Vegetable-based, fermented, and animal-based beverages are all rising players in the savory drinks category as consumers look for simpler, more convenient ways to achieve their nutrition goals.

“Convenience plays a huge role in food and beverage sales, so being able to achieve your nutrition goals while on-the-go draws consumers to nutrient-dense beverages of all kinds,” Ilana Orlofsky, marketing coordinator at Imbibe, told Beverage Daily.

Transparent taste profiles

While fermented beverages may be an “acquired taste,” the category’s rapid growth in the past year shows that consumers are becoming more accepting of less traditional flavors seen in the beverage category.

Imbibe predicts consumers will continue to expand their palates and become more open to beverages that highlight instead of mask the inherent flavor of its ingredients – especially in the fermented and vegetable-based beverage space.

“Bitter is a flavor profile we expect to see more of in coming months, so consumers that believe bitter is better will also help drive veggie-based beverage growth.” Orlofsky said.

“With the rise in restaurants that develop vegetable dishes with meat-like preparations, I suspect consumers will be on-board wtih veggie-based drinks  that tout benefits, even if they also taste like vegetables,” she said.

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