Sparkling water—and all sparkling, carbonated beverages—are a trend that’s not fizzing out soon. In the last five years, sales of sparkling water have gone up 42 percent, with Americans, collectively, now drinking almost 170 million gallons in bubbly water each year.
“There’s really no overstating the importance beverages have on the foodservice industry or how monstrous the market is,” Datassential’s Creative Concepts beverage report states. “Just about every U.S. restaurant serves some type of beverage, and for operations without fountain sodas or house-made beverages, it’s all the more important to pay attention to retail beverages.”
Consumers are craving that carbonation.
Your New “Plus One”
For consumers who want more than just “plain” water, but are watching their calorie consumption, sparkling water is a great alternative. There’s a societal shift in soda habits as healthy alternatives become more front-of-mind; with the essence or pure juice of flavors like grapefruit, cranberry, and blackberry, sparkling water becomes a treat. And the ingredients matter—according to Technomic, 59 percent of consumers say they are more likely to purchase beverages with an “all natural” descriptor.
This makes “plus one” sparkling waters a more prevalent offering. “People just don’t like drinking plain water,” the CNBC trendy food and drinks list for 2019 states. Expect to see more and more waters with just one fruit or vegetable infusion added—and try stocking innovative combinations for your customers.
Your Sourcing Solution
Want to float away on some bubbly beverage offerings? Dot Foods is your sample solution. Spindrift sparkling waters, Izze carbonated juice drinks, and more are the perfect way to stock sparkling items for the carbonation craze.
Start fizzing up the drink menu with carbonated beverages from our website.