Opening Words

Hello everyone, I am a beverage development consultant who has been in the beverage industry for many years. To be honest, I've seen too many entrepreneurs stumble when developing beverages. Some people think developing a beverage is a piece of cake, believing they can simply scale up their home-made recipe for mass production, only to be stumped when it comes to industrial production. Today, let me share with you the ins and outs of commercial beverage development from a professional perspective.

Market is King

To be honest, before starting development, you must do thorough market research. I'm not trying to scare anyone, but according to the latest data, over 60% of new beverages are pulled from shelves within a year of launch, and the reason is simply not finding the right market positioning.

I remember an interesting case from last year. A young entrepreneur came to me wanting to develop a health tea beverage. When I asked who it was for, he said "the mass market, anyone can drink it." This positioning was too vague in my view, simply a waste of resources. After our team's in-depth market analysis, we found that urban professional women aged 25-35 were the most health-conscious group, with strong purchasing power. So we adjusted the product positioning to "intermittent fasting meal replacement tea" specifically targeting this niche market. Guess what? Sales took off after launch, far exceeding expectations.

Speaking of market research, I think there are several key points that must be done properly. First is competitive analysis, which is particularly important. My habit is to buy at least 20 similar products on the market for in-depth evaluation. For example, what price points these products are at, how the packaging specifications are designed, what ingredients are used, and what taste characteristics they have. I carefully taste each product and make detailed records and comparisons.

Once when I was doing competitive analysis for a brand, I found that fruit tea beverages on the market either had such low fruit juice content they tasted artificial, or the tea flavor was too strong and bitter. This discovery directly led us to develop a fruit tea that both preserved the natural sweetness of fruit and had subtle tea fragrance, which immediately gained favor with many young consumers after launch.

Consumer research is also a very important component. Young people today have many ideas, and their needs and pain points often inspire product development. We understand target users through questionnaires, in-depth interviews and other methods. For example, through research, we found many office workers felt energy drinks on the market had too strong an after-effect, causing heart palpitations. This finding prompted us to develop a mild energy drink with tea polyphenols and B vitamins that not only provided mental alertness but didn't cause increased heart rate.

Market research should also pay attention to consumer trends. Young people today are particularly health-conscious, and concepts like low sugar, low calorie, and no additives are becoming increasingly popular. According to the latest data, over 80% of post-90s and post-00s generations are willing to pay more for healthy beverages. This means if you can achieve low sugar and low calories while ensuring good taste, the product is more likely to be accepted by the market.

Formula Finalization

When it comes to formula development, this is truly a technical matter. Many entrepreneurs think they can just scale up a home recipe and be done with it, but this is absolutely a huge pitfall. Industrial production and home preparation are completely different matters, with many factors to consider.

I've seen a very typical case. A tea beverage brand owner was very confident, saying their family's traditional tea recipe was very popular. But when they directly scaled up this recipe for production without considering the characteristics of industrial production, the products spoiled batch after batch in summer, either becoming bitter or sour, resulting in heavy losses.

Industrial production must first consider standardization of raw materials. Home preparation can use fresh fruits, but industrial production must use standardized ingredients like concentrated juice or juice powder. I remember helping a brand develop mango tea beverage, and they initially insisted on using fresh mangoes. But in actual production, they found it difficult to maintain consistent quality of fresh mangoes, with variations in moisture content and sweetness between different batches, leading to inconsistent taste in the final product. Later we switched to standardized mango puree, and the problem was solved.

Production equipment characteristics are also a major issue. Different production lines have different requirements for raw materials. For example, if you want to make fruit pulp tea, the size of the pulp needs special attention. Too large will clog the filling machine, too small won't show the product's characteristics. I previously had a client who wanted to make coconut pulp beverage, but the production line's pipe diameter limited the pulp size. Finally, we achieved appropriately sized coconut pulp through adjusted cutting processes, ensuring both good taste and smooth production.

Sterilization processes also greatly affect formulas. High-temperature sterilization affects the flavor of many ingredients, such as some natural extracts that easily decompose at high temperatures. I encountered a case where a honey-added beverage lost all honey aroma during sterilization. Later we solved this problem by using heat-resistant honey flavoring.

Stability is another major issue. Beverages need certain shelf life, requiring all ingredients to remain stable during this period. I've seen too many beverages that taste good when first produced but change flavor after some time. So during formula development, we conduct acceleration experiments, simulating product storage at different temperatures to ensure product quality remains stable throughout the shelf life.

Category Innovation

In today's competitive market environment, product innovation is absolutely crucial. Just making what others have is no longer enough, you need your own characteristics. According to the latest market data, new products contributed 30% to beverage industry growth in 2023, which speaks for itself.

Seasonal products are a particularly good direction for innovation. Consumer needs vary by season. In summer people like refreshing beverages, while in winter they prefer warm, nourishing flavors. I previously helped a brand plan a "24 Solar Terms Limited" series, launching seasonal special beverages for each solar term. For example, peach blossom oolong tea for Beginning of Spring, mint lemonade for Summer Solstice, and red date ginger tea for Beginning of Winter. This series was particularly popular, with each new product launch triggering social media discussion.

Cross-border collaborations are also a good innovation direction. Young people today particularly like fresh and interesting things, and a good collaboration can bring unexpected results for brands. Data shows successful collaborations can bring 15-20% sales increase to brands. I previously participated in a collaboration project between a beverage brand and a national trend clothing brand, combining traditional tea elements with modern trend culture, not only selling well but also gaining a large young fan base.

Innovation also needs to grasp timing. For example, when "stress relief" became a hot topic recently, we developed a "sleep aid beverage" with natural herbal extracts, specifically targeting young people with poor sleep quality. This product received good market response upon launch.

Sustainable Development

Young consumers today are increasingly environmentally conscious, bringing new challenges and opportunities to the beverage industry. According to the latest survey, over 70% of young consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products, which is quite remarkable.

In terms of packaging, biodegradable materials and recyclable packaging are becoming increasingly popular. I know of a brand that developed edible jelly packaging, which, although more expensive than regular packaging, is very popular with young people. There are also brands using biodegradable sugarcane bagasse packaging materials, which are not only environmentally friendly but also fashionable in appearance.

Raw material selection should also focus more on natural and healthy options. Consumers today are increasingly concerned about product ingredient lists, preferring fewer additives. I've found that beverages labeled "zero additives" often can sell at better prices. For example, using natural colorants like beetroot powder or purple carrot extract instead of artificial colors; improving processes to extend shelf life rather than using preservatives.

Sustainable development is also reflected in the product's entire lifecycle. Environmental factors must be considered at every stage from raw material procurement to production processing to packaging and transportation. I previously helped a brand optimize their supply chain, not only reducing transportation costs but also reducing carbon emissions by choosing local suppliers.

Final Words

Developing a successful commercial beverage is truly not an easy task. From market research to formula development, from process improvement to packaging design, every link needs careful attention. But as long as you proceed step by step and do well in every detail, the chances of success will greatly increase.

Actually, I'm very curious to know what you think is the most difficult part of developing beverages? Welcome to tell me in the comments. If you're particularly interested in any aspect, I can elaborate in future articles.