Minute Maid Shifts Focus Away from Frozen Juice Concentrates

For many years, Minute Maid has been synonymous with orange juice production, beginning its journey in 1946 with the distribution of frozen juice cans across the United States. However, as consumer preferences evolve, the brand’s parent company, The Coca-Cola Co., has announced a strategic shift. The company will stop selling frozen juice concentrates in the U.S. and Canada to concentrate on fresh juice options that customers now favor.

The Coca-Cola Co. released a statement on Wednesday declaring, “We are discontinuing our frozen products and exiting the frozen can category in response to shifting consumer preferences.” By April, varieties of Minute Maid’s frozen juices, including orange juice, lemonade, and limeade, will no longer be available, although Coca-Cola noted that existing inventory will be sold until depleted.

The tradition of using Minute Maid’s frozen juice concentrates began when Americans sought a more convenient way to enjoy orange juice without freshly squeezing the fruit. Since 1946, Vacuum Foods Corp. (later renamed Minute Maid) led the way by introducing this frozen juice solution, which only required water to transform it into a refreshing beverage. Tropicana, a rival brand that continues to offer frozen canned juice, entered the scene just a year later in 1947.

Coca-Cola’s acquisition of Minute Maid in 1960 marked a new chapter of innovation. In 1973, Minute Maid steered away from requiring water mixing with the introduction of ready-to-drink orange juice available in refrigerated sections. This was later expanded in 1980 to include lemonade and fruit punch selections.

In recent times, however, the popularity of orange juice has dwindled. The market has become crowded with alternatives such as energy drinks and protein smoothies. Additionally, inclement weather in Brazil and Florida has driven up orange juice prices, making a 12-ounce can of frozen orange juice reach $4.82 by December, a 13% increase from the previous year as per U.S. government data. Concerns regarding added sugars in juices have also become more prominent. In response, Minute Maid introduced Zero Sugar versions of its fresh juices in 2020.

Despite these efforts, frozen juice sales, including Minute Maid’s, have struggled. According to NielsenIQ, a market research firm, U.S. sales of frozen beverages dropped nearly 8% in the 52 weeks ending January 24.