Changing Tastes in Soft Drinks

Given the growing trend towards teetotalism, the soft drink offerings that bars and pubs have to offer are increasingly important. Whilst the consumption of alcohol may be slowing down in some cases, the demand for choice amongst consumers is not. Post mix flavoured soft drinks, with varieties such as Iron Brew, orangeade, cherryade, lemon and lime and mixed fruits and even the popular flavours of ginger beer and dandelion and burdock, are an ideal way of offering customers the choice that they require and ensuring your establishment’s success.

New Tastes

As well as the trend towards teetotal drinking, soft drink consumption has also been affected by increased health awareness amongst consumers, with no- and low-calorie soft drinks becoming the preferred option over other non-alcoholic beverage options. Juices and cordials mixed with soda water and other carbonated drinks are also increasingly popular as an interesting and lighter alternative to alcohol. The ability to mix up the ideal combination to keep your customers happy depends very much on the variety of post mix drinks one has on tap.

Emerging and Niche Trends

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Another emerging trend, this time coming from the US, involves house bottled carbonated drinks. This started off in San Francisco and Chicago and has made a debut in London’s Soho. The need for interesting carbonated drinks to use as mixer drinks is strong, as are the product lines of some of the post mix soft drinks suppliers, which are well placed to tap into these emerging new trends.

The increasing taste for carbonated drinks is demonstrated by the latest move by the soft drinks market leader, the Coca-Cola Company, which has recently announced the impending launch of its Minute Maid Sparkling drink, a 6% juice product, to replace its Glaceau fruitwater, which does not contain any fruit or fruit juice and just was not resonating with consumers, according to reports.

Energy drinks, which are often available in post mix format from suppliers such as empireuk, are also a growth area amongst the UK’s soft drink industry. While they only account for 1% of all non-alcoholic beverage consumption, growth in this category is healthy.

Energy drinks are considered to be particularly popular with younger consumers, who prefer these drinks over alcoholic beverages, as they keep them awake during study times and give them the sporting edge.