Datamonitor recently released a report on 10 trends in packaged goods to watch in 2009, several of which are relevant to beverage firms.
The international research group predicted that beauty products like Nestle’s Glowelle will continue to grow sales, as will relaxation products like Purple Stuff and drank, and detox products like Function’s Urban Detox. In a trend that hasn’t really hit American beverages yet, Datamonitor noted that a number of food and non-U.S. beverage products include DHA omega-3s to enhance brain function, and the group’s Product Launch Analytics spotted a sharp increase in new products that use the word “brain.”
In flavor trends, Datamonitor pointed to stevia as the next top sweetener as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have both prepared beverages sweetened with a derivative of the herb. Flower flavors are also trending upward, the group said, with products like OOBA entering the market.