From Beverage World Web Site:
MARCH 15, 2004
OJ gets a boost
Minute Maid and Tropicana launch new juices for health-conscious consumers
A healthy staple at the breakfast table for generations, orange juice was a forerunner of fortified beverages when it got a boost of calcium in the 1990s. Now, with consumers increasingly health conscious, two orange juice marketers are taking orange juice to the next level by customizing their signature brands to meet individual health needs.
Tropicana Products, Inc. (Bradenton, FL, USA), which is owned by Pepsico, launched in January a Pure Premium Essentials line of five fortified orange juice products that offer a range of benefits from less sugar and calories to immune system defense.
Ron Coughlin, Tropicana's chief marketing officer, says the Essentials line provides what consumers increasingly want—individualized nutrition for individualized needs.
The Light 'n Healthy formula, for instance, has one-third the calories and sugar of regular orange juice and is the only reduced-calorie orange juice currently sold in the chilled juice section.
"This product enables consumers who are watching their sugar intake to still enjoy the health benefits of orange juice," Coughlin states.
The Essentials line also includes Immunity Defense, with Vitamins C and E and selenium; Healthy Kids, which is specially formulated to have a kid-friendly taste, and a Low-Acid formula for those suffering from acid reflux.
Healthy Heart, which contains six vitamins and minerals proven to improve overall cardiovascular health, is tailored to those concerned about heart disease.
However, Tropicana isn't the only one getting heart smart. Minute Maid (Houston, TX, USA), which is owned by the Coca-Cola Company, introduced in November Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise, which contains plant sterols and is the first orange juice proven to help lower cholesterol.
"With over 105 million adults in the US with borderline high or high cholesterol, there is a huge need for cholesterol lowering products in the US," says Minute Maid brand manager Kelly Phelps.
The new Minute Maid product contains CoroWise plant sterols from Cargill Health and Food Technologies (Minneapolis, MN, USA). Plant sterols, or phytosterols, are naturally sourced plant extracts that have been clinically proven to help lower total cholesterol. Steve Snyder, vice president of sales and marketing for Cargill, says the Food and Drug Administration recently expanded the allowed heart health claim to include, among other things, low-fat foods and foods containing free phytosterols.
Minute Maid sponsored a recent clinical study conducted at a major medical center that indicated participants significantly lowered their LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol by drinking two 8-fluid-ounce servings a day of Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise orange juice. In addition to plant sterols, the product, which is available in 64-ounce containers, also has 20 percent of the daily value of vitamins B6, B12 and Vitamin E.
Phelps says consumer taste tests have shown that the inclusion of plant sterols in the product has had no impact on taste, which is a critical factor for consumers.
Coughlin admits that providing nutrition while retaining the Tropicana Pure Premium taste that consumers expect was imperative for the Essentials line. For the Light 'n Healthy formula, Tropicana used a patent-pending process and Splenda brand sucralose to achieve a great-tasting product with fewer calories and less sugar.
Coughlin also attests that the Light 'n Healthy formula, with one-third the carbohydrates of regular orange juice, was developed in response to consumer concerns over carbs in the wake of the Atkins diet. However, he disputes growing concerns that low-carb diets are causing a significant decline in orange juice consumption.
"I think the Atkins Diet has been overly focused on as a contributor to the decline in the orange juice category. The category has been slowed by a lack of innovation, by declining private label trends due to pricing in the market and a host of issues that have dogged the market," he argues.
Beginning with the addition of calcium-fortified orange juice, innovation continues to be a critical growth driver for the category, says Coughlin, which is another key reason Tropicana developed the Essentials line.
"When you offer enhanced benefits like low acid or reduced calories, you're bringing people back who had reduced their orange juice intake, which means you're driving growth," he says. "Packaging innovation is also a critical driver. We offer our 14-ounce bottle for on-the-go consumers with busy lifestyles."
The Tropicana Pure Premium Essentials line also is available in 64-ounce cartons.
—Heather Todd |
