Unleashing Energy: The Thriving Market of Energy and Sports Drinks

A values oriented consumer shopping for an energy drink

In recent years, the beverage industry has seen an explosion of innovation and growth, particularly in the energy and sports drinks segment. Here’s a rundown of how this booming market has evolved, the current trends, and what to expect in the future.  A Spurt of Evolution  From the days when Red Bulls were for partying … Read more Unleashing Energy: The Thriving Market of Energy and Sports Drinks

Expo East 2022 Recap: The Top Trends and Exciting Products

8 Emerging Trends We Saw on the Show Floor Each fall, Expo East brings together the best of the natural industry: pioneering brands, innovative products, trend-setting retailers, and top suppliers. This year was no different. After a successful return to an in-person event in 2021, this year’s show was bigger and proved that Expo East … Read more Expo East 2022 Recap: The Top Trends and Exciting Products

Beverage Trends: Functional Ingredients Attract Wellness-Minded Shoppers

image of man and woman enjoying a functional beverage

Omnichannel Data Gives Beverage Brands Insights To today’s shoppers, brick-and-mortar and online stores each bring benefits depending on what they’re buying and when. That’s long been apparent for household items and clothing. However, it’s also proven to be true for beverage. Shoppers aren’t just buying milk and soft drinks at the grocery store anymore, but … Read more Beverage Trends: Functional Ingredients Attract Wellness-Minded Shoppers

Cutting Back On Sugar: Which Sweetener Alternatives Are Shoppers Choosing and Why?

photo of sweetener alternatives

The Rise of Sweetener Substitutes The average American consumes 19.5 teaspoons of added sugar every day, translating to almost 60 pounds of added sugar per year, according to experts. That’s easy to understand when you realize that an estimated 74% of packaged foods have added sugars and there are 61 different names for sugars on … Read more Cutting Back On Sugar: Which Sweetener Alternatives Are Shoppers Choosing and Why?

Natural Alcohol Trends: 3 Ways Shoppers Are Changing Happy Hour in 2022

group of people joining their wine glasses to cheers showing growth in category

Navigating through the Innovation and Trends Happening in Natural Alcohol From New Year’s Eve to sporting events to dinner, the right spirits in a glass can also keep our spirits high. Today, alcohol aisles are filled with endless options to please any shopper, but this year you can expect even more innovative products to hit … Read more Natural Alcohol Trends: 3 Ways Shoppers Are Changing Happy Hour in 2022

Sports Nutrition Trends: How Demand for an Active Lifestyle is Fueling Innovation in the Market

a collection of workout gear which includes protein powder, athletic shoes, and an apple to reflect the growth in sports nutrition for an active lifestyle

The Sports Nutrition Category Evolves Beyond Athletic Performance Today, you can find items like protein powder and electrolyte packets in the average consumer’s shopping cart. Not too long ago, however, sports nutrition items were strictly the domain of athletes looking to optimize their performance and gym rats wanting to bulk up. An evolved view of … Read more Sports Nutrition Trends: How Demand for an Active Lifestyle is Fueling Innovation in the Market

From Functional to Low and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: How Natural Alcohol is Driving Innovation to the Category

two kombucha beverages on a wooden piece to reflect natural alcohol trends

Get to Know SPINS’ Alcohol Attributes and Categories Today’s alcohol aisles and coolers are filled with more variety than ever, offering natural alcohol options as well as non-alcoholic alternatives to appeal to the health-conscious shopper. Long gone are the days of simply asking someone if they would like a beer or glass of wine. Which … Read more From Functional to Low and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: How Natural Alcohol is Driving Innovation to the Category

Plant-Based Trends in Every Department: 7 Innovations to Watch for in 2021

image displaying a 2021 wellness trend of the use of plants as alternative supplement sources

Plant-Based Choices in Every Aisle Plant-based diets might not be new, but you couldn’t tell that from looking at store shelves. Over the last few years, innovation and customer demand have moved the category beyond the longtime staples (i.e., plant-based meats and milk alternatives) and into a variety of new plant-based offerings across the entire store.   Throughout 2021, innovative plant-based brands will greet wellness-focused … Read more Plant-Based Trends in Every Department: 7 Innovations to Watch for in 2021

Consumer TrendWatch: Milk

SPINS consumer trend-watch - Milk

Household panel data shows that some core organic milk consumers have turned away from organic milk purchases over the last three years. With NaturaLink Consumer Segmentation, SPINS’ Consumer Insights Solution program explores buyer behavior around milk and other categories that may be winning those dollars. Leverage SPINS’ insights to better understand the shifting factors that … Read more Consumer TrendWatch: Milk

Policy Insights: An Examination of the Soda Tax

SPINS Policy Insights - Sugar Scrutiny

In 2014, Berkeley, CA, became the first city in the United States to implement a public health-based soda tax. There are now eight jurisdictions in the U.S. to have passed a similar tax, though one in Cook County, IL, has been recently repealed. What do these laws mean for manufacturers and retailers – not to … Read more Policy Insights: An Examination of the Soda Tax