Which FMCG brands made the biggest gains during Summer 2026 and what are the trends fueling their success? While seasonal demand for refreshing drinks and ice cream played a major role, the data also reveals the impact of broader drivers such as major sporting events, health-conscious consumer choices, and strategic retail partnerships.
From Coca-Cola's remarkable shopper growth to Foodmaker's successful return to Belgian supermarkets through its exclusive collaboration with Jumbo, Summer 2026 proved to be a season of exceptional momentum. By comparing shopper reach with both Spring 2026 and Summer 2025, we identify the brands that captured consumers' attention and the market dynamics behind their growth.
To identify seasonal trends, comparisons in this analysis are made between Summer 2026 and Spring 2026 to measure seasonal growth within the year, and between Summer 2026 and Summer 2025 to assess year-on-year performance. This approach allows us to distinguish between brands benefiting from typical summer consumption patterns and those achieving structural growth beyond seasonality.
In the summer of 2026 the big winners are:
- Coca-Cola: +668k buyers vs Spring 2026, and + 570k buyers vs Summer 2025
- Foodmaker: +98k buyers vs Spring 2026, and +98k buyers vs Summer 2025
But there is also a clear trend visible for the gaining brands of Summer 2026, as the winning brands focus on cold drinks. Big winners of this summer compared to spring are Coca-Cola (+668k), Amstel (+627k) and Crystal Clear (+508k). But obviously there are other big winners, as brands that sell ice-cream have also gained many buyers, such as Snickers (+466k), Ola (+457k) and Mars (+403k).
The summer is an important reason of the growth of these brands. Consumption of cold drinks increases, and ice cream is a typical summer product. Yet, it is also important to note the potential impact of the football world cup – where Coca-Cola was an official partner – on the visibility of the brand. And looking at innovations: the introduction of the new Crystal Clear fresh line has created a boost in the amount of buyers of the brand, showing that it is important for brands to keep innovating to attract customers.
The Foodmaker is an interesting story. As a Belgian based company, they create ready to eat meals and sell exclusively at Jumbo. The company has existed for a longer period of time but have only collaborated once in supermarkets. This partnership with Albert Heijn ended during Covid-19 – they are now back on the market exclusively at Jumbo. They started selling their products in May 2026 and have already achieved 98k buyers.