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Market Coverage
This Nextin™ Beverage Report spans the full category, forecasting tomorrow’s beverage industry trends. Explore daily sips like coffee and soda industry trends to emerging specialty beverages like boza, aloe juice, lotus energy drinks, and beyond.
Everyday Staples: packaged water, soft drinks, cow’s milk, and fruit juice—category penetration, habitual purchase factors, plus sugar and free-from preferences with a deep dive into soda industry trends and the milk market, including both drinkable dairy and dairy alternatives
Tomorrow’s Coffee and Tea Trends: beverage consumption patterns, what audiences want more and less of, and clean-label cross-over with the functional beverage market
The Future of Functional and Energy Drink Markets: functional beverage trends, energy drink opportunities, and sports and hydration beverage potential, including purchase-driving benefits, in-demand functional ingredients, and trial-motivating beverage flavors and add-ins
Sparkling, Plant-Based, and Emerging Specialty Beverages: the next wave of beverage trends across sparkling water and seltzer, non-dairy and plant-based milk, fermented beverages like kombucha and boza, and botanical and non-alcoholic (“zero proof”) options
Beverage Market Segmentation: consumer segmentation, how values influence beverage purchase, motivating need-states in functional beverage, path-to-purchase and retail channel behaviors, and demand-signal white space in the beverage market
Table of Contents
A forward-looking, comprehensive analysis of beverage category trends across everyday staples, coffee and tea, functional and energy drinks, plus sparkling, plant-based, and emerging formats.
Report includes dynamic charts and data tables, plus Nextin Demand Signals that allow you to toggle and navigate select beverage trends. Product innovation concepts and visualized protocepts explore how to turn beverage insights into innovation.
Nextin Beverage Insights Report
Introduction
Executive Summary
Methodology and Reading Guide
Nextin™ Protocept
Beverage Consumers at a Glance
The Beverage Market Navigator
Beverage Category Insights
Market Penetration by Beverage Category and Breadth
Segment Shifts by Beverage Category
What Consumers Want More of in Beverages
What Consumers Want Less of in Beverages
Next Gen Clean Labeling
Low and Free-From Factors Sought in Beverages
Sweet Thoughts on Segmenting Sippers
The Path to Beverage Purchase
Sources of Beverage Inspiration and Information
Retail Channels: Where Beverage Consumers Shop
Beverage Purchase by Retail Channel, Prior Month
Beverage Purchase by Digital Channel
High-Lift Co-Occurrence of Retail Channel and Beverage Purchase
Audience Segmentation
Beverage Consumer Segmentation
Activated Ambassadors
Activated Ambassadors: What They Drink
Activated Ambassadors: Functional Ingredient Demand
Activated Ambassadors: What They’re Looking For
Activated Ambassadors: Beverage Brand Lift
Wellness Quenchers
Wellness Quenchers: What They Drink
Wellness Quenchers: What They’re Looking For
Values-Driven Refreshers
Influential Values: Mean Score
Mainstream Sippers
Beverage Category Spotlights
Functional Beverage Consumer Insights
Benefits That Motivate Functional Beverage Trial
Functional Ingredient Consumption in Beverages
Functional Ingredient Categories Sought in Beverages
Influence of Functional Benefits on Beverage Purchase
Demand Signals and Functional Beverage Consumers
Functional Beverage Consumers: Purchase-Driving Benefits
Functional Beverage Consumers: Cross-Category Consumption
Functional Beverage Consumers: Trial-Driving Flavor Profiles
Functional Beverage Consumers: Beverage Add-Ins
Functional Beverage Consumers: Over-Indexing Purchase Channels
Functional Beverage Demand Signals
Energy Drink Consumer Insights
Energy Drink Consumer Clusters
Energy Drink Consumers and Other Purchase-Driving Benefits
Energy Drink Consumers: In-Demand Ingredients
Energy Drink Consumers: Co-Consumed Beverage Types
Energy Drink Consumers: Soda Flavor Preferences
Energy Drink Consumers: Trial-Driving Beverage Flavors
Energy Drink Industry Demand Signals
Soda Trends, Classic and Modern
Soda Consumer Clusters
Brand Loyalty Among Soda Consumers
Trial-Driving Beverage Flavors Among Soda Consumers
Sweetener Preferences Among Soda Consumers
Functional Soda and Purchase-Driving Benefits
Soda Demand Signals
Protein Beverages and Convenient Macros
Protein Beverage Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Protein Beverage Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Protein Beverage Consumers
Protein Beverage Consumers: Trial-Driving Flavors
Sweetener Preferences Among Protein Beverage Consumers
Protein Beverage Demand Signals
Hydration and Sports Drinks
Hydration and Sports Drink Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Hydration and Sports Drink Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Hydration and Sports Drink Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Hydration and Sports Drink Consumers
Hydration and Sports Drink Demand Signals
Coffee and Espresso Drinks
Coffee Beverage Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Coffee Beverage Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Coffee Beverage Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Coffee Beverage Consumers
Coffee Beverage Demand Signals
The Tea Report: Tea Trends, the Milk Tea Market, What’s Next in Boba
Tea Drink Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Tea Drink Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Tea Drink Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Tea Drink Consumers
Milk Tea Opportunities
Tea Drink Inclusions
Tea Demand Signals
Milk Beverages: Cow’s Milk and Dairy Alternatives
Cow’s Milk Consumers
Cow’s Milk Variations
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Cow’s Milk Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Cow’s Milk Consumers
Cow’s Milk Demand Signals
Non-Dairy Milk Consumers
Non-Dairy Milk Variations
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Non-Dairy Milk Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Non-Dairy Milk Consumers
Non-Dairy Milk Demand Signals
Fruit, Vegetable, and Juice Drink Blends
Juice Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Juice Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Juice Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Juice Consumers
Juice Drink Demand Signals
Still, Sparkling, and Flavored Water
Packaged Water Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Packaged Water Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Packaged Water Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Packaged Water Consumers
Packaged Water Demand Signals
Social Beverage Trends: Alcohol and Zero Proof
Zero Proof Beverage Consumer Trends
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Zero Proof Beverage Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Zero Proof Beverage Consumers
Zero Proof Beverage Demand Signals
Lemonades and Limeades
Lemonade and Limeade Consumers
Purchase-Driving Benefits Among Lemon- and Limeade Consumers
In-Demand Ingredients Among Lemon- and Limeade Consumers
Trial-Driving Flavors Among Lemon- and Limeade Consumers
Specialty Beverages
Specialty Beverage Consumers
Specialty Beverage Trends and the Adoption Curve
Nextin Innovator’s Toolkit
Ready-to-explore beverage innovation concepts grounded in fresh data from Nextin’s proprietary consumer research and beverage report.
Appendix
Consumer Demographics
What’s Next?
Glossary
About Nextin Research
About MarketPlace
Innovator's Toolkit
Your source of inspiration, guided by Nextin Research. Interactive tools and visualized product concepts display more than beverage data—they spotlight beverage market opportunities.
Demand Signals: dynamically navigate the consumer demand driving beverage industry trends with purchase-driving attributes, in-demand ingredients, and flavors that motivate trial
Innovator’s Toolkit: accelerate your next innovation workshop with ready-to-explore product concepts grounded in consumer data and emerging beverage trends
Exploratory Protocepts: see product innovation concepts that help you visualize tomorrow’s beverage trends today
Dynamic Charts
Content
INSIGHTS PREVIEW
Intelligence You Can Act On
What’s next in functional beverages?
39% of beverage consumers say a calming benefit would motivate them to try a functional beverage—but only 27% bought a functional product to reduce stress or anxiety in the prior 12 months, a 12-point gap.
We call the engaged buyers already closing it “Functional Beverage Consumers” (n=237).
The 20% of beverage consumers who reached for a functional beverage in the prior month are more than benefit-curious, they’re dramatically more engaged across the category:
1.79x as likely to seek probiotics in beverages
2.5x more likely to look for nootropic beverages than average
2.06x more likely to consume hydration and electrolyte beverages
Purchase beverages from juice bars 1.91x more than average
Strategic implication: Converting benefit-motivated beverage consumers to functional formats is a high-value opportunity—and the data reveals exactly which benefits, ingredients, flavors, and channels resonate with the bridge segment.
The full beverage report includes 10+ subgroups, plus dynamic beverage market analyses that reveal audience-specific opportunities.
WHO IT'S FOR
This Nextin Beverage Report is designed for food and beverage professionals who need current, validated consumer data and insights to anticipate beverage industry trends and inform high-stakes decisions.
Forward-looking Beverage Industry Trends for Strategic Decision-Makers
Product Development and Innovation Teams
Identify which beverages, ingredients, and attributes are gaining consumer traction to lead innovation strategies grounded in demand data.
Brand and Marketing Teams
Validate new beverage concepts and refine product positioning with consumer-backed beverage insights.
Ingredient Suppliers
Identify which functional ingredients—like probiotics, nootropics, electrolytes, and more—are gaining traction, and which ingredients beverage shoppers are seeking but not yet finding on shelf.
Retailers and Buyers
Understand cross-category purchase behaviors and the omnichannel mix to optimize beverage assortment—from soda to energy drink market trends—and drive new product trial.
Investors and Analysts
Assess growth potential in the beverage category with primary consumer data on adoption curves, conversion gaps, and willingness to pay.
Executives and Innovation Leaders
Inform long-term vision and growth strategy with beverage trends that futurecast demand before it reaches shelves.
Our Reports are Cited and Sourced by Leading Brands and Organizations in Food, Beverage, & Ingredients
METHODOLOGY
This Nextin Report features proprietary data from a March 2025 survey conducted by Nextin Research. The online panel comprised 1,206 U.S. adults aged 18 and older who report purchasing a beverage in the prior month (“Beverage Consumers”). Tap water was explicitly excluded from beverage purchase definitions. Purchase behaviors reflect the prior 12 months and consumption behaviors reflect the prior month unless otherwise noted; all such behaviors are self-reported.
Research design, programming, fieldwork, and analysis were conducted by Nextin Research, the syndicated research arm of strategic advisory and brand activation firm MarketPlace. Samples for these studies are sourced through Dynata, the world’s largest first-party data provider. Original sampling is balanced for gender and region according to the U.S. census. All data is reported in the aggregate except where otherwise noted.
Results reflect a balanced, non‑probability sample. For directional reference, a probability sample of equivalent size would carry a margin of error of approximately ±2.8% at the 95% confidence level for the total sample (n=1,206). Differences between consumer groups are tested for significance at p ﹤ 0.05.
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
Nicole Hill, VP of Strategy, Insights, & Innovation
Jon Copeland, Research Manager
Shelby White, Group Creative Director
Jake Klinghammer, Strategy Director
Rose Broyles, Insights Associate
