
Beyond zero: Soft drink makers double down on 'functional' fizz, zero calories and local flavours
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Zero sugar is no longer a differentiator for India’s soft-drinks industry – it’s a way of ensuring a stake in the market. After a year in which zero sugar dominated advertising and shelf space, beverage makers are offering functional drinks – reduced or no-sugar products with zero calories and ingredients like vitamins, minerals, probiotics and prebiotics.Chini Kum has entered the market with zero-sugar, low-calorie drinks fortified with prebiotic fibre.
VRB Consumer Products (Veeba) has tied up with singer Karan Aujla to launch Zyro, a zero-calorie and zero-sugar beverage line in India.“No sugar, low calorie will definitely continue to trend. The awareness about sugar, calories has picked up quite a bit, done by both influencers and brands,” said Chirag Maheshwari, co-founder of Peping, which sells low-calorie prebiotic fizzy drinks and probiotic digestive shots.Mumbai‑based Misfits positions its product as India’s first prebiotic soda, made with prebiotic fibre and plant‑based ingredients.
Other Indian companies focussed on the probiotic/prebiotic trend include Atmosphere Studio, Enlite, Quenzy and Bubz.Regional brands don't want to lose out on the trend and are coming out with localized flavours to drive consumption.“We are soon coming up with a zero-sugar, stevia-based version of Lahori Zeera for calorie-conscious people,” said Lahori Zeera’s co-founder Nikhil Doda.The no-sugar soft drinks market in India has grown almost 3x from 2021 to today, shows data from business intelligence platform Euromonitor International accessed by Mint. Euromonitor said the market will be ₹30,850 crore in 2026.
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