If you are interested in developing a beverage but aren’t sure of the process, beverage formulation is the best place to start. And the most important thing to know about formulating a beverage is that it is all about the taste — when consumers love the taste of a beverage, you get your foot in the door and build a strong foundation for your beverage brand.
But even though you may have a brilliant idea for a delicious beverage, drink formulation is an involved process. By working with a beverage development expert, you can learn how to make your own beverage while relying on their expertise throughout the process. From innovating and formulating your drink to quality assurance, branding and marketing, a beverage expert can guide you along your journey.
Refining Your Vision
The first step is having a clear vision for your drink. You should have an idea of marketing (selling point) and target market (consumer) — it’s much easier to create a drink when you know who you want to sell it to! The most effective way to be intentional about what you want in your beverage is to have an idea of the ingredients you will have in your drink. A clear vision, target audience, and desired ingredient list do more than solidify the concept development stage — it sets a good foundation for the later stages of branding, marketing, and selling.
The concept development stage also includes identifying potential client requirements, consultations with food scientists and production managers, brainstorming sessions, and full preparation of the concept of your beverage. During this process, we offer insights into relative costs, ingredient availability, and shelf-life considerations. We’ll procure ingredients and kick off formulation. After your approval, we proceed to the base development stage.
Innovating To Create Your Beverage
The beverage market is full of potential, but you need to tap into a niche that still has room for growth. One way of creating an innovative beverage is the Blue Ocean strategy, which helps you identify gaps and opportunities in the market so you can create a sought-after drink with lower competition.
Of course, this does not mean that you cannot launch your own idea for a beverage that is quite competitive — the key is to find how to formulate and brand your beverage uniquely.
How to Turn Your Idea Into a Commercial Formula
Formulating your beverage is where the real work begins! The recipe development stage includes laboratory work, laboratory testing, reformulations, prototype development, and formula optimization. Because of how intricate the process is — and because you want your drink to be compliant with standard regulations — working alongside a beverage formulation expert like MyDrink Beverages is imperative. With our knowledgeable team, you will gain new insights into how to create a winning beverage formula.
While you work on your pricing strategy, we’ll gather costs and optimize the formula. Once you have approved your formula, we procure ingredients and begin creating the base for your beverage, including conducting a basic stability analysis to confirm ingredient solubility and compatibility. We’ll also provide prototypes and use your feedback to perfect the flavor, mouthfeel, aroma, and appearance of your beverage. At the end of this stage, you will have a formula that you can use to run pilot trials or take to contract manufacturers for production.
Getting Your Beverage Ready for Retail
We can also collaborate in other areas:
- Packaging: We can help source packaging, determine shelf life and provide regulatory compliance oversight.
- Branding: Our referral partners can help you develop branding that resonates with retailers and captivates consumers.
- Sales and Marketing: We have strategic partners with a wealth of knowledge regarding the most effective way to sell and market your beverage.
Create Your Own Beverage With MyDrink Beverages
Formulating your own beverage to sell to consumers is an exciting but in-depth journey that requires long-term goals, market insights, and technical expertise to develop a great-tasting product. With MyDrink Beverages (a division of BevSource), you can rely on us and our unmatched network of suppliers and vendors.
As industry leaders, we have the technical expertise to prepare your drink for the market so you can focus on fulfilling your vision. Connect with our beverage development specialists to get started today!
