Del Monte Foods (UK) Ltd Del Monte House London Road Staines Middlesex TW18 4JD Tel: 01784 447400 Fax: 01784 469329 KEY CONTACTS Managing director Edwin Petrie National account controller ­ multiples Tony Gill National account controller ­ impulse Matrin Pedrick National account controller ­ food service David Nelson Head of marketing Helen King KEY BRANDS - Del Monte - Fruit Burst - Fruit Express - Fruitini - Just Juice - De L'Ora - One Cal With more clearly defined and highly targeted brands than ever before, the soft drinks sector is attracting many new consumers as well as driving frequency of purchase from existing ones. Innovations in flavour, formulation and packaging, and the emergence of new fruit and flavour varieties, such as Del Monte's use of Blueberry and Cranberry, have created new and exciting brand propositions ­ some with mass appeal, some more strictly targeted at specific consumer groups, but all combining to offer consumers greater choice. This ever increasing variety is driving repertoire purchasing and consequently the amount of disposable income spent on soft drinks is increasing. ­ perhaps enough even to sustain the premium in the organics sector. But while there remains scientific and political uncertainty over the benefits of organic produce, Del Monte is hedging its bets. It believes the market is likely to remain a niche one and consequently of limited appeal to mainstream manufacturers. Health conscious brand More important to the brand is consumer concern over health issues ­ and in particular the presence of sugar in the natural diet. While Del Monte sources only the finest natural ingredients in the production of its pure juices, the company is aware that the natural sugars present in fruit may cause concern in certain sectors. The company believes that in order to ensure long term sustainability, the industry must conduct business with a high degree of social conscience. "With more and more high profile brands being targeted at younger consumers it is vital that companies not only respond to, but pre-empt any concerns that may arise over the health implications of their products," says a spokesman. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}

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