KANSAS CITY — The global sparkling water market was valued at $24.51 billion in 2019 and is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8% from 2020 to 2027, according to Grandview Research.
“Increasing consumer preference for healthy alternatives to carbonated and other types of sugary soft drinks is the key factor for the market growth,” Grandview Research said. “Moreover, this sparkling or carbonated water contains a good amount of minerals, such as magnesium and calcium, with a number of health benefits. These properties are expected to fuel market growth over the forecast period.”
Flavored sparkling water is expected to be the fastest-growing product segment with a CAGR of 12% from 2020 to 2027, Grandview Research said.
As the popularity of sparkling water rises, beverage manufacturers are debuting new iterations with functional benefits like caffeine, CBD and immunity-boosting vitamins.
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. is launching Wave, a new line of naturally caffeinated sparkling waters made with fruit juice.
Developed exclusively for Walmart, the drink is available in strawberry-lemon, mango-passionfruit, mandarin-blackberry and cranberry-pineapple flavors, each containing 50 mg of caffeine derived from black tea.
The sparkling waters contain no added sugars and are free from artificial flavors, preservatives and sweeteners.
“Ocean Spray Wave bridges the gap for consumers who want a lightly caffeinated option — with the convenience and flavor of soda — but without the added sugars,” said Kim McAllister, director of innovation at Ocean Spray. “We are excited to share yet another product that innovates and diversifies our line of drinks and snacks beyond the juice aisle.”
In February, PepsiCo, Inc. expanded its bubly line of sparkling water with caffeinated varieties.
Featuring 35 mg of caffeine per 12-oz can, bubly bounce is available in five flavors, including mango passion fruit, triple berry, blood orange grapefruit, citrus cherry and blueberry pomegranate. The beverages contain no calories, sweeteners or artificial flavors.
“Bubly sparkling water was created to bring more smiles into the sparkling water category, and new bubly bounce takes it to the next level with caffeine,” said Zach Harris, vice president of the water portfolio at PepsiCo Beverages North America. “As more individuals seek out sparkling waters with added benefits, bubly bounce delivers all of the delicious flavor and hydration of the original, now with just a kick of caffeine.”
Canopy Growth Corp. is bringing its CBD-infused sparkling water brand Quatreau to the United States. The beverage contains 20 mg of US-grown hemp-based CBD per 12-oz can, which contains 25 calories. Quatreau comes in four flavors: cucumber mint, passionfruit guava, ginger lime, and blueberry acai.
“We have proven our beverage strategy in Canada, where we are currently the market share leader in CBD-infused ready-to-drink beverages,” said Rade Kovacevic, president and chief product officer for Canopy Growth Corp. “Beverages are fueling growth in the CBD category, and we believe this product will resonate with US consumers looking for a naturally flavored, zero-sugar option.”
Rocky Mountain Soda in September 2020 rolled out Sparkling CBD, a new brand of sparkling CBD waters. Available in citrus and hibiscus flavors, the waters are made with 20 mg of broad spectrum hemp extract and natural flavors. The beverages are non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher and vegan and contain no carbs, sugar or sodium.
“Our customers kept asking us for a zero-calorie option, so we set out to craft some great tasting sparkling CBD waters,” said Andrew Fulton, co-founder of Rocky Mountain Soda. “It can be difficult to make things with no sweeteners taste good, especially with hemp extracts, so it’s all about sourcing high-quality ingredients and letting them shine. That's exactly what we've done with these Sparkling CBD waters. We are committed to creating unique flavors using all natural and organic ingredients. We keep it as simple as possible and let the ingredients speak for themselves. We're excited to see our customers love these refreshing drinks as much as we do.”
In November 2020, Cloud Water Brands released a new range of functional sparkling waters called Cloud Water + Immunity. The drinks are formulated with 100% of the daily value of vitamin D and zinc and are sweetened with organic wildflower honey. The beverages contain 40 calories per 12-oz can and are kosher, gluten-free and non-GMO. Flavors include blood orange and coconut; grapefruit, mint and basil; and blackberry, lemon and rosemary.
“As consumers become more educated about immunity, they recognize that what they eat and drink can help protect their body and support their immune systems,” said Marc Siden, chief executive officer of Cloud Water Brands. “These times have given us an opportunity to think about what consumers are looking for and how we can help deliver that. As a brand we have been committed to innovating evidence-based functional products that support consumer’s minds and their bodies.”
