Coca-Cola rival launches genius new money-maker beverage
Customers can't get enough of the growing category.
The past few years in the food and beverage industry have been marked by the success of products that taste like one thing but are quite another.
Take the surge in popularity of plant-based meat, for example.
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Beyond Meat, Impossible, and a handful of other newcomers burst onto the grocery and restaurant scene, offering vegetarians, vegans, health-conscious diners, and exploratory eaters the opportunity to sink their teeth into something that tastes like beef —but isn't.
Most of these products are made from a variety of plant-based products like beans, coconut oil, and peas. It takes a lot of science to get the feel, taste, smell, and even appearance down to resemble the ground beef you might find in a burger, but nearly every grocery store or fast food shop seems to stock the stuff now. Image source: Pixabay
Alternative sodas are growing fast
Similarly, drinks that taste like soda — but are seen as a more healthful alternative — are growing in popularity as well.
Functional beverages, or drinks that offer benefits beyond enjoyment, like mood boosts, immunity enhancers, or digestive helpers, line the aisles of many grocery and health food stores.
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Many of these drinks are carbonated and actually taste like popular soda flavors, but they typically contain less sugar.
Olipop's popular Classic Root Beer flavor, for example, contains just six grams of added sugar, compared to a typical can of root beer which has nearly 40 grams.
Spindrift gets in on the craze
And now, Spindrift, the indie drink brand that popularized seltzer with real fruit juice, is launching its own soda.
The drinks are called Spindrift SODA and will include the following flavors:
- Concord Freeze
- Ginger Ale
- Orange Cream Float
- Shirley Temple
- Strawberry Shortcake
"In a category dominated by superfluous ingredients and sweetener systems, Spindrift SODA stands apart as a simple, modern, better-for-you soda without unnecessary ingredients like added sugar, stevia, or prebiotics," Spindrift said.
Founder Bill Creeman says every can of Orange Cream Float contains the juice from 3/4 of an orange.
"Every flavor contains 20% not-from-concentrate juice that delivers tremendous flavor and sweetness, setting a new standard for how good a healthy soda can be."
The drinks will hit shelves — including on its site and on Amazon — later this year.
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