When Water Alone Isn't Enough: Austria's Youth Opt for Healthier Flavored Drinks

The perception that young people are drinking less is only half the story. While they may be consuming less alcohol, they are actively seeking healthier beverage options. This trend goes beyond simply avoiding alcohol to also exclude sugar, artificial sweeteners, calories, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. Ideally, these drinks should also be free of carbonation.

Water, long recommended by nutritionists as the ultimate healthy drink, is often found to be too plain on its own. For businesses, selling plain tap water is not a lucrative venture. However, a burgeoning market has emerged for "flavored water" or "near-water" products. These include mineral waters infused with fruit essences, beverages fortified with nutrients to boost stress reduction or immune function, and innovative products like flavor cubes, powders, or pods that create the impression of flavored water through scent alone.

“

The flavor category is an incredibly large market. We have double-digit growth rates in the category every year since 2018/19.

Yvonne Haider-Lenz, marketing director at Vöslauer, notes the significant growth in the flavor category, with double-digit annual increases since 2018/19. Vöslauer, a leading Austrian mineral water producer, has become a market leader in near-water products since 2023, offering a diverse range of flavored mineral waters, some with added nutrients. Their journey began in 2000 with the launch of "Balance," Austria's first near-water product.

Haider-Lenz emphasizes the strong consumer demand for health-conscious options, with a clear preference for products free of sugar and artificial sweeteners, as well as preservatives and calories. The addition of healthy nutrients like vitamins is also welcomed. Vöslauer is set to introduce a new category: still mineral water with flavor but without carbonation. To achieve this, the company recently opened a new aseptic filling facility in Bad Vöslau. This technology sterilizes the product and packaging separately before combining them under strict conditions, ensuring shelf stability without the need for preservatives or carbonation.

“

The trend is clearly towards health.