Drinking Naturally – Wellness Drinks in 2023

Wellness, health, and natural ingredients are the mega-trends of the year, and you see that when you look at the beverages for sale in shops. In our blog you can read more about the wellness drink trend that so many consumers are now following. 

Consumers are increasingly health conscious; they want to make choices that improve their health, and the demand for different wellness drinks has soared. The beverage industry has taken this into account by increasing the range of health and well-being drinks on offer. Sugary soft drinks and other additive-laden beverages have made way for coconut water, vitamin waters, kombucha and nature’s own super product – birch sap drink. 

Health and well-being come first

Consumers’ expectations of healthy drinks are high: they want something that quenches their thirst and nourishes their body with natural vitamins and minerals, which at the same time does not compromise on taste. Health-conscious consumers are not looking for needless amounts of energy, and so prefer low-sugar or calorie-free options. The labels on bottles and cans are also checked other harmful ingredients besides sugar. Increasingly, drinks with E numbers, artificial sweeteners, or alcohol are left on the shelf.

Birch sap, coconut water or vitamin water?

A healthy answer to these consumer demands is birch sap – tree water with a low level of only natural sugars in it. Like coconut water, birch sap is completely natural, additive-free, and rehydrates the body effectively, and yet it has only a quarter of the sugar content of coconut water. Meanwhile vitamin waters are enhanced artificially with sugar and vitamins, but birch sap replenishes the body in a completely natural way.

Beverage industry trends reflect environmental values 

Consumers are increasingly concerned about where the ingredients in their drinks come from. They are expected to be high-quality and harvested with respect to environmental values. This is one reason why plant-based drinks, such as oat and soya milks, have gained a share of the dairy market, as consumers’ knowledge about their environmental sustainability has increased.

Nordic Koivu takes consumer demands into account 

Nordic Koivu birch sap is harvested from birch trees growing in the clean soils of Finland, fed by fresh ground water, which makes this sap uniquely pure. Unlike in the production of coconut water, gathering and producing sap from birch trees does not damage them. The sap is tapped via only a small hole in each birch, which is then fed into the sap harvesting system. The tree does not need to be felled or the environment harmed in any other way as no heavy machinery is used for this harvesting either.

We have been perfecting our production process for years so that we can package and preserve the sap in its purest state, without the need for any artificial preservatives. Our family of birch sap drinks is set to grow too, with the addition of more natural ingredients to some of our drinks, such as Finnish berries, antioxidants, and rehydrating mineral salts. We’re working, for example, on a completely organic sports drink. These new products will be released in the spring of 2021, so stay tuned!

Top 5 wellness drink trends in 2023

1. Low-sugar drinks

Consumers are avoiding excessive sugar and artificial sweeteners, preferring low-sugar options and especially those drinks with only natural sugars. 

2. New taste experiences 

Consumers are seeking new experiences to complement their old favourites. Drink makers have answered this call by creating product families where new options are added to the established favourites. 

3. Clean and natural ingredients 

Nordic Koivu has spent a lot of time perfecting a production process which guarantees that the birch sap remains in a quality state and completely pure all the way from the tree to the consumer.

4. Plant-based drinks 

Consumers’ eating and drinking habits are increasingly shifting towards plant-based products. They are not only an environmentally friendly choice, but also an excellent part of a healthy diet.

5. Environmentally sustainable processes
Wellness drinks obviously support the well-being of consumers, but they can also support the well-being of the environment.