Consumer demand for “convenience” in the sense of practical, easy-to-handle products is on the rise. A major trend is food and drinks that are easy to consume en route, in leisure time activities or at work. What matters is that consumers want to spend only a minimum amount of time, if any, on preparation.

Small and handy portion sizes, as provided by Functional Shots or Energy Shots for instance, fulfill these consumer requirements. “Ready to drink” products like liquid fruits, coffee drinks or beer mixes that are prepared and mixed to a constant level of quality fit in with this convenience mindset.

Demand for convenience products also influences the packaging, which consequently needs to be unbreakable, light and resealable. Flexible on-the-go unit packaging is already a standard for many products, and “bag-in-box” systems are becoming increasingly prevalent.