Kiwi beverage manufacturer investing in local beverage market to answer evolving consumer demand

Kiwi beverage maker Frucor says today’s consumers are looking for choice that is relevant to their needs and this has led the company to develop more ‘better for you’ options as well as the creation of better value ranges.

Frucor marketing director Scott Wright says as one of New Zealand’s leading beverage manufacturers, Frucor have been innovating in the “better for you” space for some time with well-known brands such as Just Juice and H2go. 

In 2010, Frucor introduced Just Juice with Veges combining the great taste of fruit with the goodness of vegetables.

More recently the company began innovating with Stevia (a natural sweetener) .

Wright says Just Juice with 50% less sugar was first to market using Stevia in the juice category. In the water category, Frucor took a bold step by replacing their entire range of H2go flavored waters with the new H2go Zero range, using stevia instead of sugar. The market has received both of these innovations well, with sales exceeding their category averages significantly.

He says Frucor’s philosophy is to constantly reinvigorate its beverage categories to keep them exciting.

“The latest category to benefit from this passion for reinvigoration is fruit beverages. We have just completed a process of reviewing our iconic market leading brands Just Juice and Fresh-Up, looking for ways to make them more relevant,” says Wright.

This evolution of Frucor’s fruit beverage business is being supported with extensive investment in research, development and marketing.

Wright says both Fresh Up and Just Juice will benefit from significant pack and product improvements in the next few months.

"Most New Zealander's have grown up with brands like Fresh Up and Just Juice as part of their everyday lives. We have a responsibility for ensuring that these products remain available for future generations by allowing them to evolve as consumer demand dictates” he says.

He says Frucor recognises the importance of continuing to develop its local capability if they are to stay at the forefront of innovation. 

Earlier this month the company announced a $45 million investment program focusing on innovation and technology at their South Auckland plant. This investment will be spread over five years.

“It’s vital that our Manufacturing and R&D teams remain at the forefront of the market and continue to lead in terms of delivering the very best product, processes and packaging,” says Wright.