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.