Hint water bets on indulgent dessert flavors to recruit new customers

The new release follows a summer test run, when Hint brought back its Star Spangled variety pack after sales exceeded expectations last year. Featuring flavors like Orange Vanilla Swirl, Cherry Berry Burst, Lemon Zest Freeze and Rainbow Sherbert, it became the top-selling Hint SKU on Walmart.com and climbed Amazon’s sales chart for the brand. Despite its summer theme, the company decided to keep Star Spangled on the market year-round. The nostalgic ice pop-inspired flavors quickly became Hint’s best seller, encouraging the company to create more dessert-inspired flavors. 

Treat Yourself is now available at select Walmart locations, on Hint’s website and on Amazon, and will expand to more doors in the new year. Over the past few weeks, the new pack has generated a waitlist of over 8,000 customers on Hint’s DTC website.

Allison Cullman, Hint’s head of marketing, said people are increasingly gravitating toward sweeter flavor profiles “that are more joyful and feel like a little treat throughout the day.”

This behavior also overlaps with nostalgic flavors trending thanks to social media. “But we’re reimagining them in a fresh way,” she said. “The most unique thing about Hint is that it’s just water with plant-derived fruit essences and natural flavors.” 

Cullman said the launch is part of a broader brand transformation Hint has pursued over the past year to reinforce its positioning of “making water taste good.” The company has been around since 2005, which Cullman said means it must constantly adapt to the increasingly competitive flavored water landscape. Cullman added that Hint’s releases featuring flavors inspired by desserts and frozen treats are up 177% over the past five years.

Cullman said these LTO flavors act as a “recruitment vehicle” to attract younger consumers.

The challenge was to create unexpected flavors that are distinct enough to stand out in still water and also interest new customers. When developing the new variety pack, Hint asked its DTC customers for feedback on dessert flavors which helped settle on flavors like key lime and pineapple. 

John Lane, a Specialty Food Association trendspotter, said that classic or minimalist flavors “are not going away,” as evident in categories like frozen foods. “Vanilla is still the backbone of the freezers,” he said. 

“An interesting bit with this shift is that fruit flavors are not losing ground, but plain fruit is,” Lane said. “A straight berry flavor feels a little flat to shoppers right now.”

Lane also pointed to people’s affinity for “small treats” as an accelerant, especially as GLP-1 users and health-conscious consumers look for “permission” to enjoy the comfort of nostalgic flavors but in a healthier way.

“What I’m seeing with indulgent, nostalgic flavors is steady acceleration over time, and that’s real demand,” said Lane. “People want indulgence and flexibility at the same time, so social media will keep picking the flavor of the month.”

Hint’s Treat Yourself pack is also rolling out ahead of the holidays to tap into health and wellness trends. “This LTO is launching in the fall, but it’s really going to be more widespread in Q1 when the market and airwaves are dominated by ‘new year, new you,’” Cullman said.

“The average Hint consumer drinks six-plus flavors, so we want them to feel engaged by the brand and keep them in the franchise,” Cullman added. “So we’re going to be continually innovating flavors.”