Coconut water trends
Recent efforts to promote coconut water as the natural and healthy soft drink of choice have already moved it into the mainstream in the US. Manufacturers and are now also focusing on developing the European market. Coconut water can be promoted on an all-natural platform, while also offering many of the isotonic benefits of mainstream sports drinks. It features calcium, magnesium and potassium in a hypo-allergenic format with no need for additives, not even sweeteners.
Coconut featured in more than 4% of global soft drinks launches recorded by Innova Market Insights in the 12 months ending June 2014, rising to nearly 10% in the US. The products mainly sit in the juice drinks market, either alone or in combination with other juices. Coconut featured in more than 6% of global juice drinks launches in 2014, up from 4.5% in the previous 12-month period and from less than 2% five years ago. This rises to more than 13% in the US market, where more than 8% of sports and energy drinks launches also featured coconut water.
“With sales of traditional carbonates and still drinks relatively static in many markets the industry appears to be turning to coconut water, which seems well placed for the task of driving growth with its exotic image, unusual flavour and natural hydration properties,” Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova Market Insights notes. “These features, along with the fact that the leading multinational soft drinks companies are already taking an active role, suggest that the sector is on course for significant further development.”
