Drinking for immunity: Why demand for functional beverages will continue long beyond COVID-19

Consumer thirst for immune health 

There is growing demand for drinks that offer a benefit for health or wellness—the global functional beverage market is forecast to reach US$158 billion in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 8.08%.¹ Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 has fostered interest in beverages with immune health benefits, a space where some brands reportedly saw sales increases of 500% in the early months of 2020.²

Innovation across a range of beverage applications 

Immune support innovation is taking place across a range of beverage categories: 

Juices

A growing number of juice brands are upping their game by fortifying products with functional ingredients; the number of juice products with immune health claims more than trebled between 2018 and 2020.³ 

Shots 

Shots are great vehicles to deliver a boost to immunity, energy, or both. Juice shots, launches of which have grown by 28% in Europe over the past three years⁴, are particularly popular in the category. Common active ingredients in immunity shot products include ginger, turmeric, berries, vitamins, and minerals.  

Probiotic beverages

Growing awareness of the relationship between a healthy gut and a healthy immune system is driving interest in probiotic beverages that make both immune and digestive health claims. Sources of probiotics include kombucha, which remains a highly on-trend ingredient in beverages.⁵ 

Functional waters and sports nutrition drinks 

It is increasingly common for functional or ‘enhanced’ waters and sports nutrition drinks to offer benefits beyond hydration, and immune health is one of the areas companies are focusing on when they launch fortified beverages.  

Trending ingredients for immunity 

During the pandemic, consumers have searched for products containing ingredients supported by both traditional usage and a body of scientific evidence. Trending ingredients for immune health beverages include: 

Ashwagandha 

One of the best-known Indian botanicals, ashwagandha is supported by thousands of years of use and by science, with studies showing that it can increase the body’s white blood cells, helping boost immunity.⁶ Hailed as the ’adaptogen of the hour,‘ ashwagandha is increasingly common in herbal teas, RTD products, and other functional beverages.⁷

Shagandha™ is an ashwagandha root extract 2.5% designed to meet the US Pharmacopoeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) monograph, as confirmed by Alkemist Labs. 

Amla 

Beverages infused with amla have been consumed for health for centuries, and it is one of the most popular immune health ingredients in India, where it commonly appears in herbal teas.⁸

Saberry®, a proprietary amla extract, is a powerful antioxidant and a great source of vitamin C. In a 2009 study, it was found to help regulate inflammatory response and increase resistance to infection.⁹ Being water-soluble, Saberry® can be conveniently incorporated into various beverage applications, including fruit juices  

Vitamins and Minerals 

A wide range of vitamins and minerals have EFSA-approved claims for immune system function. Across all categories, 14% of new product launches with an immune health claim also have a ‘vitamin and mineral-fortified' claim.¹⁰ Beverage companies have been formulating with vitamins and minerals for years, and over half (52%) of global launches of energy drinks now feature added vitamin/mineral claims.¹¹

One of the minerals currently trending in beverages is selenium, which reduces inflammation. Selenium SeLECT® is a unique single chemical entity containing selenium in place of sulphur in the molecule of the essential amino acid methionine. It can be used in a variety of beverage applications, including teas and waters. 

Nigella sativa 

Nigella sativa—known as ‘black seed’ or ‘black cumin’—is a medicinal seed believed to have offered healing powers for over 3,000 years. Today, it continues to feature in teas and other immunity-boosting beverages. Its main active ingredient is thymoquinone, which has been reported to reduce proinflammatory cytokine activity, with benefits for immune system support.¹²  

Nigellin® BCS is a Nigella sativa extract standardised to contain thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, and hederagenin.  

Demand now, and in the future 

By the end of 2020, the number of global food and drink launches with immune health positioning had grown to 1.65% (from just 1% five years earlier).¹³ With the effects of the pandemic predicted to linger for years, or even decades, to come, there is good reason to believe that demand for beverages with immune health benefits will continue long into the future.   

The most innovative beverage brands are embracing fortification with on-trend immune health ingredients as a strategy for differentiation. At Prinova, we can support brands at every stage of the beverage development process, not just with high-quality ingredients and customisable nutrient premixes and blends, but also expert insights into this exciting category. 
 

_REFERENCES:

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_{2. Mintel ‘Startups with a focus on immunity and health get a boost’, 29th April 2020}

_{3. Mintel Global New Products Database}

_{4. Mintel Global New Products Database}

_{5. Askew, K ‘}What’s inspiring innovation in low-to-no beverages? _{‘ Food Navigator, 10 Jun 2021}

_{6. Agarwal R, Diwanay S, Patki P, Patwardhan B. ‘Studies on immunomodulatory activity of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) extracts in experimental immune inflammation’ J Ethnopharmacol. 1999 Oct;67(1):27-35.}

_{7. Watson E ‘}Immunity, relaxation, energy and focus: Trending botanicals in food and beverage, from ashwagandha to ginseng_{’ Food Navigator USA, 28th April 2021}

_{8. Kapoor, A ‘Amla tea: Take the goodness of vitamin c with your cup of herbal tea’ Times of India, 28th May 2021}

_{9. R. S. Suja, A. M. C. Nair, S. Sujith, J. Preethy, A. K. Deepa ‘Evaluation of immunomodulatory potential' of emblicaofficinalis fruit pulp extract in mice‘, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (K.A.U.), Mannuthy, 680651, India, 2009}

_{10. Innova Market Insights ‘Immunity boosters: trends overview’, 2020}

_{11. Mintel ‘The Future of Water, Sports and Energy Drinks’ 2021}

_{12. Kulyar MF, Li R, Mehmood K, Waqas M, Li K, Li J. ‘Potential influence of Nagella sativa (Black cumin) in reinforcing immune system: A hope to decelerate the COVID-19 pandemic’ Phytomedicine. 2021 May;85:153277}

_{13. Innova Market Insights ‘COVID-19 Drives Prioritization of Immune Health’ 9th December 2020}