With new beverage flavors fighting for consumers’ attention and juice prices higher than usual due to inclement weather, U.S. orange juice sales have declined during the last several years, says Sarah Theodore, global drinks analyst for Mintel Food & Drink, Chicago. More specifically, orange juice sales were down about 9 percent in food, drug and mass retail, excluding Walmart, between 2008 and 2010, she says.
However, orange is still the preferred juice flavor in the United States — and this year, orange flavors could make a comeback, ingredient suppliers say. According to Mintel, 56 percent of juice drinkers say that orange is their favorite or one of their favorite flavors.