May 1, 2024 – Through our research into the US juice market, we have identified key trends in market size, consumer attitudes, and product launches, amidst macro megatrends. The region showcases specific growth types, and strong innovation opportunities in product development and launches.
Juice Macro Context
The US juice market exists within larger macro megatrends. These include increased environmental concern, health pressures, economic uncertainty, and technological change. In response, many consumers are making lifestyle changes, such as attempting to live healthier lives, reducing their environmental footprint, and creating more flexible socialization opportunities.
Consumers Want Healthy, Everyday Juices
Nearly two thirds of Americans consume juice at least once a week. Juice is consistently the fifth most chosen beverage of choice, behind choices such as coffee, bottled water, iced tea, and carbonated beverages – depending on the time of day.
Consumption habits of juice are partly influenced by health interests, and budget worries. An almost equal percentage of Americans increased their consumption of juice because it was a healthy drink as decreased it because of budget concerns (44% vs. 48%).
Younger generations are more likely to drink juice. Generation Z and Millennials are the largest groups buying juice products, compared to Generation X and Boomers, with Boomers buying juice the least. The younger two generations also had the most individuals increasing their consumption of juice in the past year.
Real or natural ingredients is the top claim driving purchases in the juice market, chosen as an influential positioning by almost one third of consumers. No artificial flavors or colors placed second, chosen by over one-quarter of Americans, followed by vitamin or mineral fortified, and low, no, or reduced sugar.
Consumers prefer juices suited for everyday use, more so than premium quality products. They show a significant preference for juices with added health benefits. They also prefer intensely flavored juices over milk flavors, and fresh juices over those with a longer shelf life. Their most preferred flavors are orange, strawberry, apple, pineapple, and mango.
A Large Juice Market
Despite its challenges, the juice market remains large, with the US being the largest. The next largest markets are China, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom, in descending order of market size.
Per-capita, the US is the 15th largest region for juice consumption. The region has room for growth in this regard, as consumers in regions such as Canada and Spain drink substantially more juice per capita. Innovative brands in the space can help kickstart the region further by creating more appealing drinks for consumers to purchase on a daily basis.
Within the soft drinks category, juice contributes to 20% of overall sales. Carbonates take up the largest subsection of the category, at 37%. Juice represents 10% of product launches in the same category, while bottled water is the most launched product at 45% of the category.
Companies and Brands
PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are the two largest companies in juice sales. Runner ups include Dr. Pepper Snapple, Private Label brands, and Campbell. Bolthouse Farms is the most active launcher of new juice products, with 4% of the category’s product launches. The next most active launchers are the National Grape Cooperative Association (owning the popular Welch’s brand), and Ocean Spray Cranberries, both with 3% of overall product launches.
Bolthouse Farms’ products launched in the past year include its Energy Fruit and Vegetable Juice Smoothie, released in three flavors: pineapple-carrot-orange, grapefruit-carrot-orange, and peach-carrot-mango. The product claims to deliver balanced energy from caffeine and L-theanine from tea leaves with A, B, and C vitamins and no sugar added.
Claims in the Category
Growing claims on new juice products reflect rising consumer global concerns about the health of the world and themselves. Vegan claims grew the fastest; between 2019 and 2023 the claim increased by 11%. Additionally, the plant-based claim emerged, rising from 2% to 5% of all product launches.
No added sugar claims are highly prevalent on juices and continues to grow, reaching 28% of all product launches in 2023. Both human and environmentally focused ethical claims grew within the same period.
During the pandemic, active health claims rose in popularity on juice products. These were driven by positionings about immune health, digestive gut health, high or source of fiber, probiotic, prebiotic, and brain health.
Popular and Emerging Ingredients
Despite the consumer demand for no added sugar in their juices, the use of specific sugar and sweetener products in the juice market expanded between 2019 and 2023. Fructose and agave syrup emerged within the category, and both cane and granulated sugar saw increased use. Cane sugar specifically was the top-growth ingredient among sugars and sweeteners. The entire subcategory of natural non-nutritive sweeteners grew as well, such as stevia.
Brands are also innovating in natural sugar reduction, with Better Juice scaling up fruit juice sugar-reducing tech to convert sucrose, glucose and fructose into prebiotic fibers. Their technology claims to be able to reduce sugar content by 80% in their juices and fruit-based condiments.
Botanical and functional ingredients expanded fastest in the category. Growing botanical ingredients include lemon juice concentrate, acerola extract, lemon juice, and ginger juice. Additionally, multiple functional ingredients emerged, including calcium lactate, zinc gluconate, aloe vera, and bacillus coagulans (a probiotic). Brands have the opportunity to highlight these ingredients, advertising their benefits to health-conscious consumers.
Top Juice Flavors
Orange, red apple, and lemonade are the top three flavors in juice product launches. Pineapple, mango, lemon, and ginger all grew in popularity between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, cherry and fruit entered the top ten most popular flavors.
Emerging juice flavors include aloe vera, beetroot, guava, pear, and passionfruit.
What’s Next in Juice Market Trends in the US?
Juice penetration in the US is already strong. With many consumers interested in preventing health problems before they happen, brands can leverage this demand by shifting focus towards advertising the value juices bring – adding ingredients that benefit consumers, such as helping Boomers age well or supporting health functions such as immunity. Many health-conscious consumers are also interested in vegan products, which juices can easily spotlight due to inherently being plant-based.
With one in three consumers believing that natural ingredients are the best way to make beverages healthier, brands can choose natural sweeteners to reinforce their juices’ plant origins and reassure consumers concerned about artificial ingredients. Additionally, with no added sugar claims rising, brands can explore how sweetener combinations, use of different flavors, and new technologies can create appealing taste and mouthfeel experiences that are low in sugar.
This article is based on our report, “Juice Reimagined: Unlocking Potential in the US.” If you are interested in reading this report, feel free to request a demo.
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