If you have a gut feeling (pardon the pun) that kombucha and probiotics are more than a trend, you’re on to something. For more than a decade the list of probiotic health and wellness drinks on the market has grown exponentially. Probiotics themselves help maintain a natural balance of organisms in our intestines and can help treat and potentially prevent gastrointestinal (GI) issues. Among them are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, and problems resulting from illness-related antibiotic treatments.
Probiotics are live microorganisms (microbes) that can have beneficial effects on a person’s body. Beneficial microbes help to control the potentially harmful ones. They’re meant to prevent and treat dysbiosis — an imbalance or a deficit of beneficial microbes in your body, aka microbiome.
There are a number of drinkable options available to introduce probiotics into a diet for maintaining a healthier gut and lifestyle. One of the most popular, and the oldest, is kombucha. Its origins date back more than 2,000 years.
KOMBUCHA
The longstanding popularity of this fermented and slightly fizzy drink has grown steadily in the past decade. From global sales in the millions as recently as 2012, the number has grown to billions of units sold and consumed annually. Kombucha now commands prime real estate on store shelves as competition for consumer spend in the drinkable probiotic category is fierce.
Kombucha’s popularity is often attributed to its reputation as a health elixir that can help a person in a variety of ways, including as an aid in weight loss, fighting illness, and helping to maintain heart health. This fermented drink is a combination of tea (generally green or black), a sugar source such as white sugar, turbinado, agave, or honey, yeast, and finally, the “healthy little microbes” more commonly referred to as probiotics. Drinking kombucha can be a beneficial part of an overall health and wellness plan — especially when used as a replacement for nutritionally empty beverages like soda.
Many people consume a probiotic daily as part of their overall wellness regimen which accounts for the category’s acceptance and longevity. And while kombucha is an extremely popular choice, there are a number of other alternatives which provide many of the same as well as additional benefits.
DRINKABLE YOGURT
Cultured plant-based drinkable yogurts are batch-fermented with probiotic cultures that can be flavored. As with other forms of yogurt, flavors are added to increase the taste appeal. Drinkable yogurts are also used in smoothies and can be poured over fruits or granola.
KEFIR
Kefir is a staple in many cultures around the globe, and very popular in the natural health community. This tangy beverage is made by fermenting milk with bacteria and yeast. Many people consider Kefir to be more nutritious than yogurt.
SODAS & JUICES
These sodas and juices are different from other probiotic drinks because of how they are made. Where kombucha and kefir involve fermentation, makers just add probiotic strains to sodas and juices to provide the benefits. Probiotic sodas and juices are lighter and more refreshing and can be enjoyed straight from the container or poured over ice.
ALUMINUM PACKAGING IS A DIFFERENTIATOR WITH CONSUMERS
For an established player in both the beverage and wellness categories, drinkable probiotics are forecast for continued growth. Competition for market share will be fierce as brands compete for awareness and consumer preference.
The choice of material and package shape are critical factors in this effort. For container construction, aluminum stands out for many reasons. Other packaging materials simply can’t provide the full range of benefits of aluminum packaging. The superior look and feel of aluminum inherently create an impression of upscale quality that is unmatched by other packaging materials.
Packaging that creates attention and differentiates at the point-of-sale is vital in winning the battle to be the brand of choice with today’s shoppers. CCL Container’s aluminum packaging offers exceptional shaping and amazing decorating solutions that bring probiotic brands to life on store shelves and have consumers taking them home.
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