Beverages are a convenient and enjoyable way to drink in sought-after benefits and as such, there is increased demand for beverages which claim to support a range of mental wellbeing needs; from stress relief, relaxation and sleep through to energy and focus. The link between our mood and the beverages we consume has never been stronger.
Hot Tea & Infusions: Beverage brand owners are developing products that create an emotional connection with consumers, reinforcing claims of rest and relaxation.
Product Functionality: Since 2017, the number of beverages launched with a ‘brain or nervous system’ claim has increased +41%, vs a 1% increase in the total number of beverage launches[7]. Products are claiming to support brain functionality, sleep and stress-relief through inclusion of ingredients such as green tea, matcha, coffee, l-theanine and botanicals. It should be noted that claims made tend to be "soft" and are not supported by regulatory bodies.
Clean Caffeine: Increasing focus on natural and clean label products coupled with synthetic caffeine shortages in China has accelerated growth in beverages that optimise natural caffeine sources such as tea, coffee and botanicals.