The adage, “let thy food be thy medicine,” may be more than 2,000 years old, but the concept has been gradually impacting the beverage industry during the last decade.

Health and wellness continues to be a catalyst for innovation, but what that term means for consumers is a moving target and is impacted by a multitude of factors such as individual need states, age, and socioeconomic status. The ambiguity of the concept creates a lot of opportunity for brands (as well as some confusion) when it comes to creating new products that will resonate with consumers and have market staying power.

The good news is that there are commonalities in what many consumers want from products to help them achieve this ever-changing goal of “health and wellness.” In part, consumers are looking for improved energy, mood and performance.

Read the full article in Prepared Foods.