Like a piping-hot press-pot full of freshly brewed French roast, activity in the RTD coffee space is, in a word, robust. Refrigerated options alone posted growth of nearly 20% for the 52 weeks ending May 17, 2020, with steady growth projected through at least 2025, according to Chicago-based market-research firm IRI.

And it’s a sure bet that plenty of the products driving that growth fall into the class of creamy, candy-sweet concoctions that resemble dessert more than they do a morning pick-me-up.

But another contributor, observes Ilana Orlofsky, senior marketing manager at beverage-development company Imbibe (Niles, IL), are coffees “with health-oriented benefits,” as a growing cadre of category disruptors is capitalizing on coffee’s better-for-you cred by using it as a base for functional formulation.

And they’re doing so for one simple reason, Orlofsky says: “Consumers are open to coffee as a platform for enhancing wellness.”

Read the full article on Nutritional Outlook.