PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2021

BEVERAGE INGREDIENTS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 03/21 www.petpla.net 26 Beverage trends in Japan Functional, healthy and low alcohol Consumers worldwide are looking for food & beverages that support a and sustainable lifestyle, with mental and spiritual health benefits as well as physical, and should be natural and come with a high degree of functionality. A balanced diet should help combat tiredness, improve digestion and boost the immune system. Doehler reports that the Japa- nese market for ‘functional foods’, in particular, has been growing fast. It tripled in value in 2016 alone and has main- tained a strong upward trend in subsequent years. As is the case in many countries around the world, there is significant demand on the Japanese market for energy drinks, sports drinks and RTD (ready to drink) coffee drinks. This segment includes what are known as “beauty drinks” – beverages claimed to support the skin and physical appear- ance – as a specific trend among Jap- anese consumers. The focus in these markets is more on functional bever- ages than simply quenching thirst. Canned and bottled coffee New ways of serving coffee have made it the most popular drink in Japan, with 76% of the population stating they consume it. Coffee is the most popular non-alcoholic beverage in the country, a fact that led to the invention of canned coffee in 1968. RTD coffee is now also avail- able in PET bottles. Consumers have a pick of options; as well as coffee shops, coffee beverages are available from vending machines in supermarkets, airports, convenience stores and street corners, facilitating consumption on-the-go to and from the office. It is available both as a hot or cold drink, depending on the season, with heated cans on offer during winter months and chilled coffee available throughout the year. While flavoured coffee is not very popular, classic variations such as black and milk coffee are in great demand. In line with the consumer demand for healthy lifestyle products, reduced sugar variations of canned and bottled coffee are becoming ever more popular. Functional and healthy Reducing sugar content is also a strong driving force in other beverage categories in Japan. While the bever- age market as a whole is in decline, demand for sugar-free and reduced sugar carbonated water and energy drinks variants is growing, driven by health-conscious consumers who demand new products that are more natural and less sweet. Energy drinks represent one of the most exciting and dynamic beverage categories, with innovative concepts, exciting flavours and an array of market positioning options. Consum- ers appreciate the invigorating effect of the stimulants and demand has grown for drinks made from naturally occurring sources of energy, such as guayusa and guarana. This new generation, with functional ingredients such as proteins, BCAAs, vitamins or minerals, offers further marketing potential. Doehler has a wide selection of natural ingredients that are tailored for functional beverages, such as sup- portive vitamin and mineral blends, trendy plant-based proteins and exotic botanical extracts. All of these ingre- dients provide improved nutritional value and taste profile.