KDP Study: Gen Z Is Swapping Go-To Drinks for Digital Discovery
Beverage manufacturers are always chasing innovation, but that pursuit is more important than ever according to Keurig Dr Pepper’s second annual State of Beverages trend report.
The study demonstrated that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are eschewing the comfort of go-to drinks and pursuing new flavors and functions in their beverages, treating their choices as a form of self expression.
“The beverage industry has always been dynamic, but Gen Z and Gen Alpha are driving a more profound shift in the role of beverages in everyday life,” Keurig Dr Pepper CEO Tim Cofer said in a statement. “Increasingly, beverage choices signal identity, mood and values. As a result, occasions are becoming more social and intentionally curated, with drinks helping to define experiences, express individuality and bring people together in new ways.
The study combined KDP’s proprietary data with surveys from YouGov, Ipsos and Morning Consult. KDP found that 56% of Gen Alpha and Z were actively looking for limited-edition beverages and 58% wanted completely new or unexpected flavors, compared to 40% and 50% of millennials, respectively.
Younger generations were 12% more likely to look for globally inspired drinks and twice as likely as their older cohorts to seek out nostalgic flavors. Shoppers are showing off their taste for variety with drink lineup social posts, which have spiked in popularity by 30% year-over-year.
Gen Z and Alpha are consuming across more beverage categories than their millennial counterparts. They’re twice as likely to have an energy drink, about 75% more likely to consume a sports drink and 50% more likely to drink protein drinks weekly. These shoppers demand products that deliver both functional advantages and indulgent flavors.
While 75% of Gen Z and Alpha shoppers say eye-catching in-store displays influence their purchases, they are more likely to discover new products through digital tools and social media than millennials. They are also 75% more likely than millennials to demand personalized beverage experiences. They are 40% more likely than millennials to drink away from home, and 9% more likely to share drinks with other people.
“Younger consumers don’t think in terms of a single ‘go-to’ drink anymore,” Keurig Dr Pepper senior vice president of marketing transformation, innovation and insights Katie Webb said in a statement. “Younger generations are exploring more unique flavors, switching between beverages throughout the day and seeking options that can balance both function and feel-good.”
