Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Plant Focus

Operations

HPP technology appeals to the masses in beverage industry

Numerous benefits, new trends are leading to HPP use

By Chloe Alverson, Associate Editor
JBT Avure

Image courtesy of JBT Avure

August 26, 2022

HPP isn’t the latest texting acronym, it’s a form of preservation. High pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal form of food and beverage preservation that assures food safety, an increased shelf life and optimum product freshness while inactivating foodborne bacteria that is harmful. 

Tom Woodward, chief commercial officer at HPP service provider Universal Pure, Lincoln, Neb., says that brands and retailers are pursuing products with long shelf lives that are “fresh tasting, clean label [and] safe.” 

“From an industry perspective, these are the primary trends driving the increasing use of HPP,” Woodward says. “Products that can be merchandised in the ‘perimeter’ of the store, where they can attract discerning consumers and shoppers willing to pay a premium, are the types of products where HPP can add significant value and even reduce the cost of shrink for the retailer.” 

From a consumer’s perspective, Woodward says people are looking for products that are safe and great-tasting, without the use of preservatives or artificial colors. And as consumers become more educated about the beverages they drink, he suspects they’ll desire “items with short ingredient lists, as well as products that they perceive as fresh and healthy.”

Dr. Errol Raghubeer, senior vice president of HPP technology and science at JBT/Avure, Middletown, Ohio, agrees that consumers are looking for safe, healthier products, which in turn, drives the need for HPP beverages. He suspects that health and immunity-boosting beverages will “be the next major category to take advantage of HPP.”

“The fact that HPP has little to no effects on nutritional components and natural immune components is a major drive in this category of beverages,” Raghubeer says. 

 

Hiperbaric bulk HPP machine
The Hiperbaric bulk HPP machine processes beverages in bulk prior to bottling.
Image courtesy of Hiperbaric USA

 

Benefits beyond beverages

Universal Pure’s Woodward notes that any beverage company can take advantage of HPP technology. 

“In general, nearly any premium-focused beverage category looking to extend refrigerated shelf-life, ensure safe distribution and maintain high-quality taste and appearance can benefit from HPP,” he says. “We see robust growth and continued opportunities in fruit based, fruit and vegetable blends, natural energy and nut-based beverages. Further, cold-pressed coffee, teas and grain-based beverages are starting to emerge as prime categories.”

HPP technology also offers many benefits to manufacturers, the primary one being food safety that doesn’t destroy taste or nutrients, Raghubeer asserts. And the extended shelf life is a “major economic benefit” to beverage manufacturers, “with shelf life of over four months, compared to a week of untreated fresh juice beverage,” he says. 

“This not only opens new geographical markets, but provides beverage manufacturers the opportunity to source raw materials in the peak of season when price is more favorable,” Raghubeer adds. 

Woodward also credits extended shelf life as a big advantage for manufacturers who use HPP technologies. With HPP products, beverages aren’t exposed to thermal processing, so their appearance, flavor and vitamin content remains the same, he says. 

Progression of HPP technology

As HPP’s appeal grows, experts note that this has come as improvements to the technology have intrigued beverage-makers.

Director of Doral, Fla.-based Hiperbaric USA, Roberto Peregrina, reveals that three major advancements have propelled Hiperbaric’s HPP technology: automation, bulk technology and juice on tap. One company that uses Hiperbaric’s automation equipment for cold-pressed juices reported the advantages back to Hiperbaric.

“The company reports the following benefits, including 15% improvement in overall equipment effectiveness, 90% reduction in injuries, 50% reduction in transportation waste and 50% reduction in line labor,” Peregrina says. “As a post-packaging process, HPP requires the loading of packaged products into baskets, a manual process. Pre-feeder stations and robotic unload solutions allow manufacturers to improve processing efficiencies, while reducing potential manual labor injuries and costs.”

The bulk technology from Hiperbaric, is “based on a revolutionary concept in which beverages are processed in-bulk prior to bottling,” Peregrina notes. The process reduces steps for manufacturers and offers high productivity. 

JBT/Avures’ Raghubeer echoes similar sentiments about the benefits of bulk systems.

“The major significant advancement in HPP is the ability to process beverages in bulk systems and fill into packages of choice such as glass, paper-based containers following HPP treatment,” he says. “JBT/Avure has developed such a system called FlexiBulk. Beverage manufacturers can now use containers [that are] more environmentally friendly, and not be limited to only flexible plastic containers such as PET and HDPE.” 

Hiperbaric’s Peregrina says that the company has partnered with Petainer, which provides juice in kegs that can undergo HPP. Then, juice manufacturers can dispense juice on tap “at grocery stores, festivals, trade shows and other events.”

These factors have all played a part in the growing adoption of HPP.

“The widespread growth of HPP technology, both in practice and geographically, has ensured this technology is available to brands and manufacturers nationwide,” Universal Pure’s Woodward says. “For example, Universal Pure now has seven HPP facilities across the country. All of our facilities maintain at least two HPP systems, along with other value-added capabilities, such as bottling, case-packing, sleeving and banding, cold storage and more to complement the use of HPP.”

Going forward with HPP

With the addition of improvements in reliability, HPP systems have “significantly increased in parallel with reduction of production cost,” JBT/Avure’s Raghubeer says. Many beverage manufacturers who cannot afford their own HPP system are utilizing the fast-growing HPP service providers/tollers, which they pay to have their product treated, he notes. 

“Many companies use tollers to give them the ability to focus resources on other parts of their business without capital outlays to buy a HPP unit,” Hiperbaric’s Peregrina adds. “It also gives a quick start to companies testing marking concepts. Still, others prefer to purchase their own HPP machine if they have committed to using HPP in their business, want to control all aspects of the business and have the space and resources to purchase their own machine.” 

As far as consumer trends go, Raghubeer suspects the need for HPP beverages will continue to rise. 

“Although there are a number of functional beverages produced with HPP, the need for more of these types of beverages is increasing,” he says. “This may be somewhat a consequence of the current global public health environment where consumers are looking for natural ways to improve immunity and health.”

Universal Pure’s Woodward says he has “no doubt” that premium beverage products “will continue to capitalize on the benefits associated with HPP technology.” 

“As brands look to focus more of their efforts and resources on the front end of their businesses, HPP outsourcing partners like Universal Pure can even incorporate more complementary services to HPP, such as blending, bottling and co-packing to support these brands,” he says. 


KEYWORDS: beverage manufacturing beverage operations high-pressure processing (HPP) processing equipment

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Chloe alverson

Chloe Alverson is Beverage Industry’s associate editor, writing and editing for the magazine about all sorts of beverages and companies. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and resides in Metro Detroit.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Beer
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Wine & Spirits
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Sting Energy

PepsiCo, Sting Energy unveil global partnership with Formula 1

top 100 beverage companies

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

people drinking Wynk

Mindful drinking prompts growth for THC beverages

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

June 26, 2025

FAST. FOCUSED. FUELED: Delivering Energy Consumers Can Feel

Learn how to formulate products that deliver the energy experiences that people want, and keep them coming back for more.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • Ocean Spray Zero

    2024 State of the Beverage Industry: Juice appeals to consumers for both wellness, enjoyment

    See More
  • Suja Juice innovates to bring organic, HPP juices to the masses

    Suja Juice innovates to bring organic, HPP juices to the masses

    See More
  • Hiperbaric high-pressure processing (HPP) technology

    Beverage makers using HPP to provide fresh, natural products

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • beer.jpg

    The Chemistry of Beer: The Science in the Suds, 2nd Edition

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • June 25, 2024

    How to Design and Produce Food and Beverage Packaging for the Circular Economy

    On Demand Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy, as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility, and boost product differentiation.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing