A significant new player in the juice sector is chasing fresh Australian citrus as it looks to revamp the ailing juice market.
According to Citrus Australia, the juice sector has experienced an overall decline in recent years.
But chilled juice has declined by less than 5 per cent, while juice bars like Boost are growing by 25-30pc, as are sales for juices cleanses.
Food Revolution Group (formerly Langtech) CEO Bill Nikolovski spoke at the Citrus Market Outlook Forum.
The Food Revolution Group is an Australian public company that operates state-of-the-art fruit and vegetable processing facility, manufacturing a range of high quality juices, fibres, infused fruits and waters, and bio-actives.
It is planning to launch juice-based products that aren’t “juices”, including infused waters using fruit rather than flavouring.
It’s also working on a range of tonics, allowing consumers to take a 100ml shot, rather than a vitamin table.
“We will push the health benefits of natural fruit,” Mr Nikolovski said.
To achieve all this, Mr Nikolovski said his company required Australian-grown citrus.
Mr Nikolovski said consumers' concerns over sugar levels in juice need to be addressed and that there is potential to "win back" previous juice drinkers.
“We are moving towards functional food, delivering nutritional value from food, so people don’t have to have supplements,” Mr Nikolovski said.
“We have the capability of delivering that in the form of juice, a bar or a cereal.”
Moree grower, Dick Estens, is now exporting fresh juice under the “Grove – Only Fresh” label, to Korea, Japan and Malaysia.
His company is receiving $8.90 for 2 litre bottles in South Korea. Mr Estens said the only competitor is frozen juice from Florida, which sells at $10.90 for 1.75L.
“There has been a drop off in Valencias but going forward I think it will correct and prices should pick up for the juice sector,” Mr Estens said.
Fruit Juice Australia CEO, Geoff Parker, told delegates last year’s fruit juice campaign received enormous coverage from the media, due in large part to spokesperson, international supermodel, Robyn Lawley.
