Formulation

How to Choose the Right Flavour for a New Beverage Brand

By Manit Agarwal Published November 2026 6 min read

Flavour is the first reason people buy your drink and the main reason they buy it again. Picking it should be a decision backed by research, not only a founder's preference.

Where should you start?

Start with the customer and the occasion, not the flavour. A drink for a gym session, an office afternoon and a family dinner each calls for a different taste profile, sweetness level and fizz. Write down who will drink it, when, and what they currently buy instead.

How do you check the market?

Look at what already sells in your category and price band. Check shelves, quick commerce listings and reviews. Note which flavours dominate and which complaints repeat, such as too sweet, too artificial or too flat. Gaps in this list are your opening.

How novel should the flavour be?

Very new flavours need more explaining and can slow trial. Very familiar ones need something else to stand out, such as better taste, lower sugar or a distinct look. A good approach is a familiar base with one twist, for example a classic fruit with a spice or herbal note.

Taste in context. Test the drink cold, in the pack it will be sold in, and next to its closest competitor. A flavour that tastes great warm in a lab can disappoint when chilled.

How do you test it?

Run blind tasting with people who match your target customer, not only friends and family. Keep the group varied, use simple scoring for taste, sweetness, aroma and aftertaste, and refine across rounds. Record every change so the final formula can be reproduced exactly.

When should you add flavours?

Launch with a small range you can support. Once your first flavour sells steadily, add extensions based on feedback and sales data. Each new flavour is a new SKU with its own stock, label and testing, so add them deliberately.

Read about beverage categories or brief us on your drink.

Frequently asked questions

How do I choose a flavour for my beverage?

Start with your customer and the occasion, study what competitors sell and what people complain about, and choose a flavour that fills a gap. Then validate it through blind tasting.

Should a new beverage brand launch with one flavour or many?

A small range you can support is safer. Each flavour is a separate SKU with its own stock, label and testing, so add more once the first one sells steadily.

How do I test a beverage flavour?

Run blind tastings with people who match your target customer, taste the drink cold and in its final pack, score taste, sweetness, aroma and aftertaste, and refine across rounds.

Manit Agarwal

Founder of Red Bottle Consultancy and Balaji Beverages. Three-plus years building and operating a beverage brand in India, with hands-on experience across packaging, formula development, and contract manufacturing.