Ready to Drink (RTD) Beverage Market Research

Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Beverage Market Research

Have you ever wondered why your local store’s beverage aisle keeps introducing new flavors or brands seemingly overnight? The answer lies in the dynamic world of ready-to-drink beverage market research.

As consumers globally develop a thirst for novel and convenient drink options, this sector is under constant transformation. Brands, both big and small, harness the power of market research to keep their fingers on the pulse of these evolving desires.

What Is Ready-to-Drink Beverage Market Research?

Ready-to-drink beverage market research refers to the gathering, analyzing, and interpreting of data and insights related to beverages that are prepared for immediate consumption. This includes sodas, iced teas, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, and even newer categories like wellness shots and cold brew coffees. The objective is to understand current market dynamics, predict future trends, and provide actionable recommendations for businesses operating within this space.

This involves understanding the preferences, buying habits, and consumption patterns of the target audience. Questions might include: What flavors are most popular among millennials? Are consumers willing to pay a premium for organic beverages?

Benefits of Conducting Ready-to-Drink Beverage Market Research

The ready-to-drink beverage industry is in perpetual flux, driven by ever-evolving consumer preferences, technological advancements, and global trends. Delving into ready-to-drink beverage market research within this sector unveils numerous benefits for businesses:

• Spotting Emerging Trends: Ready-to-drink beverage market research helps brands identify nascent beverage trends, allowing them to introduce innovative products ahead of competitors.
• Tailored Product Development: By understanding specific consumer preferences regarding flavors, ingredients, or nutritional profiles, businesses can develop products that resonate more effectively with target demographics.
• Risk Mitigation: Gauging market reactions before a product launch can help avoid costly missteps or investments in unpopular flavors or formats.
• Identifying Market Gaps: Research can highlight untapped niches or underserved segments, presenting opportunities for brand differentiation and growth.
• Optimized Marketing Strategies: Understanding the target audience’s behavior, preferences, and buying patterns enables brands to craft marketing campaigns that are more impactful and ROI-driven.
• Competitive Analysis: Ready-to-drink beverage market research offers insights into what competitors are doing, allowing businesses to position themselves strategically and leverage unique selling points.
• Pricing Strategy: Research helps brands understand the price points consumers are willing to pay, ensuring that products are competitively and profitably priced.
• Feedback Loop: Continuous ready-to-drink beverage market research provides brands with direct feedback from consumers, facilitating iterative improvements and fostering brand loyalty.
• Regulatory Compliance: With changing regulations around ingredients, labeling, and advertising, market research helps brands stay compliant and anticipate future regulatory shifts.
• Sustainability Initiatives: As consumers become increasingly eco-conscious, research can guide businesses in introducing sustainable packaging or production practices that appeal to modern consumers.

Key Players in the RTD Market

The RTD market has witnessed a proliferation of products catering to a broad spectrum of consumer tastes and preferences. Several global giants and emerging players have positioned themselves prominently in this sector.

• The Coca-Cola Company: It offers a wide range of soft drinks, juices, and teas such as Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid, and Honest Tea, among others.
• PepsiCo: PepsiCo has a diverse portfolio spanning soft drinks, juices, teas, and other beverages. Some of its RTD brands are Mountain Dew, Tropicana, and Bubly sparkling water.
• Anheuser-Busch InBev: It produces RTD alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages, including Bud Light Seltzer and Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer.

Nestlé: Nestlé commercializes coffees, teas, and dairy-based drinks such as Nescafé, Nesquik, and Milo.

Opportunities in the Ready-to-Drink Beverage Market Research

The ready-to-drink beverage sector is burgeoning with opportunities. As consumer preferences evolve and new technological and market trends emerge, there are several opportunities for growth and innovation.

• Health and Wellness Trends: With consumers becoming more health-conscious, there is a surge in demand for beverages with functional benefits. For instance, low-calorie, low-sugar, or sugar-free beverages are on the rise.
• Sustainability and Ethical Practices: Sustainable packaging, from recyclable cans to biodegradable materials, presents vast opportunities. Additionally, ethical sourcing, fair-trade ingredients, and environmentally friendly production processes can attract a segment of consumers who prioritize sustainability.
• Plant-Based Alternatives: The rise in veganism and concerns over dairy intolerance have amplified the demand for plant-based milk alternatives like almonds, oats, and soy in RTD beverages.
• CBD and Functional Ingredients: Infusing beverages with CBD or other adaptogens for relaxation, mood-enhancing, or other functional benefits.
• E-commerce and Direct-to-Consumer: The rise in online shopping presents an opportunity for RTD beverage brands to reach customers directly, offering subscription models or exclusive online products. Penetrating emerging markets where RTD consumption is growing rapidly offers enormous potential.
• Technology and Personalization: Using AI and data analytics to understand consumer preferences better and predict future trends. Furthermore, leveraging AR (augmented reality) or VR (virtual reality) for immersive brand experiences.
• Collaborative Efforts: Collaborations between RTD beverage brands and celebrities, influencers, or other brands (e.g., a fashion brand or music artist) can capture new audience segments.
• Education and Experience: Hosting pop-up events, tasting sessions, or workshops to educate consumers about the ingredients, processes, and benefits of the beverages.

Real-life Examples of Ready-to-Drink Beverage Market Research from Leading Brands

To illustrate how the opportunities in the RTD beverage market are being leveraged, let’s delve into some real-life examples from leading brands:

• PepsiCo’s Bubly: Recognizing the shift towards healthier options, PepsiCo launched Bubly, a sparkling water brand with no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or calories. It caters to consumers avoiding sugary sodas.
• Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle: Coca-Cola introduced the PlantBottle, a fully recyclable plastic bottle made partially from plants, representing their commitment to sustainable packaging.
• Starbucks Reserve: Starbucks launched its Reserve line, offering rare and exotic coffee blends, highlighting artisanal processes and unique flavors.

Future of Ready-to-Drink Beverage Market Research

The future of ready-to-drink beverage market research is challenging as technological advancements, shifting consumer behaviors, and global dynamics influence the industry. Here are some projected directions and emerging focal areas:

• Sustainability: As sustainability continues to be a significant concern, research will focus on developing eco-friendly, biodegradable, or recyclable packaging solutions. Market research also will measure consumer interest in brands that reduce their carbon footprint and adopt more eco-friendly production processes.
• Hyper-Personalization: Leveraging data analytics to offer customized beverage solutions tailored to individual consumer preferences, dietary needs, or health goals.
• Holistic Health Offerings: With the rise of mental wellness awareness, beverages that offer benefits like stress reduction, sleep enhancement, or mood elevation will gain traction. The rise of functional beverages with ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics, and probiotics.
• Interactive and Smart Packaging: Packaging that interacts with consumers through augmented reality, offers health tracking, or changes color to indicate freshness.
• Alternative Ingredients: Continued exploration of plant-based and non-traditional ingredients such as hemp, mushroom, and alternative natural sweeteners.
• Regulatory Shifts: As governments worldwide become more concerned with public health, market research will need to anticipate and respond to regulatory changes, especially concerning sugar content, labeling, and advertising.

About SIS International

SIS International offers Quantitative, Qualitative, and Strategy Research. We provide data, tools, strategies, reports and insights for decision-making. We conduct interviews, surveys, focus groups, and many other Market Research methods and approaches. Contact us for your next Market Research project.