BEVERAGE TRENDS 2026: FUNCTIONAL, MINDFUL DRINKS

A market driven by the quest for ‘well-being’

The drinks sector has become the prime arena for nutritional innovation, driven by consumers who are increasingly mindful of their overall health.

At the heart of this revolution lie functional drinks.

A functional drink is a alcohol-free drink enriched with active ingredients, also referred to as functional ingredients, that offer health and wellbeing benefits. There is currently no official or standardised definition of this category of drinks.

Drinks are no longer merely a means of hydration or enjoyment; they have become the preferred vehicle for preventive health.

A trajectory that confirms the strategic role of functional beverages in shaping the future of the drinks market.

This growing interest can be attributed to the public’s increasing concern for wellness. Consumers are seeking drinks that offer additional benefits beyond basic nutritional qualities. Immunity, gut health, stress management, and optimising cognitive performance are among the most sought-after benefits.

There are three distinct categories of functional drinks, each offering benefits tailored to specific needs: fermented drinks, drinks made from functional mushrooms, and drinks enriched with electrolytes.

This trend is also reflected in the functional mushroom-based drinks segment, a market estimated to be worth $65.83 million by 2030, with food and drink accounting for 41.9 per cent of this from 2023 onwards. Originating in traditional Chinese medicine, these are divided into two categories: adaptogens (Reishi, Chaga) and nootropics (Lion’s Mane). The Bonjour brand, one of the leaders in the French market, offers a plant-based coffee substitute (made from barley and cocoa) enriched with adaptogenic mushrooms.

It is also worth highlighting the emergence of electrolyte-enriched drinks, a market valued at around $37.8 billion in 2025, which is expected to reach nearly $58 billion by 2032. Europe accounts for around 22 per cent of this market, driven by the growing popularity of sports nutrition amongst the general public. These products are increasingly positioned as alternatives to traditional sports drinks, offering hydration with cleaner ingredients and lower sugar content. The market is developing around premium alternatives and healthy drinks. Often available as powders to be mixed with water, these drinks command a higher price point thanks to their sugar-free, ‘clean label’ composition and direct-to-consumer distribution channels. The CapriSun brand recently launched a new product, +Electrolytes, a drink enriched with magnesium and vitamins.

Low sugar drinks: a key beverage trend for 2026

Sugar content has become one of the criteria most closely scrutinised by consumers and manufacturers alike. Whilst many iconic drinks have already begun to significantly reduce their sugar content, the challenge remains: excessive sugar intake is still one of the major criticisms levelled at soft drinks. For consumers, analysing nutrition labels remains a complex task, which underlines the importance of clear and transparent communication regarding product composition.

Against this backdrop, innovative start-ups are offering alternatives that combine a low-sugar approach with a delicious taste experience.

Les Filles de l’Ouest is a women-led company offering drinks designed to combine enjoyment, natural ingredients and low sugar content. Necense is a brand of artisanal infusions. It explores new sensory approaches and offers drinks with a low glycaemic index, without sacrificing aromatic complexity. An invitation to rethink the pleasure of drinking without excessive sugar is also offered by Eau Exquise, which provides flavouring drops to add taste to water and thus encourage daily hydration.

How new drinks are reshaping the beverage industry and innovation strategies?

The drinks market is no longer limited to traditional products. The entire industry is now embracing this trend to develop new uses, meet consumers’ nutritional expectations and explore alternatives. Behind this momentum, several key trends are emerging:

A drink that has become a marker of everyday life:

Long associated simply with hydration, drinking has now become established in everyday life as a ritual of enjoyment. Non-alcoholic drinks have shed their image as a ‘necessity’ to become a vehicle for celebration, pleasure and prestige, even finding their way into airline first-class lounges. The challenge for brands is to ensure a sensory experience that remains true to traditional norms, whilst meeting the public’s new expectations.

The rise of sustainable and local drinks:

Against a backdrop of transition, other drinks produced using traditional regional fermentation methods are making a comeback, such as kvass, a Russian drink made from rye, and tepache, a Mexican drink made from pineapple. Furthermore, companies are also prioritising sustainable packaging, with aluminium cans leading the way (75 per cent global recycling rate), adopting this format for soft drinks, premium waters, coffees and mocktails. Finally, they are opting for sustainable containers: reusable, free from single-use plastic, or returnable cans. 

Technological innovation is becoming a new frontier:

The sector is undergoing a profound transformation thanks to new production methods. Controlled fermentation and low-temperature vacuum distillation (around 30°C) enable alcohol to be extracted whilst preserving the delicate aromas and original organoleptic qualities. These technological processes make it possible to replicate the sensory experience of alcoholic drinks as closely as possible.