The fruit juice sector has changed by leaps and bounds in the last hundred years alone, thanks to new techniques and technologies that have enabled fruit juice manufacturers to find alternative ways of collecting and processing fruit juice to get the most out of it. But even whilst concerns about sugar have dampened the industry quite a bit; there are still a lot of growth opportunities – from the vegan trend to the nutrient factor to seemingly endless new flavour combinations. So what is in store for fruit juices in the next few years? Following is a worldwide perspective on fruit juice: the most popular, mixes and combinations, etc.
The flavours that continue to stand out
Whilst there’s no denying the fact that there is virtually a new flavour being discovered every day that is taking the juice industry by storm, such as nettles and plums and pomegranate and sap, there are some flavours that will always remain top favourites of consumers, no matter which country they are in. The two taking the solid lead are orange and apple. But there are some flavours worth noting, such as coconut water, which had tremendous growth of 145 per cent from 2012 to 2017. Mango is the runner-up flavour, having an increase of about 35 per cent. Carrot remains the most popular add-on among the individual elements, as it is often paired with apple, pumpkin, orange, turmeric, and ginger as consumers look for fruit juice combinations with less sugar but more taste.
But fruit juice manufacturers have experienced a surge in such flavours as pineapple, blueberry, peach, pomegranate, and grape – and if you’d like to take advantage of such flavours in your unique creations, click here.
Flavours of note
Whilst certain top-sellers remain top-sellers, there are indeed some new flavour combos worth remembering. For instance, Turkey has seen the popularity of such flavours as lemonade and apple, whilst countries like Poland have preferred flavour mixes such as apple, lemon, and plum. In countries like Austria, people have other preferences, such as the combination of apple, kiwi, and strawberry (which is all well and good, but if you add pepper to the mix, it is remarkable).
In the UK, cold-pressed apples, strawberries, carrots, beetroot, and cucumber are made on a farm with no added sugar or additives. As a result, the juice is reputed to satisfy two out of the five daily recommended servings of fruits and veggies!
Fruit juice: only for breakfast?
Whilst several countries have reportedly grown in their consumption of fruit juice in the last few years, most notably China, Japan, Poland, and Italy (along with the usual contenders like the US, the UK, Canada, France, and Germany), juices are not often seen as a breakfast staple as they are in the US. In China, for example, juice is seen more as a relaxing drink in the afternoon, whilst the morning is dedicated to milk. Meanwhile, fruit juice is seen as a breakfast staple in the US, and consumers limit their consumption to the morning hours. Some juice manufacturers have tried to change this consumer behaviour, going for carbonated drinks and sparkling juices for the US and fermented juices for China. However, there are a few more exciting trends and growth opportunities, and juice manufacturers are taking the time to study the market and establish new trends worth noticing!
