavors — cola, root beer, orange, lemon/lime and citrus — aren’t the top performers.

“But we’re definitely paying attention to some flavor profiles that we expect to gain in popularity in the next several years. Cucumber, sometimes paired with another fruit, has a lot of potential, especially because the crisp and fresh profile performs well in a cocktail or mocktail, which we know many consumers have been building at home in the past year,” Orlofsky says. “New Wave Soda has a cucumber soda. Dry Soda also has a cucumber offering in their adult-friendly, low-sugar soda line, as well as lavender, blood orange, watermelon, Fuji apple, ginger and Rainier cherry.”

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