The future of beverage manufacturing: innovations shaping the next generation of drinks
The world of beverage manufacturing has seen some radical changes in recent years, as a drive for more sustainable production, combined with dramatic shifts in consumer preferences and advances in economically emerging countries, has altered the landscape.
Alfa Laval, which has supplied the industry for decades, sees this as an opportunity to pioneer a positive impact as innovation, agility and flexibility are in its DNA, and these are also the key attributes required for today’s beverage manufacturer in producing the next generation of drinks.
By delivering innovations to key areas such as high-speed separators and decanters, Alfa Laval is empowering producers to carry out more precise and sustainable processing that allows them to make more for less, experiment with their product development, and meet the rising demands from consumers.
The main driver of those demands is a significant shift towards functional, nutritious, plant-based beverages, as increasingly health-conscious consumers leave the alcohol and sugary drinks on the shelves and reach instead for kombuchas, iced teas and coconut water.
For the world of beverage processing, this means a rethink of how things are done, and looking at ways to fortify products with healthy ingredients and new flavours, while also putting the focus on efficiency and hygiene to maximize the uptime of their production.
This is where technology such as Alfa Laval’s PurePulp series, with a unique hermetic design, comes into its own. It has a range of features which are essential for the beverage producer heading into the world of next-generation drinks, delivering a precise and flexible split between juice and pulp for minimum product loss, gentle handling to preserve flavours and aromas, easy-to-maintain equipment with improved design for cleaning-in-place and low-energy consumption.
It is the complete plug-and-play, automatic system concept for simple, reliable and sustainable operation, and like all of Alfa Laval’s premium beverage processing equipment, it is made for the job of next generation drinks production, opening the door to beverage manufacturers to explore new methods, ingredients and recipes to keep at the head of their markets.
When it comes to citrus fruit processing, for instance, Alfa Laval has led the way in maximizing the value of raw materials for juice producers, with technology such as its CR series disc stack separation systems changing the game.
The systems concentrate valuable citrus oil from the peel of the fruit, an ingredient which caters perfectly for the health-conscious consumer as it can be used in functional beverages, offering a highly profitable extra revenue stream.
As demand for healthier, convenient drinks grows, producers are innovating to stay competitive and sustainable
A demographic shift is also having an impact on consumer demand and technical innovation, especially in countries like China, where the development of the economy is seeing a dramatic urbanization, with families leaving rural areas to set up home in the city.
Combined with the global Gen Z and Millennial move towards healthier living and active lifestyles, this is fueling a demand for convenience, so ready-to-drink beverages are becoming increasingly popular.
That means for producers of coconut water – a plant-based, clean-label, allergen-friendly and naturally hydrating alternative – business is booming, and with innovations in high-speed separation, manufacturers can continue to refine their processes to maximize profits and develop new variations on the basic product.
As technological advancements open up the market and producers start pushing the boundaries of what is possible, the spirit of the industry becomes ever more experimental as new drinks are launched with a range of interesting and sometimes unlikely flavours.
It means that those consumers seeking an alternative to alcohol have a widening choice of beverages that may be flavoured by botanicals, fruit-infused or fermented, and offer a complexity in taste previously associated with beers, wine and spirits.
Meanwhile, an increasingly discerning global consumer base looks at the strain that beverage production puts on the already stretched natural resources of the earth, and demands that manufacturers operate as sustainably as possible.
Beverage processing equipment that meets this challenge runs throughout Alfa Laval’s portfolio, with technology focused on circularity and capturing and reusing water while minimizing energy use and cutting CO2 emissions.
With sustainability and efficiency at the heart of the thinking, new processing technology is promising a thriving future for the beverage industry and the development of the next generation of drinks.
