It is time to be active again!

András Palkó
marketing director
Coca-Cola HBC
Magyarország

András Palkó, marketing director of Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország reported to our magazine that sales of sports drinks are growing in both value and volume. “Coca-Cola distributes the Powerade brand, which has been the unquestionable market leader in classic retail channels for years, with an approximately 60% value share. Because of the inflation, prices are rising in the functional drink category too. Discount supermarkets see their sales share slightly growing in the sports drink category, but they still only have a single-digit slice from the cake (in value). Channels other than grocery stores such as sports stores, running and other sporting events, on-the-go locations and sports complexes are also becoming important in sales.”

Nikolett Van der Wildt
head of marketing 
Szentkirályi
Magyarország

Nikolett van der Wildt, head of marketing at Szentkirályi Magyarország shares the view that consumers find it more and more important to check the compositions of the products they are buying, together with their health effects.

Márton Vecsei
senior brand manager
HELL ENERGY
Magyarország

HELL ENERGY Magyarország Kft.’s SWISS Laboratory functional drinks are made with Swiss herb extracts, and they are available in various fruit flavours. Senior brand manager Márton Vecsei: “Premium category SWISS Laboratory products are available at affordable prices, as we think that refreshing the body with vitamins and minerals shouldn’t be a luxury.”

Growing popularity of large-sized products

Attila Kaszás
managing director
Viwa product Europa

Attila Kaszás, managing director of Viwa product Europa Kft. called our attention to the trend that online sales of functional drinks are increasing. Viwa product sales are developing steadily, as these products are reaching new conscious consumers.

Judit Szabó
head of sales
R-Water

Judit Szabó, head of sales at R-Water Kft. explained that the increased consumer demand for functional drinks results in market expansion, which makes it difficult for some manufacturers and distributors to get noticed. “Shoppers are now less interested in our small-sized products, while the popularity of R-Water’s large-sized functional drinks is growing” – she added.

Melinda Péchy
key account manager
Foltin Globe

Melinda Péchy, key account manager of Foltin Globe Kft. said the current packaging material and ingredient shortage influences the functional drink market as well. “As for sales channels, we can calculate not only with drugstores anymore, but also with hypermarkets and online shops” – told the key account manager.

As the category mainly targets youngsters, brands like experimenting with unique ideas

Functionality is important, but taste matters too

Viwa product Europa Kft.’s Viwa functional drinks have very high vitamin content. In 2022 formerly 500ml vitamin waters switched to 600ml size, and the sugar-free, mango-flavoured and Gingko Biloba containing product became the new favourite of consumers. R-Water Kft.’s experience is that shoppers are returning to classic flavours such as raspberry, forest fruits and apple. The company’s functional drinks are characterised by pure ingredients, high nutritional value and low calorie content. Foltin Globe Kft. believes that shoppers prefer those functional drinks that are free from preservatives. The company targets women with a beauty drink, but they also have an immuno and a detox drink. HELL ENERGY Magyarország Kft.’s observation is that the No.1 product choice factor is taste. Some of the company’s functional drinks are made not only with vitamins B, C and D, but also with magnesium or calcium. Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország reckons that brand, taste and product benefit are the main factors that influence shoppers in sports drink buying.

Composition is not everything: natural flavours and the absence of preservatives are also buzzwords

Just the right amount of vitamins

Patrícia Peres
brand manager
Maspex Olympos

Patrícia Peres, Maspex Olympos Kft.’s brand manager told Trade magazine that the market leader functional drink brand, Apenta+ entered a new category in 2022: after the still PET bottle segment, the brand’s Apenta+ Elements became available in the carbonated vitamin drink segment. “The 0.33-litre fizzy soft drink contains various vitamins and minerals, and it is available in 3 variants: Superfruit Splash, White Peach Vibe and Pink Grapefruit Boost” – added the brand manager.

Szentkirályi Magyarország has several functional drinks in its product portfolio. Magnesia mineral water can be bought in both carbonated and still version, in 1.5-litre size. Head of marketing Nikolett van der Wildt: “Two years ago we launched Magnesia RED flavoured mineral waters, in four popular fruit flavours. They have naturally high magnesium content, vitamins B and have no preservatives or sweeteners. We are also the distributors of Gatorade sports drinks, which contain electrolytes and carbohydrates.”

This spring Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország rolled out functional fruit juices: Cappy Immunerő combines orange, peach and carrot, with added vitamins C and B12 and zinc, for a stronger immune system. Cappy Belső Erő offers the harmonic taste of orange and mango, plus vitamin D, to support the bones and muscles. The company’s isotonic sports drink Powerade can be bought in Powerade Mountain Blast, Powerade Blood Orange and Powerade Lemon versions.

In response to COVID, consumers are buying more vitamin-enriched products

Special ingredients

Viwa product Europa Kft. new innovation this year is VIWA Brainboost, which can help in preserving mental freshness. It is a zero calorie, still soft drink in mango-lime-lychee flavour combination, sweetened with stevia, containing Ginkgo Biloba, green tea extract and vitamins C and B. HELL ENERGY Magyarország Kft. was the first to market functional drinks in aluminium can packaging, and the success of this move is clear from the reaction of competitors: they also started using this format. Right now the company is developing new products. In 2022 R-Water Kft. rolled out its isotonic drinks in new 0.9-litre packaging. Their next new innovations will be two collagen-containing functional drinks. Absolute Live products will undergo a complete overhaul. Foltin Globe Kft. is going to launch new flavours and new functional drink types too.

Consumers pay more and more attention to the composition of the sports drinks they buy

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This article is available for reading on pp 110-113 of Trade magazin 2022.08-09.