The wellness trinity of focus, mood and energy present a golden opportunity for the functional beverages industry – and the three are increasingly being viewed as interwoven.
“Consumers are beginning to see these needs as interconnected rather than as three completely separate health areas,” explains Ingrid Damen, Business Development Director, Beverages at dsm-firmenich.
Mintel research this year found that 69% of US energy drink consumers find the idea of energy drinks as mood boosters extremely or very motivating.
This, says Damen, “tells you people do not experience fatigue, poor concentration and flat mood as separate problems.
“Often they are also occasion-specific,” she adds, with “energy in the morning, focus during work or study, calm and wind-down in the evening.”
An occasion-led approach
As such, companies have the opportunity to formulate around occasion and consumer need, rather than any specific ingredient.
“A morning energy product and an afternoon focus product have different targets even where they share a base ingredient,” Damen explains.
“Trending ingredients in this area include B vitamins and magnesium, which provide an important nutritional foundation because of their role in energy metabolism.
“Botanicals such as ginseng, guarana and green tea are also attracting interest for applications linked to energy, focus, resilience and mental wellbeing.”
She recommends combining these with electrolytes to create multifunctional products for specific consumption occasions.
Stimulant alternatives
Although caffeine remains a popular additive for energy, some consumers are moving away from stimulants because of potential side effects such as jitters, anxiety and energy crashes.
“This is creating an opportunity for more balanced, natural and science-backed approaches,” Damen says.
dsm-firmenich recently entered into a strategic partnership with Italian start-up Nous (in which it had previously invested) around a new caffeine-free botanical ingredient called Koncentra.
Nous developed Koncentra, while dsm-firmenich is supporting its route to commercialisation.
“The market gap we see is quite clear,” Damen tells Food Formulator.
“Energy solutions have traditionally been heavily centred around stimulants, particularly caffeine.
“Koncentra is designed to address this space as a caffeine-free botanical solution for energy, focus and mood support.
“So the proposition is not simply another ingredient for an energy drink; it is about broadening the definition of energy towards sustained performance and a more holistic consumer experience.”
Rather than simply positioning a product as an ‘energy drink’, brands can develop solutions around specific moments: morning energy and hydration, focus during work or study, or products designed to support performance and wellbeing throughout a busy day
Suitable for sports drinks, vitamin waters, teas and more, the ingredient boasts good solubility and a low effective dose, with minimal impact on taste, colour and turbidity.
“Caffeine-led energy products will remain an important part of the category, but we expect the definition of energy to broaden,” Damen concludes.
“Rather than simply positioning a product as an ‘energy drink’, brands can develop solutions around specific moments: morning energy and hydration, focus during work or study, or products designed to support performance and wellbeing throughout a busy day.
“We are already seeing this broader movement towards benefit stacking, where hydration is combined with energy, gut health, immunity, focus or relaxation.
“We also expect natural and botanical ingredients to play a growing role, but with a much stronger emphasis on evidence and substantiation.”
