It's that time of year again– schools out, the suns beaming down past 8 PM, and the rooftop bars are buzzing with people. Summer is here and so are summer beverages! Researching the newest beverage trends can help you anticipate what drinks will sell out fast. Thus, you can create appealing specialty recipes, understand what your customers are sharing on social media, and start stocking your fridge with the most popular beverages. Here are three beverages we expect to rise in sales this summer.
Sparkling Beverages
Sparkling water has been rising in popularity and sales for the past few years. In the last four years, the sparkling water market grew 54% (nielsen.com). This beverage continues to grow for multiple reasons. When people crave something fizzy, but not full of sugar, sparkling water is their go-to. This beverage contains no sugar and no caffeine, making for a prime afternoon refreshment. More than ever before, we are seeing sparkling water being mixed with a wide variety of beverages. Find it in spiked seltzers, cold brew, and flavored water concoctions. Serving sparkling water attracts those who may want to add it to a cocktail, but also those who are just looking for a midday refreshment.
Craft Teas
The iced tea mixes are all the rage right now. It's no longer common to get asked if you want green or black iced tea because the options have become endless. Iced tea is now being mixed with lemonade, sparkling water, non-dairy milks, and more. In 2015, Starbucks' tea sales rose by 15%, which came from interest from their shaken iced teas and tea lattes (entrepreneur.com). As more flavors are introduced, and the weather continues to heat up, flavored and sweetened iced tea sound better and better.
CBD Infused Beverages
Lately, it seems like everything is offered with CBD. If you haven't yet heard CBD stands for Cannabidol, which is a compound within the plant cannabis. Scientists have been researching the therapeutic properties of cannabis for years. From their research thus far they found that both CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) share a lot of the same medical attributes- however while THC causes a "high-like" feeling, CBD does not have these same properties, allowing people to receive the medical effects without the high. CBD is also legal in almost every state while full THC cannabis or marijuana is currently legal in only 11 states (see the map here). Still curious about CBD? Learn more here.
So, what's the big deal about CBD within beverages? CBD can be found in oil, coffee, tea, soda, alcohol, and more. Medical and recreational cannabis sales are predicted to grow $25 billion in seven years so introducing more beverages infused with CBD has high-potential (bevsource.com). See some beverage brands that are already introducing CBD into their beverages. If you're interested in reaching people with a new product, introducing a beverage that contains CBD will position you be in the fore-front of this growing market.
Every year it seems like more beverage concoctions are being introduced, adapted, or surprising us completely (compare this years trends to last year). Understanding the current trends can help you relate to your customers, introduce new recipes, and offer new beverages on your menu that not only create interest, but also high revenue.