Purity Soft Drinks, the maker of Juice Burst, has seen sales jump by 37% and profits double in its most recent financial year.
Group sales for the year to 31 March 2023 jumped from £19.7m to £27m, driven by a combination of new business growth, extended distribution with existing customers and increased sales for key brands Juice Burst and Firefly.
The company said its portfolio had significantly outperformed the category in the latest 12 months, delivering 33.4% in value growth, with volumes up by 19.4%.
Juice Burst has grown to a £75m brand (suggested retail value), having grown value sales by 41% in the ‘drink now’ convenience category, in the past 12 months alone.
Performance has been boosted by NPD, with the group continuing to bring new ranges to market. It recently launched Juice Burst Summer Fruits.
Its Firefly brand “is at a different stage of its development”, but the group said it was targeting a “significant opportunity to do the same in the adult soft drinks segment”.
During the period it conducted a review of the Firefly brand, launching a new visual identity, new packaging and a marketing campaign. It said it was focused on driving distribution, rate-of-sale and NPD.
Boosted by strong sales growth, pre-tax profits for the year rose from £1.6m to £3.2m, with margins edging up to 38.7% from 38.6% despite inflationary pressures.
The business mitigated these inflationary headwinds through a combination of measures, including cost savings, greater efficiencies and some selling-price increases.
Since the year-end, the business had continued to perform strongly, the group said, despite a wider market that remains “demanding and volatile”.
Although easing, it said it expected the cost inflationary environment to continue to present challenges. In particular, extreme weather and disease has affected the production of oranges in Brazil and Florida and it remains in close contact with suppliers to monitor the impact that reduced supply may have on pricing.
“That said, we remain very confident about the opportunities we have ahead of us,” the company stated.
“We continue to see strong growth in Juice Burst, which is landing well with consumers seeking great juice and a convenient health ‘hit’ at a great price. We are also excited by the progress we continue to make with Firefly.”
“The performance of Purity Soft Drinks in this period, and in recent years, is due to a relentless focus on staying true to what we think is right; making great juice, to the highest standard, based on natural ingredients and their great flavours.”
CEO Sarah Baldwin said: “We are delighted to share these numbers, which capture a transformational period for the business and its brands. Juice Burst in particular continues to outperform, gaining significant market share, through both greater distribution and rate of sale.
“Our performance, we believe, is thanks to a very clear and unrelenting focus on producing very high-quality juice, made with natural ingredients and at a compelling price point.”
Chairman Rooney Anand added: “This exceptional and market-leading performance reflects a very strong business that has developed huge momentum, driven by an exceptional management team, and two excellent brands delivering impressive growth.”
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