So, in 2023, India’s FMCG market size was said to be close to $170 billion dollars and it’s estimated to reach more than $615 billion by 2027. And it’s said that maybe, half of the sector’s revenues come from the food and beverage segment. Take fruit juice beverages, for instance.
You might have seen them or even consumed them. Why not? The marketing is pretty strong and evokes images of handpicked fruits with maximum freshness. There might even be a sense that drinking these beverages might be healthy for you, though, subconsciously you may know it’s not. Words like “natural” or “organic” might even float around in your head.
Of course, unfortunately, many of the products in the FMCG sector are processed and contain added sugars or preservatives. And if you’re thinking an orange juice beverage is made the way you might make orange juice at home, that may not be the case.
Because orange juice isn’t directly there in your drink: once the juice is extracted from fresh oranges, a large portion of the liquid is removed to create a concentrate. That concentrate might be super strong. And then, after the concentrate is transported, it’s rehydrated along with ingredients, like sugar, flavourings, stabilizers and acidity regulators. So, 45 ml of orange juice would become an 8% concentrate and after rehydration, the assertion is that the final product would contain the orange juice equivalent to 45 ml of fresh orange juice.
Why go the concentrate route? It’s said that by removing all the liquid from orange juice, there’s less liquid for microbes to grow and with reduced liquid, the beverage could last much longer. Which may be why these manufacturers might add stabilizers to extend shelf life. On the other hand, as it might already be known, those added sugars or flavourings or preservatives might diminish the natural benefits found in whole fruits. But, then again, if you’re, also, juicing an orange at home, you’re eliminating all the roughage that’s good for your body.
But, could you imagine if you were getting 100% orange juice? No boosting of volume by adding 50% more water to reduce costs. Because when the manufacturer makes it 40% orange juice and 60% water, the “orangey” taste gets seriously diluted, which is why all those technical additives are present to compensate without adding any nutritional value and increasing calories. One can consider it a sugary water solution engineered to taste like homemade, natural and organic fruit juice. All in all, something to raise your eyebrow at.
Could pure orange juice be packaged to become an FMCG brand? Unfortunately, it might be susceptible to spoilage. Could Louis Pasteur do his thing? High water content might mean more moisture for bacteria to swim around in. And pasteurization might not entirely stop some organisms from eventually working.
There’s something called “aseptic packaging” where the orange juice and the packaging materials are both sterilized before bringing them together. This might help maintain some freshness and safety, but an orange concentrate might have better stability. Plus, a lot of liability issues rear their ugly heads this way.
On top of that, could pure orange juice mean higher raw material costs and less flexibility in sourcing? Oranges are as diverse as snowflakes in terms of their seasonality and variability. That might make this brand much more expensive than usual. The challenge has always been shelf life.
Would consumers be willing to order an orange juice pack that hasn’t been made yet? Would same-day delivery work? Could quick commerce be put to good use here? Instead of 15-minute delivery, 10-hour delivery, but it’s real, it’s fresh and it’s new. It might mean more natural flavour or vitamins. Maybe, it’d be more refreshing. Maybe, the brand could pay a lot of money to these q-comm platforms to give them prominent real estate and go the Kanye Yeezy route of “Hurry, only 20 left!”.
Maybe, coconut water is still an untapped market for India as an FMCG beverage. Pun intended. Have you heard of High-Pressure Processing (HPP)? Yeah, you know me. HPP is said to use extremely high pressure to inactive harmful or spoilage micro-organisms and extend shelf life. In theory, it could retain the quality and freshness of the coconut water & keep the nutritional profile intact. Maybe, this would require cold storage. The costs keep increasing. Plus, HPP isn’t exactly cheap.
But, one can still say “Shake well before opening”, the masses are used to that instruction.
A glass bottle would create more problems and costs, maybe. But, if it works for beer and some colas, could this worm its way into fresh juice? Maybe, it would have a premium feel to it. Plus, they’re 100% recycleable. Maybe, the new brand could create some exchange program with the glass for some other incentives.
Plus, the brand might have to go The Whole Truth-esque routine, invest in storytelling & share how HPP works and why it’s a better alternative to preserve the natural taste and nutrients of the coconut water. Trust and hope, the only things stronger than fear.
Of course, the economics might not be conducive to someone aiming for high volume and a low-cost market. But, will someone dare to try and end up thriving, not just surviving?
What could the next big truly pure 100% sustainable beverage brand look like?
