The increase in sales of U.S. orange juice (OJ) that began during the early days of COVID-19 is continuing, according to Marisa Zansler, director of the Florida Department of Citrus Economic and Market Research Department. Zansler told the Florida Citrus Commission on Sept. 16 that as consumers began to adapt to a new normal while still living under COVID-19 conditions, …
Keeping the OJ Momentum Going
Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) staff has been “hard at work ensuring the momentum experienced by the orange juice (OJ) category earlier this year doesn’t fade as we usher in the fall,” Ned Hancock stated recently. Hancock, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, provided that information and more in an update to the citrus industry on FDOC activities. Hancock said …
FDOC Efforts Successful in Moving More Juice
According to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), sales of 100 percent orange juice (OJ) continue to show promising results. In the 4-week period ending Aug. 1, average year-over-year sales of total OJ increased 21 percent with 32.64 million equivalent gallons sold, per the latest Nielsen retail sales report. Sales of not-from-concentrate (NFC) OJ increased 27 percent for the period. …
Dietary Guidelines Report Is Positive for Fruit Juice
According to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), the conclusions and statements presented in a federal report related to 100 percent fruit juice are positive. The first print of the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report was released on July 15. This report will be used to develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) later this year. These …
Global Orange Juice Production to Drop
Global orange juice production for 2019-20 is estimated to slip 23 percent from last season, to 1.6 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Much of the blame falls on Brazil and Mexico, where fewer oranges are expected to be available for processing. Worldwide orange juice consumption is projected to be flat, though not down. …
OJ May Help Lower Blood Pressure
A growing body of scientific research shows that 100 percent orange juice (OJ), and its vitamins and minerals, may play a beneficial role in helping to lower blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. Recently, a randomized control study performed by researchers at Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, in Reus, Spain concluded that 100 percent OJ and 100 percent OJ fortified …
A New Baseline for Orange Juice Sales
A new webinar presentation from the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Economic and Market Research Department shows that U.S. orange juice (OJ) retail sales continue to remain up. A data source for the webinar is the FDOC Nielsen Topline Report #10 of the 2019-20 Season for the four-week period ending July 4, 2020. According to Marisa Zansler, director of FDOC’s …
Court Rules in Favor of Florida’s Natural
A federal appeals court in New York has upheld the dismissal of a claim that Florida’s Natural Growers’ (FNG) use of the word “Natural” in its brand name was deceptive. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit made the ruling on May 29. The appeals court held that the company’s use of the word “Natural” in its …
Juice Returning to Florida Welcome Centers
Florida orange and grapefruit juice will start flowing again in the state’s welcome centers on July 1. The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on June 17 approved a new contract with Visit Florida to provide not-from-concentrate citrus juice at the welcome centers for one year. The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), which the FCC oversees, will spend $250,000 to cover the …
Orange and Grapefruit Juice Sales Still Up
In a June 19 email to members of the citrus industry, Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Ned Hancock noted that orange juice (OJ) sales climbed in the 2019-20 season. That’s noteworthy because OJ sales had been declining for years. Hancock reported that total OJ sales for the season beginning October 2019 are up by 10.4 percent with 309 million equivalent …
Report on the Florida Orange Juice Market
A Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economist recently gave the Florida Citrus Commission a detailed report about Florida orange production and the not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice (OJ) market. On average, about 96 percent of the Florida orange crop is processed into OJ, said Marisa Zansler, director of economic and market research. Over the last five years, approximately 80 percent of …
Good News About Juice and Kids
Consumption of 100 percent fruit juice by preschoolers is associated with beneficial effects on whole fruit intake and diet quality, according to a recent study. The study by researchers with the Boston University School of Medicine also found that fruit juice consumption had no adverse effect on body mass index (BMI) during childhood and into adolescence. BMI is a measure …
Florida Growers Urged to Hear OJ Budget Talks
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 …
Consumer Response to OJ During COVID-19
Yan Heng, Marisa Zansler and Lisa House have authored a new study on consumer response to orange juice (OJ) during the COVID-19 outbreak. Heng is a research assistant scientist and House is a professor, both with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Food and Resource Economics Department. Zansler is the director of the Economic and …
A Case for an OJ Tax Hike
Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Ned Hancock on June 5 made a case for increasing the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) grower tax on oranges processed for juice. “With a new season ahead of us, we have an opportunity to not only adjust our marketing approach to fit the needs of the ever-changing consumer but also best support the Florida grower,” …
COVID-19 Impact on Orange Juice
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered consumer behaviors, especially in relation to food and beverage consumption. Bennett Travers, senior communications planner at Edelman, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) marketing agency partner, recently hosted a webinar on shifts in consumer behavior and the implications for 100 percent orange juice (OJ) now and in the future. A RETURN TO OJAmidst uncertainty, the …
OJ Has Health Benefits, Shows Research
Recently published research results are consistent with previous studies indicating that orange juice (OJ) consumption is associated with benefits to nutrient intake and diet quality without detriment to body weight in children. The same research results from the University of Washington indicated that OJ consumption has favorable effects on body mass index and waist circumference in adults. The research results …
Australia: Don’t Downgrade Juice Health Rating
Citrus Australia, representing the nation’s citrus growers, has urged the federal government to reject proposed changes that could have 100 percent juice rated the same as diet cola on a health scale. Under proposed guideline revisions, the Health Star Rating (HSR) for fresh juice with no added sugar will fall from 5 stars to as low as 2.5 stars. The …
Major OJ Purchase Coming Soon From USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food purchases to come this summer will include $25 million worth of orange juice (OJ). Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks said “the vast majority” of the OJ will come from Florida. “It’s going to be NFC (not from concentrate) and FCOJ (frozen concentrated orange juice),” he said. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced …
National OJ Day Is May 4
May 4 isn’t just for Star Wars fans; it’s also for orange juice lovers! Star Wars Day and National Orange Juice Day are both celebrated annually on May 4. Orange juice sales have surged in the past few months due to consumers wanting to support their immune systems with vitamin C during the COVID-19 pandemic. National OJ Day is the …