Progressive Grocer - December 2008 - (Page 46)

Grocery list Grocery Shelf-stable juice is receiving new good-for-you attention that could help boost retail sales. Making a By D. Gail Fleenor USDA research has found that 90 percent of adults aren’t getting their daily recommended servings of vegetables and fruits. According to Nestlé, 70 percent of children ages 2 to 9 aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, either. splash T he market for shelfstable juice has been stable to flat over the past year or two, as sales have slowed with the influx, and the associated advertising glitz and glamour, of waters, functional beverages, and energy drinks. The category has lacked excitement for consumers—that is, until the appearance of fruit and vegetable blends, and other juices with healthy additions such as green tea and vitamins. These product innovations are injecting new life and new opportunities for increased profit into the category. Market research analyzed by one company, to help redesign shelf sets to boost profitability and consumer awareness, puts the state of the category into perspective Campbell, the maker of V8 V-Fusion, has developed a shelf set to and sheds light on what it might take to maximize sales of shelf-stable juices and drinls. optimize the opportunities ahead. Within the $7.3 million category, some fruit juices percent over the same period. have dropped in dollar sales, such as grapefruit juice, “We are flat to slightly up in sales on shelf-stawhich is down ble juices in comparison to last year,” notes Matt 12.9 percent Olson, director of grocery, video, GM, HBC, and More ONLINE over last year. candy for C&K Market, a family-owned grocer in For additional info Canned fruit Brookings, Ore. with about 60 supermarkets in on grocery, go to drinks have southern Oregon and northern California. Most Progressivegrocer.com/ dropped 6.2 of its stores operate under the Ray’s Food Place centerstore A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T name, with some under the Shop Smart and Price Less Foods warehouse banners. The category’s bright spot, vegetable juice and drinks, rose an impressive 11.7 percent over last year. Vegetable/fruit blend juices are the new way for consumers who don’t like vegetables to still get their servings without tasting them. Another shot in the arm for the category is the fruit energy drink of one company, which has added “natural energizers.” C&K Market’s Olson has monitored the category changes. “We have moderate success in vegetable/fruit juices,” he observes. “V8 Splash doesn’t even crack our top 30 in shelf-stable juices, though. We do not carry Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise.” However, Lou Ann Wester, category manager for Tyler, Texas-based Brookshire Grocery Co., which operates over 150 stores in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, has had a different experience with vegetable/fruit juices in her stores. “V8 Fusion and similar items have done surprisingly well,” says Wester. “We will probably add a few more flavors. I think V8 has done so well due to a lot of marketing and advertising of the company promoting the ‘healthy’ aspect of drinking the juice.” Overall, Campbell’s V8 franchise has provided a big boost to shelf-stable juices with its V8 VFusion 100 percent vegetable and fruit juice, and V8 Splash juice drink. www.progressivegrocer.com 46 • Progressive Grocer • December 2008 http://www.progressivegrocer.com/centerstore http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - December 2008

Progressive Grocer - December 2008
Contents
Front End: Onstead Becomes Interim Bi-Lo C.E.O.
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Shelfstable Juices/Vegetable Juices and Drinks
Market Snapshot: .Seattle-Tacoma,Wash
Retailer of the Year: Taking the lead
Lempert Report: Obama Prepares to Tackle Food Industry Issues
Independents Report: What Grocers Need to Know About Market Day
Consumer Research: Reason for Relevance
Shopper Culture: Reimagining Convenience Foods
Wake-up Call: The Ballad of The Egg Man
Eggs: A Kinder, Gentler Egg
Shelf-Stable Juice: Making a Splash
Post-PMA Show Analysis: High Yield
Niche Pork: Go Whole Hog for Local
Pharmacy: Chronic Customer Service
Technology: A Small-Town Grocer Discovers Digital DIY
Equipment Innovations
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - December 2008