WILD extends exotics for flavoured water market
market could opt for new additions to WILD's exotic natural fruit
range, says the German flavour firm.
Extending a portfolio that already contains guava, melon and blood orange, the company will add papaya, litchi lychee, and Concord grape to the choice.
The soft drinks industry has been recently hit by a consumer shift away from sugary carbonated beverages towards healthier options, such as fruit juices and bottled water.
As a result, major players like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo operating in mature markets are focusing on building added value brands to protect margins, with functionality a key feature. 'Good-for-you' soft drinks such as enhanced water, fortified juice and flavoured water increasingly appeal to the health conscious consumers.
Juice and water were recently highlighted as the fastest growth segments of the soft drinks market in Europe by market analysts Euromonitor.
And according to a recent Fitch Rating, in the US in 2003 carbonated soft drinks grew by only one per cent, while bottled water volume - including vitamin added varieties - grew by almost 22 per cent and non-carbonated drinks by 4.7 per cent.
Overall, beverages run first in the €5.5 billion global flavours market with an approximate 30 per cent slice of the market in western Europe alone.
