Beverage Makers Hope To Ride The Craft Beer Wave

Craft beer has become a cultural phenomena in the US as consumer preferences shift to value little known brands and small batch brews. The trend toward specialty beer has leaked into the rest of the beverage industry as big name brands look to expand their offerings to cash in on customers' changing tastes.

took over the coffee industry when it entered the market, but coffee connoisseurs have begun to turn their nose up at the Seattle chain in favor of better quality, smaller brands. In an effort to stay current, the company has revamped its coffee offerings and created a premium brand that gives consumers that "small batch" feel. Starbucks has begun testing a "Reserve Roastery" location in Seattle where customers can sample flavors and learn more about how coffee is made as well as enjoy premium drinks not offered at other locations.

is similarly looking to rework soda's image by creating a new line of beverages with premium ingredients and exotic flavors. Called

, the line will feature drinks like agave vanilla cream and black cherry with tarragon. Restaurants which carry the line will offer customers a unique experience as the machines dispensing the sodas are said to mimc that of a draft beer lever.

Consumers' demand for one-of-a-kind, artesian products is likely to spawn a wave of new food and beverage lines in the coming years. Well known brands will have to create specialized lines with healthier ingredients to stay relevant as more and more people search for unique offerings without added chemicals and preservatives.