Water and Wellness: A Growing Trend

Water is a necessity for life and is one of the most valuable resources on the planet.  Each year, close to four trillion cubic meters of freshwater is consumed around the world and almost every daily activity or good requires water to use or make.  This fact is often overlooked, as the use of water is typically only thought of in terms of physical consumption and cleaning.  In an exploration of the plethora of ways that society uses water, its role in the wellness industry is rapidly growing.

Water is already well-known as a key to life as we know it.  Drinking proper amounts of water yields countless health benefits and our daily use of water in areas like sanitation allows society at large to function with such a large population.  Added vitamins and minerals have long been a part of the bottled water process as a way to provide consumers with an even healthier version of the substance.  Vitamin waters are extremely popular options in developed countries like China and are currently positioned to shift consumers away from caffeinated and sugary energy and sports drinks. 

The United State’s PepsiCo recently unveiled the launch of a new product, Driftwell.  Driftwell is a calorie and sugar-free flavored water that aims to de-stress consumers and aide in sleep thanks to the inclusion of the amino acid, L-theanine, as well as magnesium.  This is a major development for the wellness industry, as it could lead to the development of waters designed to tackle other physical and mental ailments.  This could also decrease the dependence on over-the-counter sleep medication, which is a one billion dollar global market.  Other companies who have recently explored the wellness beverage market include Karma Wellness Water, Coca-Cola and their introduction of Coca-Cola Energy, as well as Molson-Coor’s rollout of Vizzy, a seltzer with added antioxidants.  At the end of the day, water wellness is a growing trend and presents opportunities for food and beverage companies to expand their product lines.