FMCG Gurus – Ready-to-Mix – Competing With Convenience – Trend Report 2026
Report Description:
This report explores the evolving ready-to-mix (RTM) beverage market, examining how powdered formats can compete with the convenience offered by ready-to-drink alternatives. While RTM products require additional preparation, opportunities exist for brands to differentiate through affordability, nutritional efficacy, and customization. By focusing on recognizable consumption needs such as hydration, energy, protein intake, and hunger, brands can give consumers a clearer reason to choose products that require preparation.
The report examines how value per serving, credible functional benefits, and greater flexibility can strengthen the appeal of RTM products across everyday wellness occasions. It also explores opportunities beyond traditional sports nutrition, including changing nutritional needs associated with GLP-1 usage and growing consumer interest in personalized nutrition. Rather than attempting to compete with RTD products on convenience alone, brands must demonstrate where preparation delivers meaningful value.
The Challenge / Problem for Brands:
Ready-to-drink beverages offer immediate consumption, creating a clear convenience advantage over RTM formats. Without meaningful differentiation through affordability, efficacy, or flexibility, consumers may struggle to justify the additional preparation required, limiting trial and repeat purchase.
Proposed Solution / Problem It Solves:
This report outlines how brands can strengthen RTM propositions by targeting recognizable consumption needs and communicating clear advantages over ready-made alternatives. Demonstrating value per serving, credible nutritional benefits, and straightforward customization can help make preparation feel worthwhile and establish a clearer role for RTM within everyday routines.
Risk of Getting This Wrong:
Positioning RTM as a direct alternative to RTD without providing a compelling reason for preparation risks weakening consumer appeal. Overcomplicated preparation, unclear functional benefits, or assumed affordability can create additional barriers and make more convenient ready-made formats the easier choice.
This report helps you decide:
How to differentiate RTM from RTD through affordability, efficacy, and flexibility; which consumption occasions offer the strongest opportunities for innovation; and how to communicate value, nutritional delivery, and customization in ways that encourage trial and repeat consumption.
Who this is for:
Beverage and sports nutrition brands, functional food and drink manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and innovation teams looking to develop RTM products that compete effectively with convenient ready-to-drink alternatives.
FMCG-Gurus-Ready-to-Mix-Competing-With-Convenience-Trend-Report-2026-.pdf
FMCG-Gurus-Ready-to-Mix-Competing-With-Convenience-Trend-Report-2026-.pptx