The winners of the UK Soft Drinks Awards 2026 were announced at FoodBev Events' UK Soft Drinks Conference in London on 12 May. Submissions came from more than 30 UK-based brands, with the 2026 cohort weighted toward functional and wellness-led entries.
The category winners
- Best carbonated drink: Hip Pop — Hip Pop Lemonade. The lightly sparkling, high-fibre, no-added-sugar lemonade from co-founders Emma Thackray and Kenny Goodman.
- Best functional drink: Medahuman — Greens Multi-vitamin Drink. A still mango-and-pineapple drink containing 19 fruits, vegetables, superfoods and vitamins, providing one of the drinker's five-a-day.
- Best new brand: Aqua Glow — Sparkling Collagen Drink (Berry Crush). The high-dose collagen beverage from founders Jamie Gripton and Myles Treharne contains 5,000 mg of Verisol collagen per serving and has rolled into Holland & Barrett and Boots.
- Best plant-based drink: Belly Dance — water kefir soda (kiwi mango). The fermented, vegan, low-sugar, caffeine-free fizz from co-founders Hannah Calder and Harriet Armston-Clarke.
- Best sports/energy drink: Onest Energy — the low-calorie sparkling energy drink with magnesium, B vitamins and natural caffeine, from We Are Onest co-founders Maya Bedeau and Jamie Bryan.
- Best wellness drink: Trip — Wild Strawberry Mindful Blend. The wild strawberry can pairs magnesium, chamomile, lion's mane and lemon balm.
About the awards
The awards were judged by an industry expert panel and the ceremony was held at the UK Soft Drinks Conference, FoodBev's annual trade event for the UK beverage sector. Entries spanned both early-stage start-ups and established brands.
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The full list of winners and nominees can be found on FoodBev's Refreshment Magazine.
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