The summer season brings heat—and with it, the opportunity to heat up sales in vending and micro markets. 

It’s no secret that beverages are a top seller. According to a 2022 industry report, packaged cold drinks in vending and micro markets were up 15% over the previous year, generating $4.1 billion in revenue.1

Successful vending machines and micro markets have what consumers expect when it comes to beverage options. However, by tapping into trends, you can capitalize on the beverage category growth and go beyond the expected.

Summer is a perfect time for fruit-infused beverages, cold brew coffee, and health-conscious hydration, according to Nielsen IQ.2 Functional benefits, customizable beverages, plant-based drinks, and global flavors are also high on the list of wants for summertime sips.3

Now is the time to refresh your summer beverage offerings and boost profits by targeting the following trends.

Trend 1: Tropical and Spicy Flavors

There’s a big, missed opportunity happening in beverages, according to Datassential. More than 2 in 5 consumers are interested in purchasing beverages that feature unique tropical fruit flavors.4 However, less than a quarter of operators are offering these beverages. This gap can be solved with the introduction of tropical flavors into juice, lemonade, energy drinks, flavored water, tea, smoothies, and more.4 Add some tropical flavors into your beverage mix with drinks such as V8 +Energy® Orange Pineapple Energy Drink. 

The spice factor that’s become so popular on menus is spilling over to beverages, too, as consumer taste buds are ready for a bit of sweet heat in drinks. Spicy cocktails have led to heat-driven mocktails, and now soda and juice manufacturers are turning up the heat with hotter versions of popular favorites and new flavors combos such as mango habanero.5

“One of my favorite summer drinks to make is a Spicy Mango Margarita using V8 +Energy as the base building off the tropical fruit flavors,” said Campbell’s Senior Chef Greg Boggs. “First, rim a glass with a mixture of chamoy and Tajin, then simply combine V8 +Energy Orange Pineapple with some mango nectar, hot sauce, lime juice, tequila (optional), and garnish with jalapeno slices. This is a great way to spice up a classic cocktail or mocktail.”

Trend 2: Functional Benefits

Beverages need to taste great, but a growing number of consumers want to benefit from their beverages, too. In addition to the 42% of consumers seeking out beverages with no added sugar,6 people are gravitating toward claims that can help them sleep better, have more energy, or boost their hydration simply by drinking their favorite beverage.7

It’s not just a few consumers looking for these added benefits, either. Eighty percent of consumers (90% of Gen Z and 86% of millennials) are interested in at least one specific functional health benefit from nonalcoholic beverages, and 58% of consumers are interested in nonalcoholic beverages that give them energy (60% of Gen Z and 65% of millennials).4

You can benefit from this trend by offering a selection of beverages that deliver added benefits, such as more energy, naturally sourced from tea and additional vitamins like those from V8 +Energy®.

Trend 3: Plant-Based Beverages

The plant-based trend has crossed over to beverages, and it’s more than plant-based milk. An influx of vegan and plant-based energy drinks promise a bevy of better-for-you ingredients and feature trending summer-friendly flavors such as guava lime, berry acai, mango, mint, watermelon, prickly pear, and peach.8

On the topic of plant-based beverages, more than a third of drinkers say that it’s very or extremely important to have plant-based milk options when buying coffee beverages (hot or cold), smoothies, and hot chocolate.6 Are you offering this option to your vending and micro market customers? Consider Pacific Foods™Barista Series, the first line of plant-based beverages made for coffee in the U.S. 

Heat Up Beverage Sales

Ready to boost your vending and micro market beverage business this summer? Learn more about the on-trend tropical flavors, no added sugar, and functional benefits such as steady energy offered by V8 +Energy®.

Boost Summer Beverage Sales

The best drinks for vending machines in 2024 include:

  • Carbonated soft drinks 
  • Juice and juice drinks 
  • Water 
  • Sports drinks 
  • Energy drinks 
  • Milk 
  • Coffee 
  • Tea 
  • Alcoholic beverages

Source: “Best-Selling Vending Machine Items in 2024,” Nayax

1  2022 State of the Vending & Micro Market Industry Report, Vending MarketWatch

2 “Sip Into Summer: Unveiling the Top 5 Summer Beverage Trends,” Nielsen IQ

3 “5 Key Beverage Trends to Know in 2024,” Nielsen IQ

4 SNAP! Keynote, Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Datassential, November 2022

5 “Beverage Trends of 2024,” Flavorman

6 Datassential Non-Alcoholic Beverages Keynote

7 “Beyond hydration: Top 3 consumer beverage trends for vending and micro markets,” Vending MarketWatch8 “8 Vegan Energy Drinks to Boost Your Day,” VegOut