All apples are not the same:
when it comes to juice, people want a range of options
January 2017. People who like wine usually develop a preference for a particular grape variety.
A similar thing could soon happen with juice drinkers: ‘variety’ is the current catchword for fruit
juice specialists such as Amecke GmbH & Co. KG and the Maspex Group with their brand
Tymbark. Because all apples are not the same. Both companies are bringing out juices made
from specific varieties, to cater to the tastes of discerning consumers and encourage them to
drink juice.
In Europe, the market for juice and juice drinks is largely saturated. And it is a highly competitive
market: beverage manufacturers try to differentiate themselves from the competition with new
products, to secure market shares. Ariana Amecke-Moennighof, Product Manager at Amecke:
“The apple juices you find on supermarket shelves today are generally blends of juices from
different apple varieties. The ratio of ingredients depends on availability. However, we believe
unmixed premium juices have potential – especially in markets that demand high standards for
food and beverages. That’s exactly where we’re placing our range of ‘Mein Lieblingsapfel’ (My
Favourite Apple) products, which we’ve incorporated into our premium assortment”.
In addition to its traditional apple juice range, in Germany the company now also has the
unmixed varieties Golden Delicious (‘velvety and balanced’), Idared (‘powerful & original’) and
Cripps Pink (‘temptingly fruity’) on sales shelves. Ariana Amecke-Moennighof: “The
conventional types are on sale, as usual, in 1-litre carton packs. For the ‘Mein Lieblingsapfel’
range, we’ve opted for the 750 ml variant. Both these volumes can be filled on one and the
same SIG Combibloc filling machine, which makes us very flexible in production”.
A recent consumer survey by market intelligence agency Mintel confirms this approach: in
Germany, more than a quarter of respondents aged over 16 would buy juices made from specific
fruit varieties. A similar picture emerged in France and Spain, where 23 per cent of those polled
are interested in variety-specific juice; in Italy the figure is 21 per cent and in Poland around 30
per cent.
Older varieties very popular right now
That is a good basic prerequisite for the Maspex Group in Poland. The company has now added
apple juices made from the varieties Antonowka, Champion and Jonagold to its Tymbark brand
range. Dorota Liszka, Corporate Communication Manager at Maspex Group: “For our new
variety-specific, not-from-concentrate juices, we only use apple varieties that are popular with
Polish consumers right now. Antonowka is an old Russian apple variety – sweet and sour in
flavour. The Champion is full of flavour, and is characterised by a very low acid content. In
comparison, the Jonagold has quite a subtle, delicately fruity taste. With this variety of options on
offer, each consumer can find the juice he likes best”.
Juice from local, traditional apple varieties in particular gives consumers the reassuring feeling
that they are buying natural, healthy, high-quality products with a transparent and traceable
source. Norman Gierow, Head of Global Product Management Market at SIG Combibloc: “For
many consumers, transparency in respect of a product’s source reassures buyers, and is an
indication of high quality. Variety-specific juices with regional provenance are a very good
example of how manufacturers can make use of the potential associated with prevailing
consumer values. The packaging can contribute to consumers identifying products as authentic
and high quality”.
SIG Combibloc is one of the world’s leading system suppliers of carton packaging and filling machines for
beverages and food. In 2015 the company achieved a turnover of 1,720 million Euro with around 5,000
employees.
forrás, fotó: SIG Combibloc
