Tropicana is hoping to revolutionise the fruit juice market - and revive its declining sales - with the launch of Trop50, a new range of drinks with half the calories and sugar of conventional juice.

Trop50, which is set to roll out from next week, is a blend of not-from-concentrate juice and water sweetened with herbal extract stevia.

Owner PepsiCo said Trop50 had become a $200m brand in the US in just three years, and now commanded roughly 3% of the juice market as well as delivering volume growth.

“The range has been adapted to the UK palate and has a very similar taste and ‘mouthfeel’ to our standard juices,” said PepsiCo marketing director Patrick Kalotis. “We view this as the most exciting innovation in juice in 10 years - it will bring incremental growth by attracting shoppers who want the taste of juice but without the calories. Consumers who may have hesitated to have a second glass of juice can now do so.”

Sales of Tropicana have fallen £25m in the UK over the past 12 months, an 8.2% decline in value in an overall juices and smoothies market up 1.8% year-on-year [Nielsen 52 w/e 13 October 2012].

The range comprises five flavours: Orange smooth, Orange with Juicy Bits, Orange & Mango, apple, and Pomegranate & Blueberry. They will be available in 330ml bottles and, in a departure from Tropicana’s usual cartons, a one-litre PET bottle. The rsp matches Tropicana’s not-from-concentrate juices, at £2.29 for one-litre and £1.19 for 330ml.

The new format follows Innocent’s relaunch of its fruit juices in plastic carafes to help set them apart from its smoothies and its rivals’ products.

Trop50 is being supported by a £5m push that will include TV advertising, digital activity and sampling.

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