Fresh flavors
Summer flavors are all about fruity fiestas and floral flourishes.
This year is no different: with citrus flavors also offering that classic take on something refreshing and summery.
But fresh green colors and flavors are also taking center stage.
Green Apple is in vogue: take, for example, ZOA's latest flavor launch (pictured right) and Powerade Sour Green Apple, which hit shelves earlier this year.
And peach has been named as 2024's flavor of the year.
Already a popular flavor across categories from beverage to confectionery, the fruit is perfectly suited to summer occasions and a likely flavor favorite for the coming months.
French liqueur company Giffard, for example, has launched a peach liqueur as one of its new flavors this summer.
Its liqueur is designed to bring the aromatic intensity of the fresh fruit to drinkers: right down to the aroma of the stone of the fruit at the end of tasting.
Icy fresh
We all know summer's about icy cold drinks. But what's trending in 2024?
Looking to Starbuck's summer launches helps illustrate what's hot (or, more to the point, cold) this year.
Summer Berry Starbucks Refreshers are available now: as a sweet and summery blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors shaken with ice and poured over a layer of new raspberry-flavored pearls.
Meanwhile, Summer Skies taps into the plant-based trend with coconut milk over ice along with raspberry flavored pearls.
In coffee, White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew is back, as an indulgent summer treat with sweet macadamia syrup and white chocolate macadamia cream cold foam and toasted cookie crumbles.
There's also a new Iced Coffee Blend, now served unsweetened without syrup (although this can be customized with sweeteners, syrup or milks).
The Iced Coffee Blend is crafted with Latin American Beans with notes of malted chocolate and a brown sugar sweetness.
But taking ice to the next level this year is Sprite Chill: the drink that gets colder as you drink it thanks to a proprietary blend of cooling agents that deliver a 'uniquely elevated sensory experience'.
Nostalgia
Nostalgia grew in popularity during the pandemic as people searched for comfort in the familiar and comforting.
With continuing global crises and uncertainty on the world stage, consumers continue to love products that remind them of days gone by.
Consumers have a particularly soft spot for products that evoke favorite or drinks from their childhood.
Take, for example, US kombucha brand Health-Ade's Orange Creamsicle: a summer special for 'channeling the joy and nostalgia of a classic summer treat, combining the bright and creamy flavors of your favorite childhood popsicle'.
Spicy summer
Spicy and 'swicy' (spice with sweet) is trending across the food and beverage universe. Expect to see these flavors step up a notch this summer as spicy margaritas take center stage in summer celebrations; and Coca-Cola Spiced rolls out across the US.
For summer, spicy and swicy are elevated with summer fruit combos: take for example Starbuck's spicy dragonfruit, spicy pineapple and spicy strawberry flavors.
RTDs
The rise of hard seltzers and canned cocktails needs no introduction. And in the summer months the convenience and portability of the canned format sees the packaging shine at picnics, BBQs or at-home.
This year, canned cocktails are evolving with more adventurous flavors and curious creations.
See too, a move into trendy tequila as a base for RTD alcohol: White Claw Tequila Smash and Truly Tequila Soda are both available on shelves in North America this summer.
Low and no alcohol
Summer is about sessionability: with lower alcohol options offering something lighter for the summer months.
In fact, stats from the Brewers Association show that consumers drink more non-alcoholic beer during summer than in Dry January.
Launched this spring, Boston Beer Company's General Admission (0.5% ABV) is a new non-alcoholic fruit brew that comes in four summer flavors: lemon lime, orange ovation, grapefruit groove and raspberry remix.
Made with 40% non-alcoholic beer and 60% fruit water, the beer 'pours like a beer but drinks like a shandy, without the heaviness or artificial aftertaste'.
But don't be mislead into thinking cocktails are losing their shine. Far from it. Mocktails are all the rage: bringing the class and celebration without the alcohol.
And non-alcoholic brands are turning to the flavors and glamor associated with the cocktail format.
Sparkling water brand Waterloo has this summer launched limited-time-only summer offerings with All Day Rosé, Pi-Ño Colada and Mojito Mocktail Sparkling Waters in partnership with chef and TV personality Guy Fieri.
Hydration plus
With the temperatures warming up, consumers are doubling down on staying hydrated.
But it's not just about drinking water. It's about turning to drinks with functional benefits - and in particular those that offer enhanced hydration. Electrolytes are top of the agenda: a clear benefit most consumers understand as they look to replenish essential electrolytes and vitamins lost through perspiration. Then there's the vibrancy of botanicals or plant-based waters such as coconut.
There's those that position themselves around sports hydration - think BODYARMOR - but still accessible to the wider population.
And there's also a new wave of drinks that offer hydration plus to everyday consumers.
Take, for example, Pressed Juicery's Hydration+ launch: a line of juices also packed with electrolytes from natural ingredients such as cucumber, pineapple, spinach, romaine and sea salt.
Over in the UK, there's also new launch Punchy: a sparkling water with magnesium and potassium.