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).