At KICR, we live and breathe trends and ensure we keep all brands on the pulse with future design thinking ideas to fuel NPD workstreams. Our aim is to help you fast-track your pipeline development but above all to create extraordinary food and beverage experiences for today’s more discerning consumer. We help brands achieve disruptive purposeful innovations informed by best-in-class category insight & breakthrough NPD direction.
This Summer, KICR has identified 5 insightful beverage trends to empower your thinking:
1 > Hip Hibiscus. This ingredient has quickly jumped into more mainstream spaces, rocking up in almost every beverage category.
![](https://mlur8pmsgzeu.i.optimole.com/02T8ayg--a3fzN9u/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/https://kicrinnovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/darryl-low-XeHQueTgl6Q-unsplash-scaled.jpg)
2 > Seltzer Surge. IWSR values the hard seltzer category in the UK at £10.4m (US$14.3m). Hard seltzers hit $4.5 billion in global sales value in 2020, so we’re not talking niche anymore!
![](https://mlur8pmsgzeu.i.optimole.com/02T8ayg-5OqqVqLv/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/https://kicrinnovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/nathan-dumlao-R_DLIGuY7F4-unsplash-scaled-e1625501550252.jpg)
3 > Canned Cocktails. Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails are the fastest-growing alcohol beverage category in the U.S. market, according to the IWSR.
![](https://mlur8pmsgzeu.i.optimole.com/02T8ayg-j8zKNLCC/w:auto/h:auto/q:eco/https://kicrinnovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/VACAY-cocktails-03.jpg)
4 > Canned Wine. According to winespectator.com ‘familiar names and new faces are diving into the soon-to-be $200 million market for wine in cans, with greater quality and selection for consumers than ever before.’
![](https://mlur8pmsgzeu.i.optimole.com/02T8ayg-PMSvRYfz/w:auto/h:auto/q:eco/https://kicrinnovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/canned-wine.jpg)
5 > Lighten Up! The sustainable packaging trend is guaranteed to continue beyond 2021. Having sustainable and eco-friendly packaging not only protects the environment, but also helps a brand to stand out from the crowd & on shelf, reinforcing a positive brand image.
![](https://mlur8pmsgzeu.i.optimole.com/02T8ayg-dptnTlwQ/w:auto/h:auto/q:eco/https://kicrinnovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/sustainable-packaging.jpg)