Beverages Get Juicy

A lot has changed in the juice beverage business in the past 25 years, much out of necessity.

- Donna Berry

The category needed a makeover to stay competitive and keep consumers drinking juice, as many learned to think of fruit and vegetable extractions as concentrated sources of empty-calorie sugars.

Today juices are being used in combination with other fluids and better-for-you ingredients to improve their nutritional value. Many emphasize their sourcing while others promote the juicing process. In some instances, the juice serves as a flavor or sweetening ingredient to a different base beverage. It’s even getting boozed up.

Molson Coors Beverage Company, for example, is expanding its Vizzy Hard Seltzer portfolio with the introduction of Vizzy Mimosa Hard Seltzer. Inspired by the mimosa cocktail, the hard seltzer is made with real orange juice, mimosa inspired flavors and antioxidant vitamin C from the acerola fruit. The new product is available in four different flavors: Peach Orange, Pineapple Orange, Pomegranate Orange and Strawberry Orange.

Fruit juice helps “naturally” sweeten caffeinated beverages, such as Starbucks Refreshers, where the caffeine comes from green coffee extract. There’s also MTN DEW KICKSTART from PepsiCo, which is a fusion of Mountain Dew soda, real fruit juice and a kick of caffeine. Both lines have been around for almost a decade, with flavors coming and going. It’s all about switching up the juice component. Some of the trendy offerings in the KICKSTART line now include Blood Orange, Blueberry Pomegranate and Watermelon.