Beverage Top Predictions for 2019

Imbibe, an industry-leading beverage development company announced early this month the company’s beverage trend predictions for 2019.  The company sees an overarching trend among consumers of a more holistic view of health and wellness by supporting mental, physical and environmental health.  It said some of the trends of 2018 are set to continue to evolve over the coming years, including the use of ingredients like MCT oil.  
The top trends to look for in 2019 may see increased emphasis on aspects like hyper-personalized functionality, plant-based, color and nostalgia, globally-inspired flavors, textures, and sustainability.  In the case of plant-based, it noted more people are adopting a flexitarian lifestyle, incorporating meat, dairy but also an increasing volume of plant-based products into their diet.  Consumers hold the perception that plant-based products are healthier in moderation and more sustainable than their animal-based counter parts.

The coffee space illustrates the plant-based trend, with plant-based creamers and ‘milks’ finding an audience among flexitarians.  Datassential reports that 83% of people who use  creamer in their coffee are at least interested in using plant-based creamers or ‘miks’ and 34% already use them often.  Almond, soy and coconut-based beverages lead the category with niche options like peanut, oat and flaxseed gaining momentum.