Home soda machine sales are bubbling in an otherwise flat soda category. U.S. 2013 retail sales of home soda machines increased 30% compared to the previous year, according to The NPD Group, a global information company. Dollar sales of syrups and mixes for the machines increased 83% when compared with 2012.
“The home soda category continues to appeal to consumers seeking convenient ways to customize beverages that range from plain seltzer to flavored options on demand while also being friendly to their wallets and the environment,” said Debra Mednick, executive director and home industry analyst for The NPD Group.
The NPD’s National Eating Trends service indicates overall carbonated beverage consumption in the home has declined over the past two years.
“Overall consumption of traditional soda in the home has declined, giving home soda machine manufacturers and beverage companies an opportunity to offset the trend by introducing new product offerings that capitalize on current consumer beverage preferences,” Ms. Mednick said.
Increased sales of carbon dioxide carbonators, which more than doubled in 2013, indicates consumers may continue to invest in soda making machines, according to The NPD Group, Port Washington.
“Home soda makers as a category is still in its infancy with relatively low household penetration,” she said. “The potential of these machines is contingent upon broadening the category’s appeal with a wider variety of uses and offerings, ease of obtaining the consumables, and price.”
