Refreshment focuses on the water dispenser/cooler, office coffee service and vending sectors, while also taking an in-depth look into products for vending from bottled water and drinks, to snacks and confectionery. It also focuses on hydration, health and wellness, new technologies and environmental and social responsibility issues.
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FoodBev Media is proud to announce the winners of the UK Soft Drinks Awards 2026, celebrating the brands innovating UK soft drinks sector. This year’s awards present a shift in the market, defined by an intersection of flavour and holistic wellness as the industry redefines the role of the soft drink in the modern consumer’s life.
The 2026 cohort reflects an evolution of sector categories, most notably the surge in functional and wellness-led drinks. Established household brands have leveraged their heritage to launch strategic extensions, successfully pivoting into the health-conscious space. This movement signifies a maturing market where the primary driver of new product development focuses on the wellness-benefits to the health-conscious consumer.
A dedicated panel of industry experts meticulously evaluated and tasted submissions from more than 30 UK-based brands, each retailing within the United Kingdom. This turnout provided a comprehensive snapshot of the ingenuity currently being poured into UK soft drinks, from disruptive start-ups to legacy leaders.
The winners were unveiled during an exclusive live ceremony at the UK Soft Drinks Conference in London on 12 May 2026. As the premier forum for the nation’s beverage leaders, the conference provided a fitting backdrop to celebrate the brands at the forefront of the industry’s functional revolution.
Melissa Bradshaw, group editor of FoodBev Media, presented the awards and reflected on the exceptional quality of this year’s submissions:
The quality of submissions we’ve seen this year is testament to the resilience and creativity of the UK beverage sector. It is particularly inspiring to see how established players are reinventing themselves through functional extensions, highlighting the opportunity soft drinks brands have to pave the way for a health-forward future. This year's winners balance wellness-centric innovation with exceptional taste profiles, responding to consumer needs while putting their own refreshing twist on today's top trends. Congratulations to all!
With competition more rigorous than ever, securing a UK Soft Drinks Award in 2026 remains a definitive benchmark of excellence. These winners are actively shaping the future of hydration through bold, tasty, soft drink innovation.
UK Soft Drinks Awards 2026 results
Best products of 2026
Best brand extension
WINNER Carlsberg Britvic | Tango Sour
FINALIST Bottlegreen | Bottlegreen non-alcoholic Bitter Orange Spritz
FINALIST Phizz | Daily Immune+
COMMENDED Radnor Hills | Radnor Spring Pineapple & Grapefruit
COMMENDED Refresco | Pink Ting
COMMENDED Remedy Drinks | Remedy Sodaly
Best carbonated drink
WINNER Hip Pop | Hip Pop Lemonade
FINALIST Nestlé Waters UK | Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks
FINALIST Carlsberg Britvic | Tango Sour
FINALIST The Root Co | Original Ginger Beer
COMMENDED Carlsberg Britvic | Tango Strawberry Smash
COMMENDED Refresco | Pink Ting
COMMENDED Nutriju / Wow Cacao | Wow Cacao Sparkling Water
Best children's drink
WINNER Pip Organic | Pip Organic Pineapple and Mango Smoothie
FINALIST Carlsberg Britvic | Star Wars Fruit Shoot
FINALIST Pip Organic | Pip Organic Apple Cherry Fizz
Best dilutable product
WINNER Carlsberg Britvic | Robinsons Creations Strawberry, Cherry & Lime
FINALIST Bottlegreen | Bottlegreen Wild Elderflower Cordial
FINALIST Holy Softdrinks | Holy Energy – Raspberry Raptor
COMMENDED Nichols (Vimto) | Vimto Wonderfuel Mango & Orange Functional Squash
Best fruit/juice drink
WINNER Tiger Tiger Foods | Pulp + 100% Real Lychee Juice With Pulp
FINALIST Carlsberg Britvic | J2O Sparkling
Best functional drink
WINNER Medahuman | Greens
FINALIST Fizz with Purpose | It's Giving Apple & Elderflower 330ml
FINALIST Hip Pop | Hip Pop Cherry & Blackberry CBD Kombucha
FINALIST Remedy Drinks | Remedy Kombucha Ginger Lemon
FINALIST Xoxo Soda | Xoxo Soda Sparkling Lychee
COMMENDED Goodrays | Goodrays Raspberry & Guava CBD Drink
COMMENDED Ka-Ex | Ka-Ex Boost
COMMENDED TranquiliTea Wellness Beverages UK | TranquiliTea Citrus Chill
COMMENDED Vitamin Well | Vitamin Well Hydrate
Best low or no alcohol drink
WINNER Bottlegreen | Bottlegreen non-alcoholic Bitter Orange Spritz
FINALIST Nutriju / Wow Cacao | Wow Cacao Sparkling Water
FINALIST Refresco | Ben Shaws Bitter Shandy
Best low or no sugar drink
WINNER Nestlé Waters UK | Sanpellegrino Zero Added Sugar
FINALIST Dot Dot Bubble Tea | Dot Dot Bubble Tea Lychee & Rose in Glass
FINALIST Remedy Drinks | Remedy Kombucha Wild Berry
FINALIST Vitamin Well | Vitamin Well Zero
FINALIST Xoxo Soda | Xoxo Soda Sparkling Lychee
COMMENDED Holy Softdrinks | Holy Energy – Strawberry Shark
COMMENDED MacB | MacB Strawberry & Kiwi 500ml
Best natural/organic drink
WINNER Pip Organic | Pip Organic Apple Fizz
FINALIST Pip Organic | Pip Organic Strawberry, Banana and Purple Carrot Smoothie
FINALIST The Root Co | Passion Fruit Ginger Beer
COMMENDED Equinox Kombucha | Equinox Sicilian Orange & Yuzu Organic Kombucha
Best new brand
WINNER Aqua Glow | Aqua Glow Sparkling Collagen Drink, Berry Crush
FINALIST Fizz with Purpose | It's Giving
FINALIST Nolo | Nolo Classic Decaf Oat Milk Latte
COMMENDED Belly Dance | Belly Dance, gut-groovin' water kefir soda (cherry berry / kiwi mango / fiery ginger)
COMMENDED Muush | Muush Sicilian Lemonade Functional Soda with Lion's Mane
Best new drink concept
WINNER Holos Kombucha | Mulled Spice Kombucha
FINALIST Dot Dot Creative | Dot Dot Bubble Tea Lychee & Rose
FINALIST Fizz with Purpose | It's Giving Mango & Passionfruit 330ml
COMMENDED Boba Moshu | Boba Moshu – Mango Flavour
COMMENDED Holy Softdrinks | Holy Energy – Cherry Cheetah
COMMENDED Sneak | Frostberry Blast
Best plant-based drink
WINNER Belly Dance | Belly Dance – water kefir soda (kiwi mango)
FINALIST The Root Co | Passion Fruit Ginger Beer
Best premium drink
WINNER Bottlegreen | Bottlegreen non-alcoholic Hugo Spritz
FINALIST Goodrays | Blood Orange & Grapefruit CBD Drink
FINALIST The Root Co | Original Ginger Beer
COMMENDED Nutriju / Wow Cacao | Wow Cacao Still Water
Best sports/energy drink
WINNER We are Onest | Onest Energy
FINALIST Holy Softdrinks | Holy Energy – Fruity Frog
FINALIST Nocco | Nocco Electrolyte
COMMENDED Ghost Lifestyle | Ghost Energy – Blue Raspberry
Best wellness drink
WINNER Trip | Trip Wild Strawberry
FINALIST Aqua Glow | Aqua Glow Sparkling Collagen Drink, Mango Passion
FINALIST Hip Pop | Hip Pop Ginger & Yuzu Kombucha
FINALIST Medahuman | Greens
FINALIST VitClear | Brain Health Nootropic Soda
COMMENDED Nichols (Vimto) | Vimto Wonderfuel Mango & Orange Functional Squash
COMMENDED Phizz | Daily 3-in-1 Orange
COMMENDED Vitamin Well | Vitamin Well Recover
Best drink designs & businesses of 2026
Best in can
WINNER Hip Pop | Hip Pop Tropical Peach
FINALIST Belly Dance | Belly Dance - water kefir soda (fiery ginger)
COMMENDED Nocco | Nocco Electrolyte
Best in PET
WINNER Dot Dot Bubble Tea | Dot Dot Bubble Tea Lychee & Rose
FINALIST Boba Moshu | Boba Moshu - Strawberry Flavour
COMMENDED Roxane | Aqua Pura Mineral Water
Best packaging/label design
WINNER Holy Softdrinks | Holy Energy - Raspberry Raptor
FINALIST Dot Dot Bubble Tea | Dot Dot Bubble Tea Lychee & Rose
FINALIST We are Onest | Onest Energy
COMMENDED Ghost Lifestyle | Ghost Energy
COMMENDED Roxane | Aqua Pura Mineral Water
Best marketing/social media campaign
WINNER Roxane | Aqua Pura Mineral Water
Congratulations to all the UK Soft Drinks Awards winners, finalists and commended brands for their outstanding products!
About FoodBev Awards
FoodBev Media awards schemes have been running for more than 20 years and are now recognised among the most credible and respected awards schemes to influence the international food and beverage industry.
For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com or email awards@foodbev.com.
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