You are standing in the supermarket beverage aisle looking for something to take home for the week. Energy drinks are everywhere, stacked to the rafters on shelves. They all have brightly-colored packaging and promise an instant energy boost. At the other end of the store, coffee offers a similar variety. The sparkling water is tempting, too, but you are looking for something that offers something more. You pick up a bottle, examine the sugar content, put it back, and reach for another.
It’s a small decision in the grand scheme of things, but it does point to a wider shift in how we think about what we drink.
When Refreshment Meets Function
Your drink choices can be an extension of your approach to day-to-day well-being. Whether you are preparing for a busy working day, heading off to the gym, or just looking for a drink to quench your afternoon thirst, you may be interested in options that go beyond just sugar, flavor, and caffeine.
This growing interest is beginning to have an impact on the beverage industry. Functional beverages incorporate botanicals, functional mushrooms, and plant-derived compounds that have been investigated for a range of potential applications in the areas of cognitive health, vitality, and physical performance.
The appeal isn’t necessarily that you should completely disregard the drinks you are already enjoying; it is more about options and finding easy ways to include the ingredients that align with your interests and preferences.
Alt Beverage Supply is embracing this shift with a very flexible approach to beverage innovation. Rather than just launching another ready-to-drink product, the company develops functional beverage mixers that allow you to add selected ingredients to familiar drinks. The result is a different way of engaging with functional beverages without having to alter your entire routine.
Four Ingredients Worth Knowing About
One of the reasons functional beverages have become such an interesting part of the wellness conversation is the increasing amount of scientific interest in certain mushrooms and botanicals. Some of these have a long history of traditional use; others are being looked at more closely in the context of modern-day wellness.
Alt Beverage Supply’s Energy + Focus Functional Beverage Mixer combines Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Ginseng, and Guarana.
Lion’s Mane has been the subject of research in the area of cognitive health. It contains a range of bioactives that have been looked at for their potential relationship to nerve growth, memory, and cognitive function. Although further human research is needed, it remains an intriguing subject in the field of functional mushrooms.
Cordyceps has been used throughout history for stamina and vitality. There has been some research into its potential effect on exercise performance, oxygen utilization, and fatigue, although the human data is by no means definitive.
Ginseng is another well-known botanical. It contains naturally occurring compounds known as ginsenosides, which have been studied for their antioxidant activity and for their potential effects on fatigue, attention, and cognitive performance.
Guarana, a plant from the Amazon, is another option. The seeds contain caffeine and polyphenols, and they have been the subject of research into the effects on alertness, attention, and mental performance. The caffeine content is responsible for the stimulant effect.
These ingredients illustrate the diversity of compounds being explored in the functional wellness space.
A Functional Mixer That Fits Your Routine
Knowing about interesting ingredients is one thing. Finding a way to incorporate them into daily life is quite another.
The Energy + Focus Functional Beverage Mixer is a clear, flavorless liquid that combines the four botanical and mushroom ingredients. Designed to be added to both hot and cold drinks with no significant impact on the flavor or appearance of the drink. The water-soluble nanoemulsion technology underpins this flexible format, allowing you to explore different beverage combinations rather than being restricted to a particular flavor or ready-made drink.
The formulation has a number of interesting characteristics. It contains zero sugar, zero alcohol, and less than 1mg of caffeine per serving. It is an alternative to the more traditional energy drink, which will invariably contain considerably more sugar and caffeine.
Each 750ml bottle gives you 25 servings, making it easy to experiment with different combinations. You can add the mixer to sparkling water, blend it into a smoothie, or stir it into your preferred iced tea. Because it is virtually tasteless, the beverage retains its familiar character while providing a way to explore functional ingredients.
It’s an approach that puts the choice back in your hands. You choose what you want to drink, how you want to drink it, and when you want to use the mixer.
From the Gym to Your Favorite Social Spot
Perhaps the most attractive thing about functional beverage mixers is their versatility. They’re not confined to a particular time of day, activity, or setting.
After a workout, you might be inclined to have a fruit smoothie with Energy + Focus rather than another sugary energy drink. In the middle of a busy afternoon, you might want to switch to sparkling water with lemon as a change from your normal coffee. When you are studying or working on a fairly demanding project, you might go through a number of different drink combinations as part of your day-to-day routine.
There are opportunities beyond the home, too. Functional mocktails can bring another dimension to social events, while functional lemonade or sparkling drinks can be especially useful at concerts, restaurants, and hospitality-type environments. For beverage service operators, the idea is a practical one. A single bottle of Energy + Focus can be added to just about any beverage that is already on the menu. Restaurants, bars, and similar establishments can explore the potential of offering functional drinks without having to replace any of their existing menu items.
The flexibility is important for consumers who are increasingly looking for alcohol-free alternatives and more interesting drinks to have when out socializing. Functional drinks can be part of the experience rather than something reserved as part of a wellness regime.
The Thinking Behind the Innovation
Alt Beverage Supply was founded by Jessika Bartron, who has a background in science, product development, and over 20 years’ experience in consumer marketing and commercialization. Bartron has a BSc in Biology and Chemistry and an MSc in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
Her vision is to make functional ingredients more accessible by enabling people to add them to the drinks they already consume. Rather than asking you to change your habits to accommodate a new product, ABS wants the product to be adaptable to your existing habits.
Energy + Focus is the first of a range of functional beverage mixers that the company is planning to bring to market. They are also developing Relax + Unwind, which will contain Ashwagandha, L-theanine, Magnesium, Reishi and Passion Flower. Those are all ingredients that have been studied or have a traditional use in the context of relaxation and restorative well-being.
The formulation is part of the company’s wider ambition to provide a range of different functional beverage experiences for different preferences, different moods, and different times of day.
More Possibilities in Every Pour
Ultimately, the appeal of functional drinks is that you can make more considered choices without the complication. You don’t have to give up your current favorite drinks or create a completely new regimen to explore different ingredients.
With its Energy + Focus Functional Beverage Mixer, Alt Beverage Supply is providing a flexible way to incorporate botanicals and mushrooms into your everyday drinks. It’s an alternative format that offers the convenience of being able to mix your own drinks, with the freedom to experiment whether you are at home, at work, at the gym, or with friends.
So, the next time you are in that supermarket beverage aisle, facing up to the usual shelf fillers, you might consider that your options have broadened. Your drink can still be about quenching thirst and being enjoyable, but it can also be an opportunity to try something different.
Alt Beverage Supply: Drink different. Sip smarter. Feel better.
