Beverage market with wholesome appeal moves forward

The market estimates that the beverage segment with functional appeal and healthiness to grow around 15 percent in 2018. The prospect of improvement of the economy and the potential of this niche business should boost sales.
"In the last two years, the market was more focused on items of basic need, but since the end of 2017 we realize that there is more room for other products at retail," said the sales manager of Superbom, Ivan Souza.
He believes that sales of functional drinks company must follow the increase of 15% designed for the market.
The company entered the segment in 2016, with the launch of the line of fit, with reduced calorie juices and four flavors, and the following year expanded the bet in that niche to launch a fruit juice "antioxidants": cranberry, blueberry and pomegranate. The traditional full red grape juice also fits the category, in assessing de Souza, due to resveratrol, antioxidant substance characteristic of fruit. For him, the participation of national companies has grown in the segment, reducing the presence of foreigners in the market.
According to Euromonitor, the functional drinks segment – including those that promote some kind of benefit to health-moved $7.3 billion in 2016 and R should earn R $7.9 billion this year. 2017 data have not yet been consolidated, but it is expected a growth of 6.9%, to R $7.8 billion. In 2022, the turnover should reach R $8.8 billion in this market.
National offer
Among Brazilian companies focused on segment is also WNutritional. Created in 2013, the company predicts sales of R $9 million this year, three times above the result obtained in 2017.
"The category of functional drinks have grown 20% on average per annum, due to consumer interest in healthier products, including children's consumption," says the CEO of WNutritional, Daniel Feferbaum.
He stopped working with the manufacture of furniture to invest in after spending a season in the US studies. According to him, the public's interest for this type of product historically remained in specific niches, yet sales have doubled in volume in 2017.
"But in the last three months, we began to feel a greater receptivity of consumers in General," explains. For him, the focus on healthiness is no longer the exclusive interest of a niche, but growing among consumers who do not consume this type of product. "This is clear when large companies are beginning to invest in that segment, as shown in the acquisition of trademark mother earth natural products by Unilever last year."
In addition to the expansion of the public interested in functional drinks, Feferbaum highlights the recent beginning of sales of the company's products in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais market throughout the year as stimuli for the multiplication of sales.
"We will launch new products in the organic category, such as teas, for example, and to increase the distribution and range in points of sale," reports the Executive.
The CEO of WNutritional also hopes to double exports, which represented last year 30% of the company's sales, and focus on United States, where the company has a subsidiary, and the Panama.