The beverage landscape in 2022

In 2022, the beverage premise is an expansive one as a glance at any online or offline retail shelf will testify to. Long gone are the days of just juice, soda, and water .

Ever-restless beverage tech, ingredient innovation, and formulation development from Big Beverage and startups alike mean a buoyant category with multiple variants:

• energy drinks; • sports drinks; • meal replacements; • CBD infusions; • juices; • waters; • sports proteins; • cold-brew coffees; • mRTD teas; • hard teas; • hard seltzers; • low-/no-alcohol (NOLO); • soft seltzers; • carbonated drinks; • shots; • dairy drinks; • plant-based drinks; • msmoothies .

While estimates vary wildly, the global non-alcoholic beverages market is worth $1.25 trillion in 2022, and set for 7 .2% annual growth through 2026, according to Statista . 1

Within that, InsightAce Analytic sized the functional/healthy beverages component at $188bn in 2021, which is expected to expand 9.4% yearly to hit $266bn in 2030. 2

This healthy segment has been boosted by immune-curious consumers seeking self-defence since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold globally in March 2020.

An FMCG Gurus survey conducted at the end of 2020 found that 75% of people polled were interested in what functional products like beverages could do for their immune health. 3