Arla Foods Ingredients tips high-protein iced tea as next big beverage trend

October 22, 2020

Arla Foods Ingredients has identified high-protein iced tea as the next big trend in beverages.

Demand for functional / fortified beverages is increasing rapidly. In the US alone, where sales grew by 51% between 2014 and 2019, the market is projected to be worth 819 million USD by 2024. ¹

To meet this demand, both sports and mainstream brands are seeking to create new functional beverage products – and many are turning their attention to tea.

Iced tea has long been popular as a healthy beverage due to its antioxidant properties, and many products now carry superfood claims. One way to further boost its nutritional value is to add whey protein isolate (WPI). WPI’s benefits for building and maintaining muscle mass are well known and it has been used in RTD beverages for many years.

However, delivering on the promise of a protein-rich beverage while maintaining tea’s clean, refreshing taste can be difficult. Arla Foods Ingredients offers three different processing-stable WPI solutions that can overcome this challenge, allowing the creation of delicious, high-protein iced tea beverages:

Ulrik Bank Pedersen General Manager, North America, at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Demand for innovative functional beverages is huge and high-protein iced tea is the perfect way to tap into it. One reason tea and protein are perfect partners is that both offer well recognized health benefits. Tea, which has been the drink of choice for millions of people around the world for centuries, has a powerful association with wellness. Similarly, protein’s benefits in areas such as weight loss and muscle growth are increasingly sought after by consumers.”

Clean-label claims are particularly important in the iced tea segment, where there is strong preference for products that are natural and sugar-free. ²

Ulrik Bank Pedersen added: “By offering high-protein iced teas, manufacturers can put a new spin on an established consumer favorite without compromising on taste. And unlike some beverage ingredients, protein doesn’t set alarm bells ringing – in fact it’s likely to increase appeal. Whether it’s in an RTD or a shake, our solutions are the perfect way to create tasty, convenient high-protein iced teas that quench the thirst of health-conscious consumers.”

Arla Foods Ingredients’ WPI solutions can help manufacturers develop high-protein iced teas with the following benefits:

[1] Euromonitor, Fortified / Functional Beverages in the US, 2020

[2] Innova New Products Database

* According to EU Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 and 21 CFR Part 101

** Not regulated on EU level, but on national levels

For more information contact:

Steve Harman Ingredient Communications

Tel: +44 (0)7538 118079 | Email: steve@ingredientcommunications.com

About Arla Foods Ingredients

Arla Foods Ingredients is a global leader in value-added whey solutions. We discover and deliver ingredients derived from whey, supporting the food industry with the development and efficient processing of more natural, functional and nutritious foods. We serve global markets within early life nutrition, medical nutrition, sport nutrition, health foods and other foods and beverage products.

Five reasons to choose us:

Arla Foods Ingredients is a 100% owned subsidiary of Arla Foods. Our head office is in Denmark.

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