In a recent trend report tracking economic data from August 2023 through August 2024, Yelp dubbed 2023 the “year of the sheconomy,” a term for the influx of women-owned businesses seen in the past several years.
Last year, women-owned businesses saw a 17% increase in new openings year over year across several industries, including food and beverage.
The report identified three drink trends on the rise: book bars, colorful matcha concoctions, and “sleepy girl mocktails.”
Raising the Bar for Bookstores
Prefer to shop for books with a glass of brandy in hand? Join the club! According to Yelp’s report, searches for “book bars” were up 102% year over year.
“The rise of book bars has been significantly shaped by the growing popularity of BookTok and the surge in romance literature, a genre traditionally associated with female readers,” Rachel Yon Choi, Behavioral Analyst at Canvas8, told The Food Institute.
“The sense of community central to BookTok is fueling the expansion of book bars offering inviting spaces where women, in particular, can connect and share their passion for books over food and drink,” Choi added.
Not only do these bar-bookstore hybrids offer a cozy nook to bookworms looking to sip a drink while devouring a good book; they also cater to the growing number of solo diners.
It isn’t just about the booze either. In addition to the increase in book bar searches, Yelp reports that searches for bookstore cafes also increased 20% year over year.
Matcha Drinks in Many Colors
Matcha has been having a moment for a while now, but the earthy green tea is looking, well, a little less green in today’s sheconomy.
Multicolored matcha drinks are where it’s at in 2024 — with orange matcha generating the biggest caffeine buzz.
Searches for orange matcha drinks shot up 595% year over year, followed by:
- Strawberry (240%)
- Blueberry (176%)
- Red matcha (100%)
- Lavender (78%)
Don’t Sleep on This Mocktail
Actually, in a literal sense, maybe you should. Yelp’s report highlights a 74% spike in searches for magnesium, which is likely due to the sleepy girl mocktail trend that took TikTok by storm in 2023, which contains tart cherry juice, powdered magnesium, and a splash of prebiotic soda or sparkling water.
The question is, does it work?
“I can definitely vouch for magnesium enhancing sleep for some individuals,” said Lena Bakovic, a registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching. “However, it’s important to consider the form of magnesium.”
She specifically recommends magnesium glycinate because the human body can readily absorb and utilize it most optimally.
Bakovic also mentioned that, like magnesium glycinate, tart cherry juice is a safe, natural, and scientifically backed alternative to prescription medications that can help some individuals improve sleep quality. And as an added bonus, the juice is also relatively high in antioxidants.
But the prebiotic soda? Not so much. Although it’s been trending, Bakovic says it’s best to get your prebiotics from fruits and vegetables where they’re naturally abundant.
“These whole foods also provide numerous vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them a far more beneficial method of obtaining the health benefits of prebiotics,” Bakovic told FI.
And in the context of sleep, some individuals who are particularly sensitive to prebiotics may experience GI symptoms like bloating or gas, which can negatively impact sleep quality.
Given these factors, it’s best to ditch the prebiotic soda and use sparkling water in your next sleepy girl mocktail.
The Food Institute Podcast
Restaurant results for the second quarter weren’t stellar, but people still need to eat. Are they turning to their refrigerators, or are restaurants still on the menu for consumers? Circana Senior Vice President David Portalatin joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss the makeup of the current restaurant customer amid a rising trend of home-centricity.
