2009 Drink Trends: What are the Hottest Beverages?

If you're looking for a tasty way to quench your thirst, you'll have more options than ever in 2008. Here are some of the non-alcoholic drink trends for the upcoming year. There's no doubt that when it's time to quench a raging thirst, you have more choices than ever. Years ago you may have made your selection from a limited selection of soft drinks, fruit juices, coffee, or milk. Today you have a bewildering array of energy drinks, flavored waters, vitamin waters, and tea blends at your disposal.

As if that isn't enough, new beverages are being added to store shelves every day. What are the upcoming non-alcoholic drink trends that will shape your beverage choices in 2009?

1) Soft drink consumption will decline. Soft drinks may have been the stars of the drink world in the past, but their popularity has been challenged by the ever expanding array of other available options as well negative news about their health effects. Soft drink sales remained flat from 2001 to 2006 and are projected to decline as much as one percent by 2011. It seems that consumers are looking for healthier options or maybe they're just overwhelmed by all of the other choices.

2) Tea will continue to grow in popularity. Although tea has always been the most popular drink other than water in other parts of the world, only recently has it shot to popularity in the United States. Thanks to the documented health benefits of this natural drink, sales of tea should continue to grow at a rapid pace in 2009. At one time, black tea was the only easily available option for American tea drinkers, but now you can choose from an array of flavored teas, green tea, white tea, and herbal blends. Expect to see more options for read- to-drink bottled teas in the future as consumers look for convenience.

3) Bottled waters. Despite the surprising news that many bottled waters are no more healthy than regular tap water, they continue to be a popular beverage for quenching thirst after a heated workout at the health club or an option to sip in the car on the way to work. Bottled water doesn't have to taste bland with the wide assortment of flavorings available ranging from fruit and herbal flavors to the ultra strange meat flavored water, appropriately marketed as Meat Water which comes in flavors ranging from Dirty Hot Dog to Cheese Burger. Bottled waters are even expected to outpace the growth of tea over the next few years. If you want something healthier, vitamin waters will continue to attract the interest of the thirsty, health conscious crowd looking for a nutritional boost.

4) Natural energy drinks. Although they've received some negative publicity lately due to their high caffeine content, sales of energy drinks will continue to grow. Their rate of growth may be moderated by recent consumer interest in healthier energy boosting alternatives such as the newer, all-natural, fruit based energy drinks such as Verve which have added vitamins and minerals along with green tea and phytonutrients. These energy drink alternatives appeal to consumers looking for a healthier alternative.You can also expect to see more ready-to-drink smoothie based drinks on store shelves in 2009 as well as drinkable yogurts that have added probiotics. It seems that the drink trends for 2009 will attempt to fulfill consumer's desire for healthy but tasty drink alternatives. The good news? You'll have plenty to choose from!

Source: Kristie Leong M.D