About 20.2-billion litres of natural ingredient fruit and vegetable juices is consumed globally each year, and new mixed fruit, vegetable and health juices are increasingly being demanded by customers willing to pay a premium for them, says food and beverage processing and packaging multinational Tetra Pak president and CEO Dennis Jönsson.

Tetra Pak’s yearly survey, which focused on juices this year, shows that 85% of respondents found 100% natural juices to be tasty, 81% believed them to be natural and 81% believed them to be healthy, indicating an overwhelmingly positive perception of 100% natural juices, he highlights.

“One hundred per cent juice remains a significant part of the consumer diet and more than 40% of people say they drink juice every day. The biggest trend in the juice and beverage sector is that more than 60% of consumers, and even more millennials, consider healthy food an important element of a healthy lifestyle, and they are willing to pay a premium for juices viewed as healthy.”

Consumers typically view 100% juices as natural, having fewer calories, more nutrition and more health benefits. Not-from-concentrate juices are gaining market share from reconstituted juices.

Further, while orange and mixed fruit not-from-concentrate juices are still the most consumed 100% juices by market share, vegetable juices – which are common in Japan, but for which demand is growing globally – now occupy third position, followed by cranberry and mango juices.

Another opportunity for producers is a change in the consumer palate, with demand for vegetable and innovative fruit juice blends increasing in established markets. Vegetable drinks are perceived to have a lower sugar content and 80% of survey respondents say mixed-vegetable and -fruit drinks are the most consumed flavours, with mixed juices having shown 43% compound growth from 2012 to 2016.

The key, says Jönsson, is to capture the imagination of consumers, often by creating a drink that they identify with, that inspires them and suits their lifestyles. In the survey, 67% of consumers rated natural products as the most interesting products and people want intrinsic benefit from their food and beverages. Natural products have shown 25% year-on-year growth.

One of Tetra Pak’s customers ran advertising campaigns showing consumers how it grows and processes its juices without the use of preservatives, demystifying the products and promoting an all-natural image of the brand. Subsequently, the brand is growing despite a tough local market, he illustrates.

Further, a Japanese juice brand specialising in fruit and vegetable juices aims to capitalise on its flagship products’ prominence and positive perception, and will introduce novelty and produce seasonal and regional flavour juices.

“The trends show that consumers do not measure juice by cost alone and view 100% juices as contributing to a healthy and fit lifestyle. “Significantly, the UK Health Ministry has classified 100% juices as part of daily health intake recommendations in recognition of consumption patterns,” concludes Jönsson.