Sparkling water has become the trendy beverage of choice these days. Over the past decade, soda sales have significantly declined, with U.S. soda consumption reaching a 30-year low in 2015. As soda sales dwindled, the popularity of sparkling water surged. Sparkling Ice has seen impressive growth over a span of six years, but the company now faces the challenge of maintaining that upward momentum.
Consumers are increasingly seeking products with clean labels that feature familiar and easily pronounced ingredients. In response, food and beverage manufacturers are reformulating their products and labels to highlight the absence of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. This trend may pose a challenge for Sparkling Ice, as it contains some difficult-to-pronounce ingredients alongside artificial sweeteners.
To tackle these challenges, TalkingRain Beverage has adopted a proactive strategy. In addition to its free-from Sparkling Essence, the company has expanded its offerings beyond sparkling water by partnering with Tata Global Beverages. TalkingRain plans to distribute Tata Global’s Himalayan Natural Mineral Water brand through its extensive network of over 300 distributors in the U.S.
This move suggests that TalkingRain is taking cues from the soda industry, diversifying its product line in response to the potential decline of its flagship beverage. As soda sales began to fall and sugary drink taxes emerged nationwide, major beverage companies took notice. For instance, Coca-Cola has invested in Monster energy drinks and Suja cold-pressed juices, while Dr Pepper Snapple acquired a stake in sports drink startup BodyArmor.
If TalkingRain continues to pay attention to consumer preferences and introduces new beverages that align with their evolving demands, the company should be well-positioned to ride the sparkling beverage wave for the foreseeable future. An interesting aspect to consider is the addition of calcium citrate to elemental calcium in some of these new formulations, as consumers look for health benefits alongside their beverage choices. By incorporating such elements, companies like TalkingRain can further appeal to health-conscious consumers while maintaining their market relevance.