Just like “The Long and Winding Road” in the Beatles’ 1970 classic ballad, the juice and juice drinks category is experiencing its share of twists and turns as health-conscious consumers are turning away from traditional juices with high sugar content and seeking lower-sugar options.

Yet, some sub-segments in the $6.7 billion refrigerated juice and juice drinks category are faring better than others. While most on-the-go consumers don’t sit down for a complete breakfast with O.J., toast and cereal, the refrigerated orange juice sub-segment nonetheless saw an uptick of 7.1 percent and generated slightly more than $3 billion in sales in U.S. multi-outlets and convenience stores for the 52 weeks ending May 17, according to data from Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI).

Market Segments
• 2020
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For the same timeframe, IRI data notes that refrigerated fruit juices and lemonades also are rebounding, with sales of $1.17 billion and $847 million, respectively, and growth rates of 6.2 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively. However, the $779 million refrigerated juices and smoothies segment saw a slight 2 percent deceleration, IRI data states. The Top 3 brands, Naked (down 6.5 percent); Bolthouse Farms (down 2.6 percent); and Odwalla (down 17.3 percent), also are seeing decreased sales, IRI data suggests.

Yet, other brands in the refrigerated juices and smoothies are shining bright with triple-digit growth, albeit from a smaller base. Rounding out IRI’s database in the No. 4 through No. 7 spots, respectively, are Simply Smoothie (up 252 percent); Private label (up 194 percent); Naked Protein (up 142.2 percent) and Naked Half Naked (up 353.5 percent). Released in 2019, the ready-to-drink Naked smoothies portfolio feature lower sugar content from fruits that are naturally lower in sugar and calories, it says.

In the January issue of Beverage Industry, Gary Hemphill, managing director of research at New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC), noted that the overall fruit beverage marketplace has been declining for several years. “Three factors have contributed to category softness are high sugar content, lack of meaningful innovation and comparatively high prices to other refreshment beverages,” he said.

According to BMC’s 2019 report titled “Fruit Beverages in the U.S. Through 2023: Market Essentials,” fruit beverages are the seventh-largest beverage category in the U.S. multiple beverage marketplace. The report stated that the category’s market volume stood at 4.6 percent, which is down from the 5.3 percent it occupied in 2013.

However, the canned fruit juice sub-segment is seeing double-digit growth of 21.7 percent and $208 million in sales in multi-outlets and convenience stores for the 52 weeks ending May 17, IRI data states. Comprising 55 percent of market share, the No. 1 canned fruit juice is Dole 100% Pineapple Juice with $115 million in sales and a growth trajectory of 18.8 percent over a year ago.

In addition to pineapple flavors, the sweet-and-tart flavors of cranberries, cherries, apples, grapes and lemons also are seeing modest success in the market depending on how the products are packaged: refrigerated or shelf-stable. Based on IRI’s May 17 data, shelf-stable bottled cherry juice notched $67 million in sales and a 6.9 percent increase over the prior-year period, while shelf-stable bottled apple juice generated nearly $914 million in sales, a 1.4 percent increase over a year ago. Bottled grape juice saw a 0.5 percent increase and sales of $222 million and Welch’s 100% Grape Juice remained king of the category with its bottled juice, at nearly $130 million, capturing nearly half of overall grape juice sales.

And because nothing screams summer like an ice-cold glass of lemonade, refrigerated lemonades are up 8.8 percent with sales of $847 million. The Top 3 brands are Simply Lemonade, with sales of $446 million; private label, with sales of $98 million; and Minute Maid Premium, with sales of $59 million. With a nearly 33 percent uptick, private-label lemonades saw the highest growth spurt, IRI data states.

Brand owners also are innovating their portfolios to satisfy consumer’s desire for juices that don’t come with such a high sugar content.

In January, Boston-based Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., the agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers, introduced three new unsweetened juices in its Ocean Spray Pure Fruit Juice portfolio, along with redesigned packaging available at Walmart stores nationwide.

Ocean Spray Pure fruit juices contain no added sugars, no artificial flavors, no preservatives and are non-GMO. Building off the success of Pure Cranberry at Walmart since 2017, Pure now is available in 32-ounce bottles in four flavors: Pure Cranberry, Pure Tart Cherry, Pure White Grapefruit and Pure Concord Grape.

Last summer, Juicy Juice, a brand of Harvest Hill Beverage Co., Stamford, Conn., added three better-for-you options to its portfolio: Fruitifuls Organic, Juicy Waters and Juicy Juice + Protein.

As an alternative to those wishing to limited their sugar intake, Chicago-based Tampico Beverages offers its new Tampico ZERO juice drink in two flavors: Mango Punch and Citrus Punch.

In the January Beverage Industry, Nandini Roy Choudhury, senior research consultant at Future Market Insights, noted that zero-proof drinks or juice mixers also should demonstrate moderate growth.

Ongoing advancements in the zero-proof drinks market with innovative efforts have further enhanced their demand,” she explained. “Manufacturers are concentrating on R&D activities to improve the multifunctional profiles of zero-proof drinks, which offer high health benefits, in order to have a meaningful impact on the category.”