Ned Hancock, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC), reports that concerns over COVID-19 are increasing the demand for healthy foods and beverages, including orange juice. The FCC is the governing body of the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC).
“A Nielsen retail sales report indicates that many Americans are turning to 100 percent orange juice (OJ) during this time,” says Hancock. “The report, which covers the four-week period ending March 14, shows average year-over-year sales of total OJ increased 9.8 percent to 34.85 million equivalent gallons. The news was similar when looking at just NFC (not from concentrate, 9.4 percent) or recon (9.3 percent). Additionally, average total OJ sales for the season beginning October 2019 are down by only 0.3 percent with 192 million equivalent gallons sold so far this season.”
However, Hancock shares an even more striking statistic: “In the last week of the period, as the U.S. response to the global pandemic increased, sales of total OJ rose 40 percent compared to the same week last year.” See the Overview of Nielsen OJ Retail Sales from the FDOC Economic and Market Research Department for reference.
“While we won’t know the full impact COVID-19 concerns will have on the Florida citrus industry for some time, early projections call for continued demand,” says Hancock. “This is not something we take lightly. We fully understand the costs of this disease on our society. At the same time, we also know that an increase in demand means more growers may keep their groves. And, that will help us feed America when they need us the most.”
The FDOC is continuing its campaign aimed at driving sales of 100 percent orange juice while highlighting its nutritional benefits. Hancock says the campaign connects consumers directly with online retailers at Amazon, Walmart, Target and Instacart through targeted digital and social media ads.
“Since January, the campaign has delivered more than $1.67 million in attributed sales of 100 percent orange juice and reached 149 million impressions,” reports Hancock. “The e-commerce program with Instacart is delivering a return on ad spend of $5.27 and continues to pace well with daily sales numbers between $29K and $33K — which is up from the $17K daily average at the start of the program.”
He says the the recent strain on supply at some retailers due to increased demand has caused some strategic shifts in how funds are being allocated between the multiple channels. “But the campaign continues to see strong results overall,” Hancock says. “As consumer behaviors continue to evolve, the FDOC will evaluate and adjust accordingly to best support the brands and drive sales of 100 percent orange juice.”
Source: Florida Department of Citrus/Florida Citrus Commission