Beverage Manufacturers Use Reformulation and Labeling to Align with Consumer Trend

Health-conscious consumers are looking for better-for-you food and beverage options and are willing to spend more to get them. Manufacturers are meeting this demand with cleaner formulations and clearer labeling.

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Eighty percent of consumers are focusing specifically on what they eat and drink to take better care of themselves, 74% have expressed a desire to actively limit their sugar intake, and 54% stated they are willing to spend more on beverages that will contribute to improving their overall health and well-being. Carbonated soft drinks, one of the most sugar-rich beverage offerings, posted negative growth (-0.8%) for the first time ever in 2017.

According to PMMI Business Intelligence’s new report “2021 Beverage Trends Driving Change,” beverage manufacturers have been reformulating even successful offerings into new health-conscious varieties by adjusting ingredient formulations. 83% of manufacturers interviewed stated they are actively altering ingredients specifically to meet consumer health demands.

Ingredient changes often alter the basic characteristics of the product, and may necessitate new considerations to packaging format, material, and composition, to preserve the integrity of the product. This is particularly true for alterations to old favorites, which require beverage producers to adhere as closely as possible to the original flavor and texture profile. In addition to packaging changes, new ingredients may also require tolerance and temperature modifications on filling machines, which can sometimes require entirely new machine purchases or technical upgrades to existing lines. “Moving away from corn syrup for a new product introduction required us to commission more advanced processing equipment,” said one process and automation engineer.


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