Innovative Ideas

A REFRESHING APPROACH:

for Beverage Brands

Looking to Grow & Thrive

EBOOK
OVERVIEW
Beverage brands are always looking
to increase their revenues, appeal to
wider audiences, reinvigorate their core
customers, and gain a foothold in new
markets and audiences.

For bottlers, it’s critical to pay attention to shifting

consumer preferences and new technologies that
are currently sweeping the industry in order to
continue to grow.

From tethered closures to nostalgic tastes and

exotic flavors like winter spice and marshmallow,
to double-caffeinated beverages capitalizing on
consumers’ growing preferences for coffee, here
are the strategies and trends you should embrace
for a winning beverage brand.

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 NEW TASTES,
NEW OPPORTUNITIES

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NEW TASTES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Consumers are more adventurous than ever
before, and they’re showing an increased
interest in innovative and wonderful flavors.
Whether it’s a brand-new taste or a treat
that creatively reimagines familiar flavors,
consumers are increasingly open to new
drink flavors.
RC Cola’s Marshmallow and Winter Spice
flavors give consumers a playful twist on
the cola that they know and love. These bold
tastes appeal to both first-time RC Cola
consumers and our core audience.
Brands that are hesitant about rolling out
totally new SKUs should consider doing
flavor variations of their current successful
core products. By putting a creative spin on
beverages that your audience loves, you can
reap the benefits of branching out without
taking too much of a risk.

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Smart Packaging:
The Future Is Now

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SMART PACKAGING: THE FUTURE IS NOW
Packaging can do much more than make a
product look appealing and catch the eyes of
consumers. Smart packaging can help tell your
brand's story and even create a multimedia
experience for customers meeting your brand
for the first time or who are curious about a
specific product.
QR codes, NFC and RFID chips on packaging
put the power back in consumers’ hands,
allowing them to conduct instant research
and find out more about your beverage. This
process encourages engagement and interest
in your brand.

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SMART PACKAGING: THE FUTURE IS NOW
Smart packaging can also help connect
consumers to digital campaigns. You can
customize a journey for customers who
scan your products, transporting them Smart packaging can help brands that
from the drink aisle to the virtual setting “create elevated experiences while
of your choice for brand education and continuing to reduce the amount of
product explanations. material in their packaging,” she notes.

Considering the advent of the Metaverse Marc Powell, Accessibility Innovation

and a push for greener packaging, smart Lead at the Royal National Institute of
packaging is only set to grow. Suzy Shelley, Blind People, explains that scannable
Materials and Sustainability Technical codes provide greater inclusivity for
Lead at brand design agency Pearlfisher, visually impaired customers, who often
explains that “tailor-made virtual struggle to read small lettering on
experiences” are increasing in popularity packaging.
due to blurred boundaries between the
“People with sight loss should have the
digital and physical worlds.
same access and choice as our sighted
counterparts but, currently, important
information on packaging can often be
in very small print, making it difficult or
impossible for us to read,” Powell says.

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 Tethered Closures:
Practical Sustainability

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TETHERED CLOSURES: PRACTICAL SUSTAINABILITY
In line with sustainability initiatives,
tethered closures for single use plastics
are to be required throughout European
Union countries by 2024. This new
mandatory packaging policy is set to have
a major impact on beverage brands that
sell their products in the region.
The EU legislation, called the European The good news is that beverage brands
Single-Use Plastic Directive, mandates can get creative while adhering to this
that all beverages containing 3 liters or new standard. Flip top, screw caps and
less will need a new tethered closure. It snap-on closures are all variations of
also mandates that no PET bottle will be tethered closures.
recycled without the attached lid. This Notably, a recent survey found that
means that caps, while removable and consumers actually preferred
adjustable, must now be permanently tethered closures to conventional caps.
attached to the bottle. Participants said they believed tethered
caps are more hygienic than traditional
closures, as they can't accidentally fall
on the floor, and that they streamline the
process of opening and closing the bottle.

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Regional And Cultural
Flavors Are Exploding

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REGIONAL AND CULTURAL FLAVORS ARE EXPLODING
With pandemic-era travel bans making
foreign adventures off-limits, there
was a noticeable increase in consumer
preferences for exotic flavors. This shift
towards looking at drinks as an opportunity
for exploration shows no signs of slowing
down, and beverage brands should be
paying attention.
Consumers are yearning to try unique and
authentic flavors from different cultures
and regions around the globe. Companies
are experimenting with ingredients and
flavors from different parts of the world to
appeal to diverse tastes and preferences.
“Consumers continue to have a desire to
try new things without venturing too far
into the unknown and that’s where exotic
fruits have a great fit,” says Kyra Appleby,
innovation technologist at iTi Tropicals.

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REGIONAL AND CULTURAL FLAVORS ARE EXPLODING
“They pair well with more familiar flavors,
so beverage makers are able to create a
familiar yet new beverage using exotic and
familiar fruits.”
The health benefits of fruit are also a major
selling point for these beverages, Appleby
notes. “Exotic fruits are more widely used
in beverages now to add vitamins, minerals,
antioxidants and phytochemicals, increase
the juice content of the beverage, reduce the
added sugar content, and potentially reduce
the caloric load,” she says.
For beverage brands looking to expand their
customer bases and break into new markets,
integrating new and exotic flavors into their
portfolios is a great option.

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Major Shifts In Sugar

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MAJOR SHIFTS IN SUGAR

Sugar has long been a staple ingredient

in carbonated beverages, but beverage
brands should be aware that there
are several significant developments
in this area that may reshape both
formulas and business strategy for drink
manufacturers.
Prices for raw sugar recently reached their
highest point in six years, partially due to the
ongoing supply chain crisis and global economic
recession. Simultaneously, regulators in certain
regions are cracking down on bottlers who
produce sugary drinks. In Singapore, beverage
brands are now required to list exactly how
much sugar is present in their products.
These new regulations are sparking greater
interest in zero sugar and sugar alternatives,
particularly in Asia. Not to mention the impact
of increasing consumer awareness around
health and sugary drinks.

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MAJOR SHIFTS IN SUGAR
“Sugar content is what consumers now Yates notes beverage brands’ increasing According to a recent survey, 72
look for most often on front-of-pack,” interest in using “zero calorie ingredients percent of consumers say they are
says Nate Yates, Global Platform Lead to create taste experiences consistent trying to reduce or avoid sugar and
for Sugar Reduction and Specialty with their full sugar counterparts.” their way of doing includes avoiding
Sweetener at Ingredion. “This has sugary drinks. Beverage brands looking
created tremendous interest and to stay relevant in today’s market
opportunity for beverage companies to landscape should consider adding
formulate with ingredients like stevia, drinks with sugar substitutes or no
erythritol and allulose.” sugar products to their portfolios.

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Coffee & Coffee-Flavored
Drinks Are Growing

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COFFEE & COFFEE-FLAVORED DRINKS ARE GROWING
Coffee and coffee-flavored drinks
are continuing to enjoy an upswing
in popularity, with many beverage
brands expanding their SKUs to include
products in the category. According
to market research, the global coffee
market is projected to be worth a
stunning $55.64 billion by 2026.
Smart bottlers are leveraging coffee
trends to appeal to more consumers and
boost their revenues. Both the flavor
of coffee and its effects make the drink
extremely appealing to consumers.

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COFFEE & COFFEE-FLAVORED DRINKS ARE GROWING
“Coffee is a versatile ingredient that
we have seen used in several consumer
trends in beverage, including natural
energy, sustainability, responsible
sourcing, indulgent and nostalgic
flavors, and new flavor experiences,”
says Hilary Hursh, director of
applications at Finlays America.
The sweetness of cola, paired with the
bitterness of coffee, creates a unique
soda that resonates with consumers.
For people looking for more caffeine
for an extra pick-me-up in their busy The newest addition to RC
lifestyles, RC Cola Double Caffeine is Cola’s portfolio, this beverage
the perfect option. leverages growing consumer
preferences for strongly
caffeinated drinks, alongside
the classic cola flavor that they
know and love.

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Creating A Successful Strategy For Your
Beverage Brand In 2023

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CREATING A SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY FOR YOUR
BEVERAGE BRAND IN 2023

RC Cola has a long history in beverage

marketing of identifying the latest trends
in beverages and bringing them to market.
We’re proud to have introduced the
world’s first diet soda in 1958, along
with numerous imaginative flavors and
variations of our core products.
As a heritage company that’s been
in business for more than 100 years,
we’re honored to enjoy a well-earned
For step-by-step guidance
reputation as an innovative and quality
beverage brand. into winning strategies to
elevate your brand, get in
touch with RC Cola today.

Contact Us >>

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 A REFRESHING APPROACH:

Innovative Ideas
for Beverage Brands
Looking to Grow & Thrive

EBOOK