SHOUT ABOUT YOUR RANGE

FUNCTIONAL drinks remain one of those valuable categories that offer the chance to build a point of difference, so how do you communicate your range to your customers?

According to Matt Gouldsmith, channel director for wholesale at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, retailers should be “concise, informal and fun”.

“Attention spans are short, so give shoppers the information they want quickly. Use social media to advertise and chat to your community (including by replying to comments), and give your store a friendly tone of voice to build a positive

“It’s not just functional drinks, but also coffee, American drinks and we’ve just brought in a new Slush Puppie drink, which is proving popular with the kids.

“It means we’re using single facings for most of our drinks and have to cut anything that isn’t selling well – it’s the biggest challenge we face in the category.”

Rubicon Raw

The levy-free, HFSS-compliant range includes Raspberry & Blueberry, Orange & Mango, Cherry & Pomegranate, Apple & Guava and Pineapple and Passionfruit flavours – all in 500ml cans.

Lucozade Sport Zero

Designed specifically for those taking part in sporting activities, flavours include Orange & Peach and Raspberry & Passion Fruit. The range comes in 500ml and 4x500ml formats.

Gesha Coffee Kombucha

Coffee company Caravan and Momo Kombucha have partnered to create an innovative coffee kombucha drink (RRP £4.50 per 330ml bottle), which combines the benefits of both drinks in one bottle.

Boost Juic’d Blood Orange & Raspberry Crush relationship,” he says.

The newest flavour from Boost’s new Juic’d range. The company says the range – launched last year – was the biggest-selling new 500ml energy drink in 2022.

In store, Gouldsmith says retailers should highlight their best deals to encourage shoppers to increase footfall.

“Use topical events to provide relevant news including Valentine’s Day, Easter and Christmas – what can you offer customers surrounding these occasions?” he says.