US Trending Flavors and Ingredients in Non-Alcoholic Beverages Market Report 2024

This report analyzes the US non-alcoholic (NA) beverage industry and consumer with a focus on trending flavors and ingredients. Find out what consumers think and feel when it comes to flavor/ingredient exploration in non-alcoholic beverages, and grow your insight strategy today.

Below, we’ve summarized the key topics analyzed in this report and provided handpicked insights from the full report document.

Key Topics Covered

• Preferences in new flavor attributes for non-alcoholic (NA) beverages
• Attitudes about flavors in non-alcoholic beverages.
• General attitudes about non-alcoholic beverages.
• Willingness to try new flavors by drink type.
• Interest in and experience with specific flavors of non-alcoholic beverages.

US Non-Alcoholic Beverage Market Overview

Non-alcoholic drinks’ ultimate function is flavor in 2024. This report finds that only half agree thirst quenching is the main motivation for drinking a non-alcoholic (NA) beverage and ultimately, flavor drives choice among consumers. This means that familiarity becomes a choice driver, especially as budgets remain tight.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks Consumer Insights

• Non-alcoholic beverage associations: As even sports drinks show a low association with the term “functional”, it may be that consumers find it a tricky term. This indicates a need for brands to reimagine functionality as related to the inherent qualities of beverage types.
• New flavor preferences in NA beverages: Consumers show a balanced interest in strong/light and unique/familiar, suggesting that balance may be the most important flavor characteristic. In this sense, an imbalance of flavors may negatively impact refreshment which is a top NA beverage preference.
• NA drink generational attitudes: For Gen Z, function is welcome, but not second to flavor. They’re not under the idea that NA beverages must be fun, instead their focus comes back to the experience of flavor in the drink. In other words, flavor with function, not functional flavors.

Opportunity for NA Beverage Brands

With over a third of consumers agreeing that they like to have several drinks on hand at one time, brands have the opportunity to meet this demand with variety. Heightened engagement brings the potential for boredom, so brands should ensure flavors don’t become repetitive. A diverse range of purposeful beverages can continually engage consumers, who seek refreshment and energy on multiple fronts.

Find a complete analysis of US non-alcoholic beverage market opportunities in the full report. You may also want to browse our other ingredients and flavors market research.

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Expert Analysis

Leading drinks industry analyst Michele Scott provides expert insights with this in-depth report.

Any ingredient, functionality, or other innovation must protect a drink’s flavor experience to deliver on value. While innovation in the non-alcoholic space is robust, keeping both brands and consumers on their toes, successful formulation allows for new tastes without too much mystery.

Michele Scott
Associate Director, US Research – Food and Drink