Here are the Top-Searched Seltzer Brands Across All 50 States

At Health-Ade, it’s safe to say that our drink of choice will always be kombucha, but sometimes you need to switch things up. When that happens, we almost always turn to seltzer water. Not only does cracking open a bubbly seltzer shake up the day, but it also keeps everyone at Health-Ade hydrated and feeling good. And we’re not alone. We know that so many of our kombucha-loving customers also are into the seltzer water craze.

Further, we know that just as everyone has a favorite kombucha flavor, whether it’s Pink Lady Apple or Ginger Lemon, seltzer fans also have their favorite flavors and brands of seltzers. But with the seltzer market getting bigger by the second, we weren’t quite sure which brands had the most bubble-sipping fans.

In order to find out a little bit more about our customers' seltzer preferences and, admittedly, to find new seltzers to try out in between kombuchas, we decided to conduct a study around Americans’ favorite seltzer brands.

We looked at Google Trends data for top-searched seltzer brands across all 50 states and in Washington, DC. We organized the data that we received on a state-by-state basis before looking for regional and national trending brands. What we found showed us that while there are many varieties of popular seltzers in Americans’ koozies, some brands dominate the seltzer searches in their respective regions and in the country as a whole.

Here are some of the delicious insights.

First, we found that by far, America’s most popular seltzer is Sparkling Ice. It was the top-searched seltzer in over 20% of states, far exceeding any other brand’s popularity. The brand was particularly popular in the Midwest, where residents of states like Illinois, Indiana and Missouri searched it the most.

What makes Sparkling Ice so special? Known for its health features – zero carbs and zero sugars – the brand has 18 refreshing flavors to offer customers. But beyond that, the brand is deeply invested in sustainability, making sure that 100% of their single-use seltzer water bottles can be recycled and reused. We’re sure this would make Midwesterners with a penchant for great lakes and rolling hills very happy.

Other seltzers with nationwide popularity included Zevia, the top-searched brand in seven states, and Dasani Sparkling Water, the most popular seltzer in five states. The most distinguishing features of these two brands are Zevia’s use of stevia to sweeten their seltzer drinks and Dasani’s unquestionable boost in branding as a product that was owned by Coca-Cola, the ruling soft drink brand.

Next, we looked into different regions’ favorite seltzers. We figured that similar tastes may follow regional lines and that regional grocery stores or restaurants may especially cater to these popular regional choices. According to Google trends data, the regionally-popular seltzers included Zevia in the South, AHA Sparkling Water, and Dasani Sparkling in the Northeast, The Mountain Valley in the West and Sparkling Ice in the Midwest.

It’s worth noting that The Mountain Valley’s popularity in the West was very region-specific. The brand was the most popular in three Western states, Arizona, Idaho, and Utah, but in no other part of the country. What makes The Mountain Valley special is its sourcing from spring water in Arkansas’ Ouachita mountains. The American source definitely contributes to its popularity in the Western states, but it’s quite surprising that the most popular seltzer in Arkansas is not The Mountain Valley, but Zevia

Another interesting finding from this regional data segmentation comes from the popular Northeastern seltzers. As far as the top-searched seltzers go for the Northeast, AHA Sparkling Water and Dasani Sparkling Water came out on top. However, what residents may not know is that AHA was the brand that Coca-Cola chose to replace Dasani Sparkling Water with recently.

Finally, we looked at certain states’ individually to see local seltzer favorites. We were surprised to see that La Croix, the seltzer that many think of when they imagine fun-flavored seltzers was popular only in Hawaii. Similarly, San Pellegrino, the seltzer choice of many restaurants and cafes was the most popular flavor only in California. We’re not sure what led to the lack of internet searching for these brands, but perhaps it has something to do with the explosion of new brands and flavors into the seltzer marketplace.

One thing is for sure, Americans are definitely interested in a wide variety of seltzer brands and flavors. We are excited to see that different varieties are being tried and searched for by adventurous customers looking for a fun way to hydrate and stay healthy. Certainly, as we create different flavors of kombucha and our own bubbly SunSip soda with benefits, we will be sure to keep an eye on the top flavors loved by our thirsty friends.

Today's blog is written by our very own Daina Trout, MS, MPH

Daina is not just our Co-Founder, she is also a nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)