Gen-Z consumers often hear well-intentioned, but perhaps oversimplified advice to stop paying $8 for their morning coffee. But human nature has a way of adapting. Of course these buyers are now back. They don’t just drink coffee. They drink an active drink to improve health.
The active beverage market includes protein coffee, CBD-infused sodas, and, of course, prebiotic drinks. But this market does more than create more beverage options for consumers. According to Mordor Intelligence, the functional beverage market is already a $160 billion market. But between 2026 and 2031, that market is expected to grow to more than $235 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.93% during that time.
Movements like functional drinks often start in the private sector. But it didn’t take long for large publicly traded companies to get in on the action. That gives investors a way to improve their portfolio even if the idea of an active beverage is strong, black coffee.
Inverse GLP-1 Trade
Investors have poured money into technology stocks, especially those focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and space. But it couldn’t ignore the stock’s outperformance in the fast-growing GLP-1 space. This provides a tangible way to address America’s obesity epidemic.
Functional drinks are not about dealing with obesity. Rather, it is about strengthening power. Many buyers in this space already prioritize convenience. Their daily drink choice is a way to make their drinks work harder so they can achieve their fitness goals.
For investors, this provides a service to a few stocks outside of the biopharma sector, giving investors the opportunity to be exposed to risks outside of the GLP-1 space. At their core, the companies listed here are known for strong balance sheets. That means investors get the benefits of investing in active ingredients with little risk.
BellRing Brands Turns Protein Shakes Into Market Share
BellRing Brands Today
- 52 week interval
- $7.82
▼
$59.10
- The P/E ratio
- 10.02
- Target Value
- $22.47
BellRing Brands NYSE: BRBR It’s the most pure drinking game on this list. The company owns Premier Protein and Dymatize, two brands that dominate the reading-to-drink (RTD) protein shake aisle. That positioning is important because protein has become an entry point for consumers looking for performance benefits without sacrificing comfort.
BellRing was spun off from Post Holdings, and that independence allowed management to focus entirely on capacity expansion and shelf space growth. Premier Protein has been taking market share from popular players, helped by distribution wins at stores like Costco and Walmart, the parent company of Sam’s Club. That never came from BRBR, which is down nearly 50% by 2026. That shows the stock isn’t immune to the volatility associated with the cost of protein inclusions like whey. As the company noted in its Q1 2026 earnings report, that could be a whirlwind year ahead.
For investors seeking direct exposure to the functional beverage boom, BellRing offers a business built entirely around the trend rather than around it. That focus is a strength, but it also means that BellRing’s fortunes go up and down in one category.
Starbucks Leans On Protein Coffee And Health Drinks
Starbucks Today
- 52 week interval
- $77.99
▼
$108.88
- Dividend Yield
- 2.47%
- The P/E ratio
- 76.07
- Target Value
- $108.92
Starbucks NASDAQ: SBUX it’s not an active beverage stock, but its rating gives it more influence than how average consumers perceive the category. The company has rolled out protein-fortified cold brew, energy-boosting shakes, and menu items aimed squarely at fitness-minded customers who might otherwise skip the coffee shop altogether.
That strategy fits into Starbucks’ broader story of transformation. Functional add-ons are cheap for Starbucks to test and roll out, but they carry an upward factor when driving increased visits or larger basket sizes. SBUX is up more than 20% in 2026, at least suggesting that consumers are exposed to new offerings.
The risk for investors is that Starbucks’ functional drink push is still a small piece of a much larger, more complex revolution. Starbucks offers active beverage exposure, but it comes with a number of active bets.
Celsius Holdings Rides the Fitness-First Energy Wave
Celsius Today
- 52 week interval
- $27.47
▼
$66.74
- The P/E ratio
- 76.70
- Target Value
- $60.90
Celsius Holdings stock price NASDAQ: CELH built its product entirely on the idea that energy drinks can double as fitness supplements. The company markets its products as thermogenic and free of the sugar and empty calories associated with legacy energy drink products, a pitch that has struck a chord with younger, health-conscious consumers.
PepsiCo has formed an investment and distribution partnership that gives Celsius a big foothold for growth. In particular, it puts the brand in a position on the retail shelf that would have taken years to win independently. That relationship has been a key factor in the bulls’ story, though it means Celsius’ growth has to do with how Pepsi continues to push the product.
Celsius trades more volatile than BellRing or Starbucks, reflecting both its small size and its history of sharp volatility tied to data sales and competitive pressure from rivals like Red Bull’s own app. CELH is down about 28% in 2026, but trades about 90% below the consensus price of $60.90. For investors comfortable with that flexibility, Celsius offers a more specific bet on energy drinks, rather than the broader performance drink category.
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