One of the fastest growing product areas in recent years has been the smoothie. In two years, UK market sales have grown by an impressive 500 percent, nudging £280 million. Fast becoming widely accepted around the globe, new and existing smoothie brands are vying for shelf space in this highly competitive market, as health conscious consumers shun sugar-filled, carbonated drinks in favour of fruit or fruit-and-yoghurt blends. The fruit smoothie’s versatility provides a wealth of opportunities for beverage and dairy manufacturers worldwide, as Kristen Borsari, Global Marketing Manager at Ocean Spray ITG explains.

Limitless

The beauty of the smoothie is its versatility. In hot weather, a cooler blend of pineapple and berry refreshes, whilst a heavier combination such as banana and mango provides a burst of vitality on dark winter days. With a vast array of fruit blends to choose from, the potential flavours are limitless and as research into nutritional properties continues, consumers will continue to recognise the health benefits of fruit smoothies. Creative blends of fruits can produce delicious flavours for a wide range of eating occasions.

Unbeatable

Cranberries are well known for their health-promoting properties and are a popular choice. With higher antioxidant levels than any other fruit, cranberries deliver benefits to many areas of the body. From oral, gut and digestive health to urinary tract and cardiovascular health, cranberry’s positive effects are scientifically proven. Cranberries contain unique proanthocyanidins (PACs) which help the body ward off bacteria and infection.

Timeless

From a marketing perspective, manufacturers can choose a number of positioning options. Breakfast is an ideal time of day for fruit consumption. Delivering at least one of our five fruit portions a day, smoothies are easy to digest and, consumed either alone or as part of a more substantial breakfast, make for a healthy, wholesome start. The smoothie’s portable format makes it a convenient option. The sport and fitness sector represents a key growth market for smoothies. Manufacturers are supplementing the smoothies’ fruit base with new functional ingredients such as calcium, Omega-3s, whey protein and green tea extract as a convenient way to add functional value.

Irreplaceable

Smoothies can be used as successful meal replacements. With the combined advantages of antioxidant activity, fibre and vitamin content, the fruit purée can facilitate the elimination of excess toxins from the body. Unlike many ‘light’ or ‘diet’ snack options and slimming shakes, which can contain highly modified ingredients and leave the body undernourished, the natural sugars in fruit leave dieters feeling energised and ensures that vitamins are not sacrificed during the weight loss process. Smoothies are a flavoursome meal replacement option, making a regime interesting and thus sustainable and so challenging the perception that a healthy, nutritious diet equates to a dull diet. Ocean Spray’s cranberry purée consists of 100 % fruit, offering manufacturers a clean-label ingredient.

Insatiable

It would appear that consumers cannot get enough of these exciting fruit concoctions. In the UK, smoothie consumption was up 44 percent 2008 on 2007, making the segment the fastest growing within the beverage sector. Offering high levels of convenience, endless variety and significant health attributes, the smoothie is one of the few beverage innovations capable of
meeting the demands of the 21st century.

The author

Kristen Borsari

Global Marketing Manager

Ocean Spray ITG