Kids’ beverages target ‘all-natural’, ‘free-from’, immunity

Marketing Kids’ Healthy Beverages​ highlights Y Water – created by Thomas Arndt - as an example of a product marketed on its all-natural, organic ingredients platform.

Immunity​

The report goes on to claim that immunity is parents’ top health concern worldwide, citing Nestle’s findings that immunity was identified by mothers as the most important benefit for their two to five-year-olds. Significantly, Y Water has devoted a whole range of its kids’ beverages to delivering immunity benefits.

Numico – Europe and Asia’s biggest infant formula firm - enjoyed double-digit sales increases when it repositioned its entire range to promote an immunity benefit, according to the report. Gut health followed immunity as parents’ next most important concern.

However, the report adds: “These two benefits have yet to be fully exploited by kids’ beverage makers.”​

'Free-from'​

The report continues: “The number one key requirement of parents around the world, whether it’s China, America or Germany, is for products to be ‘free-from what’s bad’.​

“When even Coca-Cola runs an advertising campaign to tell you its famous drink has no added preservatives or artificial flavours – as it has done in Austria, the UK and elsewhere – you can be sure that this trend has become a standard message that every kids’ beverage should achieve.”​

The report also quotes Noel Clarke, senior brand manager for UK fruit-flavoured water brand Britvic Fruit Shoot, who says: “No artificial colours or flavours … covers what mum wants and what she wants to give her child.”​

Another major requirement was to avoid no added sugar products, the report stated. It cited Nestle’s Juicy Juice brand’s promotional message: “Naturally lower in sugar: with filtered water to lower the natural sugar content, and enhanced with nutrients. As always, no added sugars, artificial colours or preservatives.”​