Innovative Fruit-Flavored Drink Solutions

Based on evolving consumer preferences to get nutrition from novel sources, try new flavors and reduce sugar, fruit-flavored drinks have shifted in positioning over the years. Whether it's a staple in a diet or a treat, there are many fun ways to work with them!

For beverage formulators, incorporating vitamins, minerals and other nutrients presents both challenges and opportunities to create innovative solutions. Our nature-based ingredients are ideal for reducing or eliminating sugar without losing mouthfeel or taste. Our experts have worked with fruit-flavored drinks all over the world and can find a solution for your innovative beverage.

We offer a wide range of nature-based, renewable raw and clean-label ingredients to meet multiple product functions such as thickening, suspension and stabilization.

Our Featured Ingredients

NUTRAVA® Citrus Fiber

GENU® Pectin

KELOCOGEL® Gellan Gum

KELTROL® Xanthan Gum

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Exclusive Insights

How to Reduce Sugar in Fruit-Flavored Drinks without Losing Mouthfeel

Squeezing More Value Out of Fruit-Flavored Drinks

Consumer - and government - interest in reduced-sugar beverages is on the rise. So far, approximately nine U.S. jurisdictions and more than 50 countries have implemented a consumer tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Globally, consumer-driven nutrition scores are also affecting product placement and purchases. Heavily influenced by the longstanding health and wellness megatrend, "low-/no-sugar" and "real" ingredients are among the top positioning claims influencing consumer behavior. While consumers want less sugar, they don't want to sacrifice taste and texture. According to Innova Market Insights*, the top reasons why people consume fruit-flavored drinks are because "they taste great" and their "kids like them." Consumers are sensitive to changes in beverage consistency, viscosity, flavor release and mouthfeel. Formulators must find innovative ways to preserve the texture consumers crave while reducing sugar.

How Pectin Can Help

GENU® Pectin is upcycled from citrus peels, an abundant byproduct of the juice industry. So, you could say it's a natural for juice drinks. This easily recognizable, label-friendly ingredient can also help when you want to use less sugar in your formulations, too. Pectin adds viscosity and body to mimic a full-sugar mouthfeel while also enhancing the fruity flavors of your beverage. Process tolerant, it's become a beverage formulator's staple for

  • Thickening acidic beverages.
  • Improving flavor release.
  • Providing long-lasting stability.
  • Creating a wide range of mouthfeels.

*Innova Market Insights, April 2023

Thanks to the health and wellness trend, the juice category has experienced a spike in demand. After all, beverages are an easy way for busy consumers to add extra servings of fruits and vegetables to their diet, as well as immunity boosting vitamins. Parents also know it is easier to persuade a child to drink a fruity beverage than to eat a plate of brussels sprouts.

According to Innova Market Insights*, juices made with "real/natural" ingredients and less sugar are important to consumers around the globe, as are beverages that provide a source of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and other "good for you" benefits.

Formulators' Focus

Consumers and beverage manufacturers are both on a search for value. Consumers are watching their wallets and looking for clean label-friendly products with less sugar, but they do not want to compromise on great taste. Manufacturers are looking for creative solutions to meet the challenges of higher costs, chaotic supply shortages and sugar reduction that can sometimes lead to reformulation.

How NUTRAVA® Citrus Fiber Can Help

Meet the first Upcycled Certified® citrus fiber ingredient** on the market, NUTRAVA® Citrus Fiber. We upcycle citrus peels, an abundant byproduct of the juice industry near our plant in Brazil. From juice byproduct to a great juice drink solution, it is quickly becoming the formulators' secret for:

  • Supporting dietary fiber intake
  • Enhancing mouthfeel so you can reduce sugar.
  • Reducing reliance on fruit pulp – adding opacity to provide a similar appearance.
  • Supporting suspension so you can extend fruit pulp further as a cost saving measure.
  • Supporting viscosity to get the body and mouthfeel of full fruit pulp formulation
  • Acting as an alternative to other gums and stabilizers.
  • Providing formulators with the ability to simplify labels – you can just state "citrus fiber."
  • Delivering a very competitive product that looks and tastes great.
  • And more!

NUTRAVA® Citrus Fiber helps meet market demands while also supporting your ingredient reduction and sustainability goals.

*Innova Category Survey 2023, Innova Health and Nutrition Survey 2023.

**Upcycled Certified® is a registered trademark of the Upcycled Food Association.

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