Sales are sweet for refrigerated lemonade, fruit drinks
While some refrigerated juice and drink sales are struggling, sales are up for fruit drinks, lemonade and veggie juice blends.
As noted in the nondairy beverage article in our May issue, consumers are seeking functional and no-sugar-added options for beverages — and some juice segments are taking a hit in sales because of it. Sales are down in orange, apple and juice/drink smoothies segments, but ticking up in refrigerated lemonade, fruit drinks and vegetable juice blends.
The refrigerated juices/drinks category saw dollar sales down 1.4% to $6.6 billion, and unit sales dropped 1.7% to 2.2 billion, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), Chicago, for the 52 weeks ended March 19, 2017.
Juice sales take a hit
The refrigerated orange juice segment’s dollar sales decreased 4.7% to $3 billion and unit sales 5.4% to 913.6 billion. Among the top 10, segment leader Tropicana Pure Premium (Tropicana Dole) saw dollar sales drop 2.9% to $921.5 million, and unit sales fall 1.8% to 265.4 million. Simply Orange’s dollar sales decreased 1.6% and unit sales dropped 2.8%. Dollar sales were down 7.4% for Florida’s Natural (Citrus World) and unit sales declined by 4.9%. Minute Maid and Minute Maid Premium (Coca Cola Co.) both saw dollar sales drop, 34.6% and 10.8%, respectively. Unit sales also fell, 37% and 11.2%, respectively. Dean Foods’ Orchard Pure experienced the opposite, dollar sales jumped 54.4% and unit sales got a 47.7% boost.
In the juice and drinks smoothies segment, dollar sales decreased 1.6% to $895.3 million, and unit sales were down 0.7% to 258.1 million. Leading the segment with $522.8 million, The Naked Juice Co.’s dollar sales were up 0.5%, but unit sales dropped 0.03% to 139.3 million. Also among the top 10, dollar and unit sales dropped for Bolthouse Farms by 0.9% and 0.1%, respectively. Dollar sales were down 11.7% for Odwalla, but unit sales rose 2.6%. Suja Juice Essentials’ dollar sales dropped 4.2%, but unit sales increased 1.1%.
Fruit drinks, lemonade see boost
The refrigerated fruit drink segment’s dollar sales improved 2.2% to $1.1 billion, and unit sales were up 0.5% to 519.8 million. Segment leader Minute Maid Premium saw dollar sales climb 2% to $220.5 million, and unit sales increase 2.4%. Also among the top 10, SunnyD (Sunny Delight Beverages) saw dollar sales drop 6.9% and unit sales fall 7.6%. Tropicana’s dollar sales jumped 16.9%, though unit sales increased just 2.8%. Tropicana’s Trop50 didn’t fare as well, dollar and unit sales dropped 1.9% and 2%, respectively. GTS Kombucha Synergy’s (Millennium Products) dollar and unit sales jumped 33.9% and 30.5%, respectively. Dollar sales increased 63.5% for Kevita and unit sales were up an impressive 67.2%.
In the refrigerated lemonade segment, dollar sales jumped 8.6% to $698.1 million, and unit sales improved 6.1% to 319.8 million. Simply Lemonade (Simply Orange Juice Co.) dominated the segment with $390 million. Dollar sales rose 8.4% and unit sales increased 6.4%. Private Label was next among the top 10 with $52.9 million — dollar and unit sales were up 7.1% and 5.2%, respectively. Minute Maid Light (Coca Cola Co.) saw dollar sales increase 5% and unit sales improve 3.7%. Tropicana’s dollar sales were up an impressive 142.3% and unit sales jumped 117.1%. Also getting a boost was Minute Maid, with dollar sales climbing 111.5%, and unit sales rising 108.6%.
The refrigerated vegetable juice/cocktail segment’s dollar sales increased 0.3% to $127.3 million, and unit sales were up 2.9% to 32.1 million. Among the top 10, Bolthouse Farms led the segment with $44.1 million, but dollar and unit sales each decreased by 17%. Naked (The Naked Juice Co.) dollar and unit sales improved 19.5% each. Dollar sales for Suja Juice jumped 928.5% and unit sales climbed 702.7%. Also impressive was Naked Pressed, with dollar and unit sales skyrocketing 871.1% and 1,198%, respectively.
