Most likely, when you are reading this, you are either looking for more information about Functional Beverages or curious about how big the Functional Beverage market is. Functional beverages (or Functional Foods) are those products with health benefits beyond their nutritional value. These include things like probiotics, Omega-3s and other additives designed to improve your overall health. Functional beverages are a $32 billion industry and growing at an annual rate of around 14%.
01.
Market Trend of Functional Beverage
New crowns are accelerating global demand for functional beverages. The functional beverage industry is expected to gain momentum as more “lifestyle consumers” are attracted to the functional beverage segment.
The Functional Beverage market includes: Bottled Water, Coffee and Tea, Juice and Milk Products (including Soy-, Rice- and Almond Milks), Functional Waters, Functional Sodas/Soft Drinks (with soda filling machine), Sports Nutrition/Drink Powders & Liquid Shots (with csd filler).
Research and Markets anticipate that the global functional beverage market will grow at a CAGR of 8.66% to reach $208.13 billion by 2024. Global functional beverage consumption is driven by consumer preference for non-alcoholic beverages. The public is willing to pay high prices for various functional benefits, and manufacturers embrace innovation to gain market position.
This indicates that consumers want to consume low-sugar beverages and are also actively looking for added health-promoting ingredients, such as products that support immune function. This trend has led to the launch of various functional products. These new probiotic beverages meet consumer expectations in terms of functionality.
02.
What are the functions of functional beverages?
Immunity
Data from the WCWD study showed that 91% of consumers said they would be more concerned about boosting their immune system after an epidemic.
Pepsi’s functional beverage brand Propel, which focuses on post-exercise electrolyte replenishment, launched Propel Immune Support in 2020. electrolyte water with 100% of the daily recommended value of vitamin C and 30% of zinc per 20 ounces, just 5 calories and no sugar claim to replenish electrolytes lost after exercise while promoting immune It is available in orange & raspberry and lemon & blackberry flavours. The new product is based on the original flavoured electrolyte water and focuses on immune support. The functional beverage market consumer base is the health and fitness community. It includes those who wish to boost their immune system. Functional beverages may play an essential role in this sector of consumers’ lives. Consumers seek to improve their overall health while satisfying a growing need for suitable products with no added sugar or calories.
Emotion
Mental health is gaining traction in the overall mega-health trend, with Innova 2020 consumer research showing that 44% of global consumers are improving their mental and emotional health.
In China, Six Walnuts launched a new product, “Kamunin,” to relieve anxiety and psychological stress during the epidemic, focusing on anti-anxiety, with GABA, L-theanine and other stress-relieving, calming and relaxing ingredients. Consumers in China are most concerned about their mental health. They will continue to invest more money in products that can help relieve stress during the pandemic. Functional beverages, such as Kamunin from Six Walnuts, may be a valuable product for consumers who want to avoid taking anti-anxiety medications with side effects while relieving anxiety symptoms.
Sleeping aid
According to the World Health Organization, about 1/3 of the world’s population has sleep problems. According to CBNData’s “2019 Healthy Sleep Consumption Big Data Live Salon”, as many as 82.4% of people in China fall asleep after 11:00 a.m., with the post-90s being the group that sleeps the latest.
In September 2020, PepsiCo announced that it will launch Driftwell, a new sleep aid drink to help consumers relieve stress before bedtime. It is expected to be available online nationwide in December 2020 and officially in all brick-and-mortar stores in the first quarter of 2021.
In addition to Pepsi’s focus on the sleep aid market, many Chinese companies are also getting into the business of sleep aid drinks. For example, New Hope Dairy launched “Say Good Night” Good Night Milk, Mengniu found “Good Night” Good Sleep Milk, Want Want Group launched “Dream Dream Water,” and so on.
Functional beverages that support good sleep may be a promising business opportunity for many Chinese companies to enter this market.
03.
Regional Segment of Functional Beverages Market
According to geography, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America are the most significant global functional beverages market segments.
- North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)
- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC)
- Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe)
- South America (Brazil and Rest of South America)
- The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA)
The functional beverages market presently has the most significant share in North America, owing to the rising demand for functional beverage products and a greater understanding of their health advantages. The market is expected to remain dominant for the next five years.
In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness a CAGR of 13.0% over the next five years, making it one of the fastest-growing markets for functional beverages globally. In China alone, sales are projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 12% over the forecast period and reach USD 53 billion by 2025.
The use of functional beverages is projected to increase significantly in Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world during the forecast period, owing to the new demand for functional beverages in these regions. The development of consumer per capita income in Asia-Pacific due to an improving economy will significantly affect the region’s function beverage market.
In Europe, Germany is the largest market for functional beverages, followed by France and the U.K. Functional beverage products are also available in other European countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal etc., but to a lesser extent than in Germany or France. Functional beverages are popular in the U.K. but at a much lower level than in Germany or France. Functional beverage sales through mass-market retailers such as supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters account for more than 50% of functional beverage sales across Europe. Functional beverages are sold under different brand names in each country. Functional drinks share about 30% of the total beverage market, estimated at more than EUR 75 billion (USD 88.08 billion) annually across Europe.
South America will grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period due to the rising demand for functional beverages in Brazil and Argentina. Functional beverage manufacturers are focused on these regions, which offer several opportunities for growth through 2022. Functional beverages are widely consumed across Latin America, including Mexico and other South American countries. Functional beverage sales in Mexico alone account for more than USD 100 million annually.
Brazil is the most significant functional drinks market in South America, with an estimated $ 640 Million (USD). Functional beverages have a share of about 35% in the entire beverage industry. Functional beverages are mainly consumed in bars, cafes and restaurants.
Functional beverages are expected to thrive in the Middle East and Africa throughout 2019-2025, owing to an increasing interest in healthy living and growing demand for functional beverages. During 2020-2025, the Middle East & Africa functional beverage market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 8.87 percent.
The Middle East & Africa functional beverage market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.87% during the forecast period, 2020-2025. Functional beverages are widely consumed in the Middle East & Africa, especially in GCC countries such as UAE and KSA. In all GCC states, it is estimated that Functional Beverages share more than 20% of total beverage sales.
In terms of value, UAE was the largest market for functional drinks, with an estimated value at USD 222 million in 2018. Functional beverages are also popular in KSA, with a market value of more than USD 110 million in the same year. Functional beverages are mainly consumed in bars, cafes and restaurants. Functional beverage sales through mass-market retailers such as supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters account for more than 50% of functional beverage sales across the Middle East & Africa region.
04.
Classification of functional beverages
1、Classification according to raw materials
Functional beverages processed with traditional foods; beverages with the addition of Chinese herbal extracts and nutritional fortification; beverages with new resource foods; beverages developed with biotechnology.
2、Classification according to the functional role
Exciting beverages; healing beverages; sports beverages; health beverages.
3、Classification according to the main functional components
Active polysaccharide beverage; functional oil beverage; mineral element beverage; anti-ageing beverage; health tea beverage; low-energy beverage; fortified vitamin functional beverage.
4、Classification according to the consumption object
Daily functional beverages; unique functional beverages.
05.
The primary production process of functional beverages
The primary production process of functional beverages is more or less the same as the basic process of available beverages of the same type, such as the production process of functional carbonated beverages, which also includes four systems of water treatment, carbon dioxide treatment, blending and filling, and the production process of functional dairy beverages, which is basically the same as the production of dairy beverages. However, because of the many raw materials and different characteristics of functional beverages, their extraction, modulation and post-treatment processes are also other.
I. Extraction of functional raw materials
Functional ingredients in plant-based raw materials are generally extracted by the extraction method. The extraction method is the active ingredient first dissolved in the solvent to be wholly or partially separated a technique.
When using the extraction method, the choice of solvent is the key to success. Functional ingredients are generally divided into two categories: water-soluble ingredients and fat-soluble ingredients. In the extraction of water-soluble components, water and alcoholic aqueous solution are commonly used as solvents; in the extraction of fat-soluble ingredients, organic solvents such as ethane, acetone, edible oils and fats are widely used. Only after determining the nature of the active ingredient can the solvent be selected correctly. When carrying out the extraction operation, public attention should be paid to.
(1) Firstly, the solvent should be selected correctly.
(2) When extracting liquid with liquid, the difference in density between the two drinks should be significant to facilitate separation. It should be stirred to increase the contact area between the drinks.
(3) When extracting solid raw materials, multiple or continuous long-time extraction can be used.
(4) To improve the extraction speed, appropriate crushing, accelerating the flow rate of liquid, stirring, drumming into the compressed air, and other methods can be used.
(5) To choose the appropriate temperature, etc.
The extraction method can not only separate the active ingredients but also exclude some harmful ingredients. Such as the production of garlic SOD drinks, extraction with edible grease can make it easy to produce the stimulating solid odour of allicin dissolved in grease; with the separation of grease, it can achieve the purpose deodorization.
Modern extraction methods, such as supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, further improve the extraction technology of functional, active ingredients.
Certain plant-based raw materials often use the method of fermentation followed by extraction, such as the extraction of active ingredients in pollen, which can be used first with yeast fermentation mechanism to destroy the outer wall of pollen, and then use alcohol for extraction.
Animal raw materials in the functional, active ingredients are generally used to steam and further enzymatic digestion to obtain.
II, the fortification of functional ingredients
The purpose of fortification is to enable the final product to maintain the effective concentration of specific fortifying agents. To achieve the desired effect, one should fully understand the different properties of various fortifying agents, the characteristics of the object to be added, and the possible adverse changes that may occur after the addition. Only after a full weighing is it likely to get a better method.
- Fortification methods
Beverage (except solid beverage) is a liquid food, which is generally acidic (pH<7). Therefore, the fortification agent should be soluble in water to facilitate uniform mixing; it should also be more stable to acid to avoid decomposition failure. Commonly used fortification methods are as follows.
(1) added in the raw materials. For more stable fortification agents, such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, etc., because the general beverage processing process is not much damaged, you can feed together with other raw materials through a variety of processing processes that are thoroughly mixed together. This method is simpler to operate and most evenly mixed.
(2) Adding in the process. For heat-sensitive fortificants, such as vitamin C, lysine, etc., are very easy to decompose and destroy after heat, thus losing their value, and therefore should not be added before heating sterilization, should avoid this process, added in a circle after heating, and then mixed evenly. All kinds of fortification agents have a specific range of applications. You can develop a suitable process and time to add the symptom. This method is most commonly used.
(3) Adding in the finished product. To reduce the loss of fortification agents in the process of damage can be mixed in the final process of finished products. For liquid beverages, fortificants can be made into a solution and mixed in before filling and stirred well; for solid drinks, fortificants can be ground into a powder and mixed thoroughly or dissolved into a solution and sprayed in. This method can reduce the loss of fortification agents, but it is difficult to mix evenly.
- Measures to maintain the fortification effect
After fortifying the beverage, maintaining the effectiveness of the fortifying agent and making it fully effective is the key to fortifying the beverage processing process, and the following measures can be taken.
(1) Change the structure of the fortification agent. While maintaining its active ingredients, choose a new structural form, such as the palmitate of vitamin A, which is more stable than the commonly used acetate of vitamin A. Therefore, it is substituted chiefly; when changing the structure of the fortification agent, it should improve its stability while maintaining the exact physiological function.
(2) Addition of stabilizer. The main reason why the fortification agent is damaged is the action of oxygen. The role of stabilizers is to control its oxidation process, slowing down its oxidation reaction; commonly used stabilizers include antioxidants and chelating agents, etc.
(3) Improve the processing method. The best solution to improve the stability of fortificants is to change the processing method of the product. For example, lysine, vitamin C, etc., are easily destroyed by heat to avoid high-temperature processing; metal ions can accelerate the oxidation process of certain fortificants, which can be excluded as much as possible in the processing of raw materials, and so on.
All kinds of fortificants have specific processing adaptability, only after a complete understanding of its targeted measures to effectively protect the fortificants do not have a uniform.
III Post-processing
Mainly refers to processing functional ingredients after fortification, including post-pasteurization, filling, packaging materials, storage requirements, etc. The requirements vary for different products.
Process flow of several common functional beverages
- Ganoderma lucidum beverage production process
Ganoderma lucidum – drying – crushing – hot water extraction – secondary extraction – liquid immersion – clarification treatment (clarification chipping) – clarification liquid -Blending – instant sterilization – hot filling – sealing – sterilization – cooling – inspection – finished product
- Fortified orange juice beverage production process
Orange juice – clarification – blending (finely filtered syrup, amino acids, meta-organic salts, vitamins, etc.) – homogenization – degassing – instant sterilization – aseptic filling – finished product
- Production process of beverages containing animal nutrients
Chicken – steaming – de-oiling – enzymatic digestion (protease) – filtration – chicken juice – blending (sugar, salt, Chinese medicine juice) – filtration -Filling -Sealing -Autoclaving -Cooling -Finished product
06.
Reference
07.
Where can I find more information about these Information if needed?
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