Seven drinks trends to watch in 2018

Glass half full?

While premiumisation, aspirational consumption and increasingly more sophisticated palates allow for a relatively buoyant and optimistic short to medium term outlook, downside risks remain. Complacency and the faith in the infinite and linear growth mantras have proven to be disastrous in the past while the severe volatility hitting markets from China to Russia to Nigeria provides fitting cautionary tales.

A potential deceleration of premium dynamics could hence hit developing markets facing black swan events as much as it could derail the growth curve in mature markets facing yet another cyclical downturn.

Diversification in category, geographical and positioning terms will provide the essential safety valve for an industry under increasing pressure.