Time for opportunities: Trends and opportunities for the beverage industry

How can the beverage industry benefit from changing consumer habits?

In a Berlin café in Prenzlauer Berg. At the neighbouring table, an influencer posts the latest lifestyle trends in the capital. In front of him on the table: a decaffeinated cappuccino with foamed oat milk. A hundred years ago, it would have been a pastis, an absinthe or another aperitif. Times are changing.

Admittedly, this is a somewhat hackneyed image. But it is an extremely telling one, and the facts back it up. While Germans drank almost 130 litres of beer per capita in 1995, by 2024 this figure had fallen to around 88 litres. The decline continued in 2025. At the same time, non-alcoholic beer exceeded the 10 per cent mark in retail sales for the first time. The picture is the same in France, a nation of wine drinkers. While 120 litres of wine were consumed per capita per year in 1960, the figure is now only between 30 and 40 litres per capita per year. The cosy after-work beer and red wine by the fireplace have been and are being replaced. But by whom or what exactly?

Self-optimisation through functional beverages

Currently, activating or self-optimising products for the next marathon or ‘eternal youth’ are particularly popular. Or to put it provocatively: in order to improve yourself or something else important, enjoyment is simply a waste of time. ‘Survival of the fittest’ is to be taken literally.

Proteins, trace elements, creatine, spermidine, biotin, NAD+ precursors, antioxidants, microbiome, specially composed energy suppliers are just a few of the buzzwords here. But, and this is crucial, all the desired components must be ready-made as a service in a product. ‘One shot fits all.’ Because there is still no way around the eternal trend of convenience. It will therefore be exciting for beverage manufacturers to see how all these new additives and additional benefits can be used correctly in production and bottling. How does their addition affect, for example, the blending, taste, microbiology or shelf life of the planned innovation? These technological aspects will be discussed in more detail in one of the next articles.

Small, unreasonable escapes: consumption as compensation and distraction

Of course, unreasonable escapes also take place in this highly optimised world. The so-called lipstick effect is one such niche, albeit a small one, for high-priced products. Behind it lies the consumer need to treat oneself to something nice from time to time in an increasingly challenging economic world – keywords: workplace and inflation – to treat themselves to something small every now and then. This could be a luxury lipstick, a crémant or trendy cocktails. Incidentally, it is always worthwhile taking a look at the bar scene. Quite a few highly successful product ideas, with or without alcohol, have their origins here.

Fermented and infused drinks open up new worlds of flavour

The same applies to upscale gastronomy. Fermentation has been a central theme in this sector for years, especially in trendy Scandinavian and Asian cuisine. This is a trend that is increasingly finding its way onto drinks menus. Proxies, for example, are a new category of independent, complex drinks. These use fermented beverage bases such as kefir or kombucha, but also infusions made from tea, herbs, roots, vegetables and vinegar. It is important to note that these are not intended to imitate wine or sparkling wine as accompaniments to food. Rather, the aim is to open up whole new worlds of flavour to consumers.

Product innovation and portfolio expansion in beverage production

A sugary extract obtained from fruit or grain, microbiologically fermented, offered still or carbonated and, if necessary, refined with other native components. Sounds familiar somehow. It is. Except that brewers, for example, have so far concentrated on alcoholic fermentation. Their spent grains are also quite attractive. It's only a short step from oat milk to spent grain milk. And this could in turn be fermented with kvass cultures... Thinking outside the box is becoming increasingly important. You don't always have to reinvent the wheel.

The desire for the familiar: ‘heritage’ as an opportunity for traditional brands

Last but not least, the younger generation is turning away from the ‘monopoly’ of new media, albeit still timidly, but noticeably. The demand for printed books, analogue records and music cassettes, as well as instant cameras, are just a few representative signs of this. The increasingly uncertain political and economic times are also reinforcing the desire for the familiar. The boom in retro trainers is a good example of this. So why not turn the niche of nostalgia into a strategy? At least for traditional companies or brands, this is a potential opportunity. After all, start-ups simply cannot play the ‘heritage trump card’. However, the offering must be carefully modernised. Familiar wine in updated bottles, so to speak.

‘Time for opportunities’ in all its facets, from raw materials to the point of sale

Functional additives, the diversity of fermentation, portfolio expansion beyond familiar products, or a return to tradition to occupy the nostalgic niche. What do the scenarios outlined above mean for beverage manufacturers? ‘Time for opportunities’! It's high time to seize the new opportunities. This is precisely what BrauBeviale 2026 wants to invite you to do with this theme. It's all about momentum, inspiration and practical solutions. Recognising a trend and developing a suitable product is one thing. Successfully manufacturing and marketing it is another. This requires maximum efficiency and flexibility in production, and the desired product must be realised as economically and resource-efficiently as possible, from the ingredients to manufacturing and logistics. This makes it all the more advantageous for trade visitors to BrauBeviale that all relevant technologies, services and innovations will be on display in Nuremberg from 10 to 12 November 2026 in all their facets – from raw materials, production, filling and packaging to marketing at the point of sale. Accompanied by a supporting programme that highlights the diverse opportunities and presents manageable solutions.