“We offer a product that has no added sugar or no sweetener systems and still has that very delicious taste, and color, and aroma, [and] the full sensory experience of fruit,” Kim said. “We think it really delivers, and we worked super hard to really bring it to life from the fruit from the farm to a can of Spindrift.”
Sparkling water category taps into demand for better-for-you products
Over the years as consumers look for healthier, better-for-you options, they have shifted away from soda to other categories like sparkling water. IBIS World found that consumers have gradually been drinking less soda due to price and health concerns around the consumption of sugar, going from a height of 49.7 gallons per capita in 1999 to 42.9 gallons in 2023, decreasing 0.3% from 2018-2023.
Despite the increased demand for healthier beverages, the sparkling water category hasn’t always been the most welcoming category, but with the help of flavor and ingredient innovation consumers are now more open to the category, Kim noted.
“Sparkling water has traditionally been a category that people turn to in their personal health journeys, as a possible alternative to soda and juice. They're looking for less sugar, less calories, less everything. When people enter the flavored sparkling water category, they're quite disappointed because sometimes they think they have to give up taste and flavor for something that's a little healthier.”
Spindrift also is expanding the occasions that sparkling water is consumed by tapping into other familiar beverage categories, Kim said. Spindrift released several tea flavors and its non-alcoholic take on mojito Nojito, she added.
"We still have a lot of whitespace within familiar beverage categories. We can really challenge some of the expectations of how good a beverage can be within that category," Kim said. "Now, I think people are ready for water to really become the mainstay in what they drink and enjoy like a treat in their lives. I hope Spindrift could address every beverage occasion and need."
Flavors are crucial to growing the sparkling water category
This fall, Spindrift re-released its Spiced Apple Cider and Cranberry Raspberry flavors, which will be available while supplies lasts nationwide at Target and regionally from Jewel, Shaws, Market Basket, Fred Meyer, and King Sooper Safeway.
“Everybody loves a great spiced apple cider in the fall... It falls in that camp of taking these familiar categories and reinventing them with our promise of real ingredients.”
Looking to the future, Spindrift will drive trial of its products in under-developed channels and engage its community of loyal fans that have done everything from knitting sweaters to making earings with the Spindrift logo, Kim said. “We really want to focus on trial because that is really what truly cements people's love with the brand,” she added.
"We really try to do unique community programming especially around any of our flavor launches because that's what the people who drink Spindrift love," Kim said. "It's incredible the depth of love that the community has for Spindrift, and so we're just inspired by it, and we take that and try to put it on a pedestal and really enjoy sort of celebrating with everybody how much they love Spindrift."
