Home soda sales bubble up

The small appliance category has a long history of game changers, from fruit juicers to Foreman Grills.

Now, research shows potential for a new kind of counter-worthy fixture — the soda maker.

The NPD Group found that 2013 sales of home soda machines increased 30% over the prior year, with sales of complementary products (like CO2 carbonators, bottles, mixes and syrups) more than doubling overall. In fact, dollar sales of syrups and mixes increased 83% in 2013, with carbonators up 230%.

Chalk it up to health consciousness, says NPD — plus the combination of changing consumer beverage preferences and concerns with traditional soda products.

“Home soda makers as a category is still in its infancy with relatively low household penetration,” said Debra Mednick, NPD’s executive director and home industry analyst. “The potential of these machines is contingent upon broadening the category’s appeal with a wider variety of uses and offerings, ease of obtaining the consumables, and price.”— Steph Koyfman