Thousands of functional beverages have entered the market over the last decade with ingredients that support need states like improved energy, satiety, gut health, relaxation, beauty, athletic performance, and cognitive health. Market saturation of products enhanced with functional ingredients has many beverage innovators asking, “what’s next?”

Multi-purpose or hybrid functional beverages look promising for the future of function. These products contain several functional ingredients for multiple benefits such as an energy drink made with electrolyte-rich coconut water or a pre-workout enhanced with lion’s mane, a mushroom touted for a myriad of benefits. Brands planning a hybrid functional beverage should keep these two considerations in mind: Do the auxiliary functional ingredients make sense for the core product? Do the health benefits of the functional ingredients complement each other?

Here are examples of hybrid products already on the market (there is even some cross-over between these product categories):

Energy +
	Product: Bing Z Kombucha EnergyFunctions: Energy + Gut Health
	Products: Bang (enhanced with creatine), Quake Energy (enhanced with creatine and electrolytes), Reign (enhanced with branched chain amino acids)Functions: Energy + Improved Athletic Performance and Recovery
	Products: Celsius, AspireFunctions: Energy + Weight Loss
Protein +
	Products: High Brew Cappuccino + Protein, Starbucks Double Shot ProteinFunctions: Protein + Energy
	Products: Iconic Protein Cacao & Greens, Evolve Plant-Based Protein & GreensFunctions: Protein + Superfoods/Antioxidants
	Product: Isopure CocoteinFunction: Protein + Electrolytes/Hydration
	Product: Vital Proteins Defense ShotFunction: Protein + Immunity + Anti-inflammatory
Gut Health +
	Product: Uncle Matt’s Organic Orange DefenseFunction: Immunity + Gut health +  Anti-Inflammatory
	Products: Kombrewcha, Wild Tonic Hard Jun KombuchaFunction: Gut health + Boozy buzz
	Product: Rowdy Mermaid Adaptogenic KombuchaFunction: Gut Health + Stress Relief
	Product:  The Hudson Standard Shrub with CBDFunction: Gut Health + Relaxation

Want to incorporate some functional ingredients into your next beverage? Email us to connect with our expert beverage development team at thedrinktank@imbibeinc.com to get started.