Tonic Water as Soft Drink and Market Growth

Tonic water is explained as a carbonated drink which comprises of quinine as a main ingredient. Quinine is a medication that was used to treat malaria and additional diseases. Because of the bitter taste of quinine, tonic water was first used as a palatable way to absorb quinine medicine but has obtained the popularity as a drink mixer in gin and vodka-based alcoholic drinks.

Tonic water is a carbonated soft drink in which quinine is liquefied. Initially used as a prophylactic against malaria, tonic water usually now has remarkably lower quinine content and is absorbed for its distinctive bitter taste. It is generally used in mixed drinks, mainly in gin and tonic.

The continuous increasing interest in directly consumption of tonic water is a necessary driver for the market. This consumption is a result of the different factors such as the increasing consumer interest in drinks that are non-alcoholic, not too sweet and can imitate the feel of drinking alcoholic beverages. Tonic water best fits this explanation and is therefore witnessing a continuous development in recent years.

The other necessary factor in the tonic water market is the development of the market beyond traditional or usual tonic water. Various companies have begun tonic water products that are more sundry in terms of flavour, texture, pricing, ingredients, calorie content, and packaging. This fact can be observed in the launch of products comprising of ingredients such chocolate, lemongrass, and pomegranate. The expansion of ingredients, such as use of naturally sourced quinine and natural sweeteners other than the sugar, is also a key driver for the market.

The market faces control in two aspects: level of quinine usage and labelling needs. As per the U.S. FDA, quinine can be used in food and beverage items if the quinine content in the respective product doesn’t increase 83 parts per million, and if the existence of quinine in the product is evidently mentioned on the product label.

The utilization of tonic water in alcoholic drink mixes such as gin and tonic is well accepted in the developed world but is still developing in emerging countries. The low consumption of tonic water in developing countries is due to the low awareness about the products and a relatively lower or unequally spread consumption of gin. Consumers belonging to Asian countries that consume high amounts of gin, such as the Philippines, might not use the gin and tonic mix as frequently as consumers of North America and Europe.

The market may be unfavorably influenced by the developing awareness about alcohol and its dangerous effects on the health and well-being of a person. This is, in turn, generating a hindrance to the development of the tonic water market in the long run. Nevertheless, the introduction of fresh products with various and different flavors and their attractive packaging system is bringing forward lucrative opportunities for the market to develop.