UK Development Trends for Beverages
Introduction
Every year, new food and beverage industry trends emerge. And, with three Lockdowns under our belts and the end of a global epidemic on the horizon, it’s no surprise that the food and beverage business has altered dramatically.
This year has been one to remember, with a growing interest in sustainability and customers turning their kitchens into cocktail bars.
Innovative Concepts
Breakfast will become a focal point as hybrid working patterns become more common and fewer commute. Sure, overnight oats are delicious, but shakshuka, eggs benedict, and other dishes are also on the menu. The UK has consumed 68 per cent more than the previous year regarding eggs.
We’ll also be eating our breakfasts throughout the morning rather than just first thing in the morning. Besides that, when it comes to cooking our first meal of the day, we’ll be more adventurous. Breakfast burritos, homemade crumpets, and blueberry buttermilk pancakes are just a few of the options.
Carbon Footprint
According to a survey, nearly 70% of buyers consider the carbon impact of their food to be essential. It’s no surprise, given that a recent study shows that environmental awareness among UK consumers has increased significantly in the last year, with 85 per cent of us now choosing more sustainable lifestyle choices.
We’ll be putting in more effort to limit our food’s carbon footprint, whether it’s by shopping locally, eating less meat, or buying plastic-free.
Potato Milk
Yep! Potato milk, not oat milk or almond milk. It’s low in sugar and saturated fat, and it’s about to take over coffee shop menus. Food Research Lab, an expert in beverage goods development has over 100 non-dairy product developments and alternative milk formulations.
Bottled Cocktails
Bottled cocktails are transforming the bar experience.
Not only did Lockdowns inspire manufacturers to make food delivery kits and DIY boxes, but it also gave the term “RTDs” a whole new meaning. Bottled drinks, unlike your favourite tinnies, are more about duplicating your favourite cocktail at home than about convenience.
Consumers will undoubtedly continue to upgrade from familiar spirits to premium, pre-mixed bottled cocktails due to a new wave of ready-to-drink products.
Ready-To-Drink Beverages
Ultra-high temperature (UHT) or retort technologies commonly process RTD beverages. These types of processors subject the beverage to high temperatures, which can disrupt proteins, resulting in shorter shelf life, increased age gelation or thickening, and sedimentation. A pH drop and a failure to appropriately sequester the minerals in the formulation are the most common causes of these problems. Phosphates operate as a buffer to keep the pH of a product stable during processing and storage, and specific long-chain polyphosphates can keep minerals from reacting with destabilised protein.
Low Sugar Drinks
Sugar reduction is a crucial business theme as customers and beverage development companies in UK alike want healthier foods and beverages. While many people agree that “less is more,” there are differing views on accomplishing this. As a result, the industry has devised various ways to minimise sugar to varying degrees.
The beverage sector has gone through a spectacular transformation in terms of sugar reduction.
Protein-Enriched Drinks
Protein consumption is critical for avoiding and treating malnutrition. Most hospitalised older people fail to consume the necessary 1.2-1.5 grammes of protein per kilogramme of body weight per day (g/kg/d). As a result, we looked into whether a variety of newly designed protein-enriched regular meals and drinks could help hospitalised elderly patients increase their protein intake.
How Can Food Research Lab Service You?
We are one of the most renowned drink product consultants in the UK. We have a vast portfolio of newly developed beverage products to our name. We can help you with the following aspects;
- Beverage formulations
- Ready-To-Drink product developments
- Beverage deformulation and reformulation
- Shelf life enhancements of drinks
- Sensory evaluation of beverages
Conclusion
New trends occur almost every year. Functional beverages are gaining widespread traction worldwide as consumers become more driven towards a professional lifestyle, the need for Ready-To-Drink beverages increases. One particular thing is that the beverage sector is set to see more innovations and changes in the next decade.