Attention to all vendors of lemonade stands: In the upcoming summer season, you will need to use freshly squeezed juice as Minute Maid is phasing out its range of frozen juices due to changing consumer preferences. This decision will affect popular products like frozen canned orange juice, lemonade, Fruitopia fruit punch, and Five Alive juice blend, with discontinuation expected by April. The parent company, Coca-Cola, confirmed this move, emphasizing their shift away from frozen concentrate products to focus on meeting customer demands more effectively.
Apart from Coca-Cola, other juice manufacturers are also adjusting their strategies in response to evolving market trends. The withdrawal of major players like Coca-Cola, following the departure of another significant Canadian juice producer last year, could potentially leave Canadians without access to frozen concentrated juice, a product that has been available for decades.
Lassonde, a Canadian company known for brands such as Oasis, Kiju, and Rougemont, exited the frozen-from-concentrate juice category last year due to declining demand. Additionally, Lassonde previously produced Old South frozen orange juice but has since ceased its availability in the market. Marketing experts suggest that the lack of demand rather than branding or pricing issues led to the discontinuation of these products.
Consumer behavior and preferences have shifted away from frozen juice products, with factors like increased tap water consumption, heightened awareness of sugar content in children’s diets, and the rising popularity of functional beverages contributing to the decline in traditional juice consumption. As the beverage industry evolves with innovative offerings, frozen juice has not kept pace with changing consumer preferences, further impacting its market share and profitability.
The discontinuation of frozen juice products presents an opportunity for smaller Canadian companies to fill the gap left by multinational brands. While the disappearance of well-known products may pose challenges for consumers, it also opens doors for local businesses to introduce new offerings and enter the market with innovative alternatives.
For many Canadians, frozen juice holds nostalgic value, particularly in traditional recipes like “slush,” a holiday cocktail popular in Newfoundland made with frozen juice concentrate. Despite some lamenting the change and needing to adjust their recipes, others like grocery store owners anticipate the discontinuation, noting the declining popularity of frozen juice products in recent years.
The end of frozen juice products marks a significant shift in the beverage industry, reflecting changing consumer preferences and creating opportunities for new entrants in the market.