Ingredient Spotlight

From forming emotional connections to creating differentiation in an overcrowded beverage market, flavor, function as well as storytelling can help brands connect with consumers.

Given that these aspects are key factors that influence consumer’s purchasing decisions, ingredients play a crucial role in tying everything together, including fruit ingredients.

“Consumers are no longer just seeking basic refreshment — they’re looking for beverages that deliver on flavor, functionality and story,” says Kyra Appleby, innovation and marketing technical specialist of FB Solutions Group at iTi Tropicals, Lawrenceville, N.J. “As a result, brands are actively searching for ways to differentiate their portfolios with globally inspired, nutrient-rich ingredients that support clean-label, better-for-you positioning.”

Appleby adds that the beverage industry continues to show strong and sustained demand for fruit ingredients, particularly tropical fruits, as brands look to innovate in a highly competitive and fast-moving market.

“Tropical fruits are uniquely well-suited to meet this demand,” she says. “Ingredients like passion fruit, guava, mango, acerola and coconut water check multiple boxes: they offer bold, vibrant flavor profiles — they carry built-in health benefits — and they align with the visual and sensory experiences consumers expect from modern beverages.

“What makes tropicals even more appealing is their versatility across both format and function,” Appleby continues. “Many tropical ingredients are available in a variety of formats including purées, juices, concentrates and powders — giving formulators the flexibility to adapt to different product types, processing methods and formulation goals.”

Moreover, tropical fruits continue to be a strategic ingredient choice for brands that want to innovate quickly, meet consumer expectations for both global flavor and functional benefits, and stand out on the shelf, Appleby says.

Paul Orosco, fruit and vegetable specialties category manager at Cambridge, Mass.-based Global Organics, notes that the market for fruit ingredients in beverages is growing fast thanks to an increase in health-conscious consumers. 

“According to Innova market reports, 70% of consumers prefer natural ingredients,” Orosco says. “The last data gathered by Innova Markets indicates a 30% and 25% increase in fruit-based sweeteners and functional drinks consumption, respectively.

“Consumers are reading labels and identifying the benefits in fruit beverages, such as vitamin, antioxidant and nutrient content,” he continues. “Concentrates, powders and not-from-concentrate juices are seen by manufacturers as an excellent resource to support flavor innovation, seasonal demand and cost balance goals.”

Fruitful inspirations

As consumer trends are prompting the experimentation of fruits blends in beverage formulations, experts note that health and wellness continue to be key factors driving innovation.

Global Organics’ Orosco notes that experimentation includes fruits that deliver experience through flavor, unique textures and unique wellness that tastes good.

“Consumers who prefer natural ingredients are also seeking out clean labels and respond well to seasonal offers,” he says. “Additionally, from a health perspective, tropical-forward flavors are having their moment in functional wellness drinks and immunity blends.”

iTi Tropicals’ Appleby says that health and wellness continue to be core motivators and key drivers in innovation; however, she notes that consumers’ expectations have evolved beyond basic functionality. 

“Today’s consumers are looking for bold, exciting flavors that feel as adventurous as they are health-forward,” she explains. “This demand for novelty, paired with a growing interest in global influences, has opened the door to greater creativity in fruit blending, with tropical ingredients taking center stage.

“Functional positioning is also fueling innovation, as product developers increasingly lean on tropical ingredients for their natural nutritional and functional benefits,” Appleby continues. “Tropical fruits such as passion fruit, guava, mango, acerola, dragon fruit and coconut water are being incorporated into more beverage concepts.”

Further, Appleby notes that visually driven platforms like TikTok and Instagram have made vibrant color and aesthetic presentation more important than ever, prompting formulators to explore high-impact fruit blends that are as striking visually as they are flavorful. 

“Blends like dragon fruit with pineapple or guava with hibiscus not only offer layered flavor profiles but also vibrant hues that pop on shelf and social media,” she says. “In short, consumer demand for functional benefits, clean-label ingredients, and flavor-driven experiences is pushing beverage developers to explore tropical fruit blends that check all three boxes — health, taste and visual appeal.”

When it comes to approaching the balance of domestic and exotic fruits in blended formulations, Appleby notes that manybeverage brands are taking the approach of pairing familiar, domestic fruits with tropical ingredients to create something that feels approachable and exciting. 

“Domestic fruits like apple, pear or strawberry provide a neutral base that consumers already know and trust,” she says. “Layering in tropicals like mango, guava or passion fruit adds bold flavor, vibrant color, and a sense of discovery — without straying too far from the familiar.

“This kind of pairing helps strike the right balance between familiarity and innovation,” she continues. “It also opens the door to stronger storytelling around global sourcing, functional benefits and seasonal inspiration. Whether it’s a strawberry-guava blend or an apple-passion fruit juice, these combinations give brands the flexibility to create something new while still appealing to a broad audience.

Moreover, Appleby adds that this kind of hybrid approach spans across categories such as RTD juices and smoothies, sparkling waters, energy drinks and plant-based dairy alternatives.

Global Organics’ Orosco explains that suppliers are multi-sourcing from different parts of the world to mitigate seasonal risk and meet year-round demand for fruit ingredients.

“Beverage producers are focusing on blending familiar fruits with exotic new flavors to deliver on consumers’ search for healthy, clean and flavorful drinks,” he says.

Simple ingredients

Alongside health and wellness trends, naturaland organic trends are having an impact on fruit blends.

iTi Tropicals’ Appleby explains how these trends continue to play a major role in shaping formulation strategies — especially in the juice and functional beverage categories. 

“Consumers are reading labels more closely and actively seeking out products with simple, recognizable ingredients and minimal processing,” she says. “This shift is pushing brands toward 100% juice blends, no added sugar, and clean-label claims like ‘no artificial ingredients.’”

Appleby adds that tropical ingredients are naturally well positioned to meet clean label expectations. 

“Many are used in their simplest form, such as coconut water, banana puree or passion fruit juice concentrate, and do not have a need for flavor enhancers or added sugars,” she explains. “They offer not just taste, but also inherent nutritional value. Coconut water is viewed as a natural hydrator rich in electrolytes. Banana adds texture and mouthfeel without thickeners. Acerola is widely recognized for its natural vitamin C content, making it an ideal addition to immunity-boosting blends.”

Additionally, organic versions of ingredients like mango puree, coconut cream and pineapple juice are becoming more important for brands that want to check both the “natural” and “organic” boxes, Appleby says.

As far as which fruit blends are the most popular right now, Appleby notes there is strong momentum around tropical-forward blends that deliver on both flavor and function. 

“Combinations like passion fruit-mango, acai-banana, pineapple-ginger, and coconut water-citrus are leading the way across multiple beverage formats — from cold-pressed juices and functional shots to hydration beverages and sparkling waters,” she says. “Guava is another tropical that continues to gain traction, especially when paired with fruits like strawberry, lime or pineapple. It brings a distinctive flavor and aromatic profile, plus natural vitamin C and pink-orange coloring that adds visual appeal. 

“Coconut water remains a go-to functional base across the board. It blends seamlessly with other juices, adds natural electrolytes and allows brands to position products around clean hydration and wellness,” Appleby continues. “These blends are performing well because they appeal to a wide audience — health-conscious consumers, adventurous flavor seekers, and even younger demographics who are discovering tropicals for the first time through smoothies, refreshers and energy drinks.” 

What to look out for

As far as emerging fruit blends and what to expect in new product development, Global Organics’ Orosco notes that the company is projecting an increase in popularity for guava, lemon and strawberry blends. 

“Naturally high in vitamin C and lycopene, guava can boost the nutritional value of beverage formulations,” he says. “Pink guava offers a tropical-forward profile with strong aromatics and natural sweetness — a great balance for blending with citrus fruits and earthy roots like beet for functional beverages.”        

iTi Tropicals Appleby anticipates a continued push toward more regionally inspired tropical blends that introduce consumers to globally influenced flavors in a more accessible format. 

Blends like dragon fruit, lychee, guava and calamansi have gained attention because of their bold flavor profiles, rich cultural roots and eye-catching color, she explains.

“These combinations allow brands to create a differentiated product experience while tapping into the growing consumer curiosity around global ingredients,” Appleby says

Appleby also notes that there is a growing interest in tropical and botanical pairings, which bring added complexity, functional benefits, and a more elevated feel to beverage formulations. 

“These combinations allow brands to craft layered flavor profiles that align with health-driven positioning and meet consumer demand for globally inspired wellness-focused products,” she says.

“Ingredients like passion fruit, guava, mango, acerola and coconut water check multiple boxes: they offer bold, vibrant flavor profiles — they carry built-in health benefits — and they align with the visual and sensory experiences consumers expect from modern beverages. 

– Kyra Appleby, innovation and marketing technical specialist of FB Solutions Group at iTi Tropicals

As the functional beverage category continues to expand, formulators also are leaning on tropical ingredients that do more than deliver taste, Appleby explains.

“Ingredients like coconut water (a natural source of electrolytes), acerola (rich in vitamin C), and banana (known for potassium and texture) are multitasking — enhancing flavor, boosting nutrition and supporting clean-label formulations all at once,” she says.

Appleby also notes that there is a growing focus on how tropical fruits can improve texture, mouthfeel, and natural sweetness in more nuanced ways. 

“Banana puree and coconut cream, for example, are increasingly used to add body and creaminess without relying on added sugars, gums, or thickeners,” she explains. “This is especially important in plant-based and non-dairy formats, where tropicals can enhance both sensory experience and nutritional value.”

Ultimately, tropical ingredients are playing a much larger role in beverage innovation, Appleby says.

“They’re no longer just flavor drivers; they’re functional, textural and visual tools that help developers meet consumer expectations around health, transparency and global influence, while delivering a memorable drinking experience,” she concludes.