How Are Shoppers Using AI to Choose Functional Beverages?

Posted: November 10, 2026
In: Trends

More shoppers now turn to AI for quick answers about their health, which means many arrive at the shelf with an opinion already forming.

Download Before the First Sip – Imbibe’s 2027 Functional Beverage Report →

Today’s functional beverage shopper often arrives with a decision already half made. Their own wellness goals shaped some of it. For a growing number, an AI recommendation shaped the rest.

At Imbibe, we spend our days on the product itself: the flavor, the formula, the first pour. But trial starts well before a bottle is in anyone’s hand. Our new report, Before the First Sip: Earning Functional Beverage Trial in the Age of AI, looks at both halves: what shapes a shopper’s decision to try, and what brings them back.

Wellness is a Daily Routine

Consumers manage wellness for themselves, one habit at a time, and beverages are one of the easiest places to add a benefit. 84% of U.S. consumers say wellness is an important priority (McKinsey, 2025). The report looks at what that means for how shoppers read labels, and what they’ll pay for.

AI is Becoming the First Stop

Nearly a third of U.S. adults have turned to an AI chatbot for health information in the past year (KFF, March 2026). For functional beverage brands, that means AI is often part of the conversation before a shopper sees your product, and new research suggests it may be reinforcing what they already think. In Before the First Sip, we look at what that research found and what it means for brands working to earn trial.

One Product, Multiple Shoppers

Shoppers also arrive with an identity. The report introduces four illustrative Imbibe Wellness Personas, including the Athlete and the Ritualist. Using a magnesium beverage as the example, it shows how one product can earn trial from each by leading with a different part of the same verified science, and where each message needs guardrails to stay honest.

Trial is Earned in the First Sip

A message earns the first try. Whether someone buys again depends on the first sip, and functional ingredients like minerals, botanicals, and proteins often bring bitter, metallic, or astringent notes. That’s where taste modulation like The Senses™ (SweetSense® and NonSense®), flavor systems built for the occasion, and natural color come in.

What This Means for Your Next Product

If you’re scoping a launch, sharpening a claim, or working out why trial isn’t turning into repeat purchase, Before the First Sip gives you a practical look at both sides. When you’re ready to test an idea, our team can help, from samples to applications work on your existing base to full development.

Download our Functional Beverage Report – Before the First Sip

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