the
freshreport
FRESH FROZEN Fresh and frozen are not something you typically hear when talking about juices, particularly cold-pressed juices. These are usually found in the grab-and-go section, while the freezer is reserved for traditional juice concentrates that need to be reconstituted before consuming. La Presserie changed that by offering premium-quality, unpasteurized cold-pressed juices and smoothies that can be sold directly from the freezer or in grab-and-go areas. Rich Rotzang, general manager of La Presserie, discusses trends in the category, its appeal to consumers and retailers, and what’s new from the company.
How is the fresh-frozen juice category performing in Canada, and what are some key trends? La Presserie is the only Canadian cold-pressed juice brand that we know of offering this type of product so we really are leading the category. Our coldpressed smoothie line has seen particular interest from consumers looking for an easy alternative to the frozen fruits and pucks they’re used to buying to make smoothies at home. The biggest trend we’re seeing is the move towards plant-based nutrition. Our products check all the boxes for health-conscious consumers: they’re vegan and plant-based, made with 100-percent raw fruits and vegetables, and have no added sugars, colours or preservatives. We expect this trend to continue, with consumers becoming even more educated on the benefits of raw plant-based diets.
convenience of thawing the product when they’re ready to enjoy it, without worrying about it expiring. For retailers, La Presserie juices create almost no shrink. Our frozen juices have at least a year shelf life from the date of production, and a minimum of two weeks when thawed. Retailers selling our refrigerated products can put out a few at a time and replenish when needed.
What are some recent product innovations from La Presserie? We’ve recently launched our frozen varieties of multipacks offering an assortment of kids’ juices, smoothies or vegetable-based blends that are perfect for lunches or snacking. Another addition is our line of plant-based, cold-pressed fruit and vegetable-based dressings, which have very little oil, and are never cooked, so they retain all their nutritional benefits. We also have a line of creamy dressings that are 100-per-cent vegan—this includes Caesar, Ranch and Dill.
What is the appeal of fresh-frozen juice for consumers and retailers?
How can grocery retailers boost sales of fresh-frozen juices?
Most cold-pressed juices are inherently healthy at the outset. They typically start by being pressed with slow hydraulic pressure which keeps the flavours, nutrients and enzymes intact. However, once pressed, these juices are frequently pasteurized using heat or high pressure to increase their shelf-life, which destroys some of their original goodness. We freeze our juices immediately after they’re bottled, locking in all the nutritional benefits, and giving consumers the
With samples, trial and both consumer and store employee education. We offer in-depth training for staff members on the benefits of cold-pressed juice, and the fresh-frozen format. To support product sampling La Presserie manufactures sample-size versions of all our juices and smoothies that are singleserve and COVID-safe. We also provide retailers with point-of-sale materials including door clings, shelf talkers and tags.
THE FRESH REPORT 2022
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