September 2022
Boosting Refreshing Beverages with Function and Flavor
Are you considering taking the leap into functional beverages? Or kicking off a new project to add to your existing portfolio? Now is the time to innovate within the functional beverage category! According to Precedence Research, the global functional beverages market has a value of $129.3 billion, and all signs point to continued growth. In fact, it’s possible the market could grow at an 8.94% CAGR from 2022 to 2030. (Precedence Research)
Several factors are driving this growth, including behavioral changes around health and wellness and increased awareness about the benefits available from food and beverage. In this month’s newsletter, our insights team dives deep into the functional beverage market to understand who’s looking for more than refreshments and offers inspiration to product developers. Read on to learn more!
Interview
Achieving Formulating Success in Functional Beverages
The competition is stronger than ever, with much room for creativity and innovation within the functional beverage category. A solid product development process can help alleviate the challenges that could arise as formulators step up to develop nutritious drinks that are also tasty.
We recently sat down with our own functional beverage experts, Blake Lyon and Pete Sauer, to understand the nuances of formulating a refreshing and purposeful beverage. In the interview, you’ll learn about the formulating process and production tips to ensure a smooth launch.
INNOVATION EVOLUTION
What’s Trending in Functional Beverages
Why are people reaching for functional beverages?
What health benefits do people want from functional drinks?
What are the trending flavors in refreshing functional beverages?
What do these questions have in common? We tackle all of them in our recent Innovation Evolution blog post. Our insights team set out to understand what’s driving the expected 8.94% CAGR (from 2022 to 2030) within functional beverage. (Precedence Research) With 63% of Americans and 74% of Canadians are actively buying, shopping, or interested in functionality, developers can benefit from understanding their needs and motivations. (FlavorSum Study) Read the blog to learn more.
Webcast
Bubbling Up Success In Functional Beverages
With the functional beverage market taking off and showing no signs of slowed growth, we compiled the latest trends to inspire your product development efforts. In our latest webcast, you’ll discover the fastest growing functional benefits within beverage, as well as the popular ingredients delivering functionality. You’ll also learn about which benefits fit consumer expectations from the beverage category and the trending flavors that align with purposeful drinks. You can access the webinar here.
Supply Chain Corner
McKinsey Study Highlights Current Supply Chain Status
For the past three years since COVID-19 appeared, McKinsey & Company has been surveying supply chain leaders to understand the changes felt throughout the industry. Many companies have found success with new approaches to ensuring supply chain stability, such as higher inventories, dual-sourcing strategies, and sourcing regionalization. 83% of respondents shared that “the footprint resilience measures they have taken over the past two years helped them minimize the impact of supply chain disruptions in 2022.”
And while situations are settling and even improving significantly compared to the early pandemic days, many companies are still establishing solid, long-term plans for supply chain success. The study notes that across all industries polled, the most organizations anticipate revising their inventory management strategy over the next three years. You can read the full report here.

Regulatory Corner
Regulatory Petition Filed for Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels
On August 4, 2022, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) (in partnership with Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists) filed a petition to the FDA to create a mandatory system for front-of-package nutritional labels. The proposed changes would allow consumers to easily and clearly understand the nutritional implications of the foods they consume.
CSPI President Dr. Peter G. Lurie says, “Shopping for healthy foods should be as easy as possible, and front-of-package nutrition labels have a proven track record for helping consumers make better choices.”
According to the National Confectioners Association, “the petition specifically requests 21 CFR 101 be amended to require on the principal display panel of a food item an easy-to-understand, standardized system that is:”
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- Mandatory,
- Nutrient-specific,
- Includes calories, and
- Interpretative with respect to levels of added sugars, sodium and saturated fat per serving.

Stay Informed with FlavorSum Discover
Are you curious about the latest food and beverage trends, consumer behavior and attitude shifts, and flavor news? Sign up for FlavorSum Discover to receive insights from our experts, including our weekly blog, monthly newsletter, on-demand webinars, and more. You can select your applications and categories to ensure you receive the most relevant content for you and your projects!
FlavorSum Team News
Celebrating our Growing Team
Helping you reach your food and beverage development goals is a priority at FlavorSum, where our team commits to doing what’s right for your brand every day. We’re expanding our bench strength and welcoming the following team members to FlavorSum:
Hanish S. – Production
Thomas J. – Sales
Anmol C – Production
Sandy F. – Production
Jacob D. – Production
Matt B. – Production
Visit our Careers page to learn about new opportunities on the FlavorSum team
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In the October issue of FlavorSum Insights:
Discover FlavorSum’s 2023 Food and Beverage Predictions
Let’s Connect and Share Daily Flavor News!
Past Issues

AUGUST 2022
How Evolving Consumer Behaviors are Affecting Food and Beverage Innovation

July 2022
IFT FIRST 2022: Back in Person!

June 2022
Infusing Function and Flavor into Fortified Gummies