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Top 100: Menu Trends – Beverage innovation

Beverage innovation is number two on our list of the 2014 Top 100 Fast Casual Movers and Shakers: Menu Trends.

January 1, 2015

Beverage innovation is number two on our list of the 2014 Top 100 Fast Casual Movers and Shakers: Menu Trends.

As consumers continue to count calories and monitor caffeine intake, soda alternatives continue to "pop" up all over menus. Specialty drinks that include fresh fruit and teas are growing in popularity, and fruits and veggies that have an exotic image are becoming more popular. Jamba Juice helped consumers fill their need to be exotic with the addition of acai berries and coconut water to its menu, and in September, Smashburger added organic Honest Tea to its beverage lineup in response to the growing demand for noncarbonated beverages.

For those still needing a cola fix, products such as the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine fill the need for something different by giving people the ability to create their own soda concoctions from more than 100 flavors.