Focus On Juices and Smoothies: 23 February

Focus On: Juices and smoothies by Ash O’Mahony

Download feature synopsis PDF here

Publishing: 23 February

Advertising deadline: 7 February

Submissions deadline: 31 January

The Story

Juice is getting functional. From collagen concoctions that promise a youthful glow, to blends that claim to deliver a boost to your immune system, the benefits of juice are becoming just as important as the taste. It’s good news for a drink that was once demonised for its sugar content. Rather than being a guilty indulgence, juice is fast repositioning itself as a health food. So who is leading the way on the functional front? How well are these functional juices selling? What are the most powerful claims/ingredients, and what will be next?

Key themes:

Brands versus own label: Which big brands are jumping on the functional trend? And which smaller brands are breaking boundaries? Retailers are also looking to get into this area – what are they doing and who has done it most successfully?

The claims: Which are the most common functional claims in juices? Which resonate most with consumers? And what will be the next big thing?

Celebrity power: Juices are benefitting from a healthy dollop of celebrity endorsement. The most recent development has been the celery juice fad – as promoted by Kim Kardashian – and many are also waxing lyrical about juice cleanses. To what extent is this helping position juice as a health food?

Sugar tax: Juice is exempt from the sugar tax. Has this helped address worries over sugar content?

Freshly pressed: Boasting value growth of over 15%, freshly pressed is the standout performer in the juices and smoothies category this year. Why is this? It it down to health perceptions? Juice drinks, for example – typically seen as less healthy – are down in value. How are retailers capitalising on this? Spar and Tesco both have juice bars in store, for example.

Smoothies: Sales of smoothies continue to rise. What is driving this? How are dairy-free options performing?

Sleep juice: According to Mintel, the evening is an untapped opportunity for the juice market. In the US, juices are beginning to reposition themselves as a relaxing evening beverage with ingredients such as holy basil and maca. To what extent could this take off in the UK? Is anyone doing this already?

Kantar data: Using Kantar commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the different sub-categories.

Nielsen data: Using Nielsen commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the top 10 brands.

Online Listicle to go live on 15 February: What are the main innovations & how are they shaping the market

Streetbees data: What do consumers think of functional juices? Which claims are most attractive to them? What do they think of juice cleanses?

Innovations: We identify four new products that ideally have not appeared in The Grocer before. including launch date, image and RSP.