consumers

Florida OJ Has Solid Share of Consumers

Daniel Cooper Florida, Orange Juice, Research

A significant portion of consumers are drawn to Florida orange juice (OJ) despite recent economic setbacks, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study shows.  “There is an intrinsic value that consumers have for Florida orange juice. When they think of Florida, orange juice is often part of the imagery,” said Marisa Zansler, director of economic …

destination dupes

Keeping Florida OJ at Top of Consumers’ Minds

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing, Orange Juice

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) 2023–24 global marketing plan for orange juice (OJ) focuses on continuing awareness and sales-driving activities to keep Florida OJ at the top of consumers’ minds. Karmen Johnson of FDOC marketing agency Edible told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) that the plan will continue to focus on primary shoppers and light and lapsed OJ buyers. …

Florida OJ Tariffs Lifted in United Kingdom

Josh McGill Orange Juice, Trade

The United States and the United Kingdom announced a trade accord on March 22. The United States will remove tariffs on British steel and aluminum, while the United Kingdom will remove retaliatory tariffs on a number of American exports, including Florida orange juice. “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in …

Florida OJ Demand and Rising Food Prices

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

By Marisa L. Zansler It’s been nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic first swept across the country. American households are still adapting to a new way of life that includes a shifting of work-life balance and a return to familiar routines such as family gatherings, travel and venturing outside of the home. INFLATION AND OJ AVAILABILITYAs this transition into …

Florida OJ Videos Play in Airports

Josh McGill Florida, Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) showed its “The Original Wellness Drink” videos about Florida orange juice (OJ) within major airports during the holiday season. These 15- and 30-second videos played throughout multiple markets via airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, New York, Orlando, Tampa/Sarasota and Washington, D.C. The ads ran from Thanksgiving week through New Year’s Eve, targeting at …

South African

Consumers Prefer Florida OJ

Josh McGill Florida, Orange Juice

Consumers are more likely to buy orange juice (OJ) if they think the fruit comes from Florida, new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research shows. In fact, top reasons consumers purchase OJ include taste, health benefits and origin of the fruit.  According to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), while 80% of OJ consumers who …

Targeting E-commerce to Drive Florida OJ Sales Higher

Josh McGill Florida, Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

As HLB has reduced Florida’s citrus crop, so too has the budget shrunk for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). The agency charged with promoting the state’s signature crop is largely funded by fees based on citrus production. FDOC has been forced to look for creative ways to do more with less with its promotional budget. One tactic has been …

Florida OJ: Getting the Message Right

Ernie Neff Marketing

Buying OJ (orange juice) isn’t a simple decision for the average busy American, Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Steve Johnson wrote in a recent message to members of the Florida citrus industry. He pointed out that there are dozens of choices in the beverage aisle, and hundreds of companies advertising. The answer to the question, “Why choose Florida OJ?” may be …

Keeping Consumers Engaged With Florida OJ

Ernie Neff Marketing

Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) e-commerce activities have strongly aided orange juice (OJ) sales since January 2020, Jackie Hopkins with FDOC marketing agency Edible told the Florida Citrus Commission earlier this month. She reported the e-commerce program has reached $11.6 million in attributed sales of OJ with 513 million impressions and $5.24 return on ad spend (ROAS). ROAS is the …

Update on Florida OJ Supply and Demand

Tacy Callies Orange Juice

In the Feb. 3 Florida Citrus Commission meeting, Marisa Zansler, Florida Department of Citrus director of economic and market research, provided an update on Florida orange juice (OJ) movement and availability. External trends, such as fruit drop and increased demand during the pandemic, may significantly impact the availability of orange juice throughout the season. Coming into the 2020–21 season, beginning …

Are Consumers Willing to Pay More for Florida OJ?

Tacy Callies Orange Juice

Multiple studies point to the value consumers place on Florida citrus and their willingness to pay for the “Florida” brand. Lisa House, director of the Florida Agricultural Market Research Center and a professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida, recently spoke on this subject in a Florida Department of Citrus webinar. She provided an overview of …

Florida State Budget and OJ Action Reported

Josh McGill Florida, Legislative, Orange Juice

In a recent Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) newsletter, the grower association told how the Florida state budget addresses citrus issues and reported FCM’s position on an orange juice petition.  STRONG SUPPORTThe 2022–23 Florida state budget signed June 2 by Gov. Ron DeSantis totaled $109.9 billion and included more than $37 million in support for the state’s citrus industry. Citrus support …

Florida Growers Detail CRAFT Projects

Josh McGill Citrus, Florida

There has been quite a bit of interest in the Citrus Research and Field Trials (CRAFT) program. During the Florida Citrus Show held in Fort Pierce in late January, a panel of citrus growers discussed projects they have been approved to conduct under CRAFT. Tamara Wood, executive director of the CRAFT Foundation, moderated the panel and provided an update on …

Crime

Florida Growers Urged to Hear OJ Budget Talks

Ernie Neff Orange Juice

Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Ned Hancock urged members of the citrus industry to join the June 17 commission meeting via teleconference. He said the commission will consider several budget scenarios for fruit grown for orange juice (OJ). See information about the meeting here. The commission serves as the governing board for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). “I expect we …

china

Florida Department of Citrus to Study OJ Consumption

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Industry News Release, Orange Juice, Research

Amid ongoing struggles in Florida’s citrus industry, the Florida Department of Citrus appears to be turning attention to studying orange juice consumption. The department said Tuesday it is looking for three separate studies that would assess various aspects of orange juice consumption, including how it can affect people’s moods when drinking it as a snack. According to a bid notice, …

orange juice

Imported OJ Cost Florida Citrus Growers This Season

Ernie Neff Citrus, Market

Apopka citrus grower Chip Henry of McGuire Groves says orange juice (OJ) imports cost him money this year and may have led to other growers being stuck with unharvested fruit. “As the season progressed, I began to realize that the pricing structure was subject to being weakened considerably by imports of orange juice from primarily Mexico,” Henry says. According to …

production

Orange Production Projections for Florida

Ernie Neff Production

Allen Morris, owner of Morris Agribusiness Services, says Hurricane Irma will have a huge impact on future orange production in Florida. He explains that Irma caused extensive tree defoliation, which will prevent trees from setting a full crop. He projects an orange crop of 45 to 50 million boxes in the 2018-19 season, and a crop of 60 million boxes …

Grove First

Grove First Project Seeks More Grower Cooperators

Daniel Cooper HLB Management, Research

The Grove First project plans to expand next year and is seeking additional growers as cooperators. The project tests molecules directly in the field for their ability to treat HLB via trunk injection. The Grove First project differs from the common practice of starting HLB research in the laboratory, then moving to the greenhouse to be confirmed before going into …

research

Evolving Research Priorities for Florida Citrus

Daniel Cooper CRDF, Research

Last week, growers convened in Avon Park for the annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. The daylong seminar program provides updates on the latest research in the fight against HLB and other production issues facing growers. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), presented an update on the organization’s research priorities. He noted that CRDF …

Florida citrus

Summary of the 2022–23 Florida Citrus Season

Daniel Cooper Export, Florida, Production

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) summarized Florida citrus production, value and exports last season in its new Florida Citrus Statistics 2022–23 report. PRODUCTION Florida’s total citrus production in 2022–23 was 18.1 million boxes, down 60% from the previous season’s 45.3 million boxes. Florida’s orange production, at 15.8 million boxes, was down 62% from the previous season. …