FMI released its inaugural Power of Beverage report on July 28, 2026, combining shopper research with Circana sales data and Nichefire’s cultural forecasts. The study examines a US retail beverage category that generated $295 billion in spending in 2025.
The report looks at how beverages fit into consumers’ daily routines and functional needs, including hydration and energy. It also examines how shoppers weigh value: 61% associated it with low prices, while 46% included taste in their definition.
Nichefire’s contribution adds a forward-looking view of cultural change to the report’s account of purchasing behavior. That gives category teams another source of evidence as they assess which consumer needs may deserve further investigation.
For a retailer or beverage brand, the application is in the choices behind an assortment or innovation plan. Sales data establishes what people are buying. Research into the reasons and occasions behind those purchases can help a team decide which emerging needs to test and how to frame that test.
Nichefire adds cultural context to the decisions brands make about consumer demand and innovation.
Explore Nichefire
