Expo East in review

Uncle Matt’s Organic seeks to restore orange juice’s status with functional ingredients

By Elizabeth Crawford

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Orange juice Nutrition

Once a breakfast staple in most American homes, orange juice has fallen out of favor in recent years as consumers try to cut carbs, calories and sugar. But premium juice maker Uncle Matt’s Organic is hoping to return the beverage to its former glory with innovative blends that have value-added ingredients that boost benefits and help cut calories and sugar. 

For the past three to four years, sales of conventional juice have fallen 5-8% annually in part because it is being demonized for too high of sugar and people are overlooking the nutrient density of the beverage, said Matt McLean, CEO and founder of Uncle Matt’s Organic.

He explained that “it just takes more education for people [to realize] orange juice is nutrient dense”​ with vitamin C, niacin, folate, heart-healthy antioxidants and other components the body needs. Plus, he adds, the sugar in orange juice is fruit sugar, which breaks down in the body differently than the sugars in soda.

“We believe the trend will eventually change,”​ similar to how Americans’ views on fat have evolved over the years from shunning all fats to realizing some fats are healthy and necessary for the body, he said.

For support, he points to how sales of his organic orange juice are running counter to the current trend – growing 30% annually for the last five years.

One way Uncle Matt’s Organic has achieved this growth is by launching value added juices that appeal to consumer desire for functional foods and beverages.

For example, this year it launched two new juices featuring the probiotic GanedenBC30 – Orange Turmeric and Orange Coconut.

Uncle Matt’s added probiotics to the two juices because they help support a healthy gut, which in turn helps people better absorb food and nutrients to stimulate immunity and fight disease, McLean said.

“So, orange juice being a natural carrier of a nutrient dense healthy beverage, if you add in the probiotic piece, it is a one plus one equals two,”​ he added.

McLean also explains that Uncle Matt’s Organic chose GanedenBC30 because it is a spore former, which means it is activated in the gut and unaffected by the pasteurization process. Also, he said, Ganeden has more than 20 clinical trials to prove the probiotic helps support immunity and digestion.

“They are doing the research for us, which is great,”​ he added.

Other functional ingredients

In addition to the probiotic, the 500 mg of turmeric per serving of the Orange Turmeric is a way to “drink”​ a daily supplement of an inflammation and disease fighting spice, McLean said.

The addition of coconut water to the Orange Coconut also allows the firm to reduce by a about one-third, the calories per serving to about 70, McLean said.

It also brings down the sugar content 40%, he added.

Plus, because coconut water is actually a juice, blending it with orange juice still allows the firm to make a 100% juice claim, he said.

Looking forward, McLean said Uncle Matt’s Organic will explore other functional ingredients that fit naturally with orange juice and will help set the brand a part from the competition as “cutting edge.”

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Replacement Isn't the Future. Variety Is.

Replacement Isn't the Future. Variety Is.

Content provided by ADM | 22-Mar-2024 | White Paper

Successfully navigating the intersection of food and technology can help your business meet evolving consumer demands.

Consumer Attitudes on Ultra-Processed Foods Revealed

Consumer Attitudes on Ultra-Processed Foods Revealed

Content provided by Ayana Bio | 12-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Ayana Bio conducted the Ultra-Processed Food (UPF) Pulse survey, offering insight into consumers’ willingness to consume UPFs, as well as the variables...

Future Food-Tech San Francisco, March 21-22, 2024

Future Food-Tech San Francisco, March 21-22, 2024

Content provided by Rethink Events Ltd | 11-Jan-2024 | Event Programme

Future Food-Tech is the go-to meeting place for the food-tech industry to collaborate towards a healthier food system for people and planet.

Palate Predictions: Top Flavor Trends for 2024

Palate Predictions: Top Flavor Trends for 2024

Content provided by T. Hasegawa USA | 08-Jan-2024 | Application Note

As consumers seek increased value and experience from food and beverages, the industry relies on research to predict category trends. Studying trends that...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars