Functional Water Market Continues to Make Gains

Healthy and Fortified Drinks Appear

A Recent Study Finds the Functional Water Market Continues to Make Gains as Consumers are Paying More Attention to Healthier Soft Drinks

As reports of obese Americans and the cost to the medical care system dominate the media, more and more attention is being paid by both consumers and manufacturers to healthier soft drinks. Low-calorie carbonates continue to increase in sales even as other carbonates struggle to retain consumer interest.

Consumers are continuing to look for fortified or naturally healthy soft drinks, and manufacturers continued to respond in 2005 with new products to meet this demand. The Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo each launched lowcarb versions of their colas (C2 and Pepsi Edge) in an attempt to leverage the popular Atkins low-carb food trend. Low-carb RTD teas and sports drinks also began to appear. Minute Maid and Tropicana rolled out fortified versions of their orange juices tailored for growing children and heart health-conscious consumers.

Naturally healthy juices with antioxidants like pomegranate and cranberry enjoyed strong sales gains. Functional waters continued to make gains, as well as organic beverages, with consumers proving willing to accept higher prices due to the perceived health advantages of these products.

Companies Mentioned Include:

- Big Red Inc - Campbell Soup Co - CCDA Waters LLC-Danone JV (North America) - Coca-Cola Co, The - Crystal Geyser Roxane Water Co LLC - Danone Waters of North America Inc - Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc - DS Waters of America LP - Energy Brands Inc - Ferolito Vultaggio & Sons - Florida's Natural Growers - Kelso & Co - Kraft Foods Inc - Marbo Inc - Minute Maid Co, The - Monarch Beverage Co, The - Mott's Inc - National Beverage Corp - Nestlé USA Inc - Nestlé Waters North America - North American Coffee Partnership, The - Northland Cranberries Inc - Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc - PepsiCo Inc - Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership - Procter & Gamble Co, The - Quaker Oats Co, The - Red Bull North America Inc - Royal Crown Cola Co - Seagram Beverage Co, The - Snapple Beverage Corp - South Beach Beverage Co - Sunny Delight Beverages Co - Suntory Water Group Inc - Tree Top Inc - Tropicana Products Inc - Unilever Bestfoods North America - Welch Foods Inc

Resource: Bottled Water in the USA