Many consumers have their favourites when it comes to fruit juices, and this also depends on where they are from. For instance, a lot of consumers in China prefer juice flavours such as mango and blueberry, whilst juice consumers in the United Kingdom like orange juice plus more exotic flavours and spices such as ginger and turmeric. Of course, consumers in the United States have always preferred orange and apple juice, but a growing customer base is looking for products free from allergens and GMOs. But there are other trends, and whilst some are expected, others may surprise you. Here are the top four trends in fruit and vegetable juices today.
- The primary claims
Several fruit juices spout different claims to reach a broader market of consumers. The number one claim brought forth by fruit juice manufacturers is fruit juice with an environmentally-friendly package that is ethically sourced. This comes as no surprise since most customers prioritise these issues. Next is the claim that there are no additives or preservatives, and the third claim is no or low sugar content (or at least reduced sugar). Many consumers also prefer organic fruit and vegetable juices, and some look for fruit and vegetable juices with reduced or no allergens. Many consumers also look for gluten-free products, and a lot also prefer all-natural products. A growing number of customers prefer kosher and vegan products as well.
- Reduced to no/low sugar
It is no surprise that the third most popular trend in fruit and vegetable juices is those with reduced to no or low sugar content, as more people are finding ways to stay healthy. Sugar content is still a highly debated topic, but many fruit and veggie juices have already been reduced to no/low sugar across countries like the US and Canada and the APAC region (Japan and China). There are several ways through which manufacturers are lowering their drink’s sugar content – by removing the additional sugar from the actual formula, by using sweeteners such as monk fruit, by using more ingredients such as leafy green veggies, and simply by giving consumers more options when it comes to smaller packaging. For more information on this and other fruit and veggie juices (and where they can be sourced), click here.
- Environmentally-friendly
Many consumers also prefer their products to be placed in environmentally friendly packaging, with a vast percentage (over 140 per cent) preferring to buy earth-friendly products. This is why you may have noticed more biodegradable cartons on supermarket shelves, and most of these packages are found in the dairy or alternative milk sector. Still, it’s followed closely by the fruit and vegetable juice sector (about 20 per cent of packaging today). Again, some countries lead the way in environmentally-friendly packaging, such as the UK, the US, France, Japan, and Germany.
- Vegan juices
The vegan lifestyle is fast taking hold, and consumers are shifting towards more vegan-friendly juices. For example, in North America and the UK, flavours and blends which are more popular and in demand today are beetroot (or red beets), mango, watermelon, coconut water, berry, orange, maple water, blueberry, and pineapple (with a lot of combinations of the same products as well, such as passion fruit and cactus, watermelon and pink guava, and sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, and maple syrup!)