In 2020 the juice and juice drinks market saw a reprieve from years of sinking sales, thanks to consumers’ lockdown stockpiling of food and beverages across categories, as well as specific category associations with vitamins and overall health. Nearly a full year into navigating new ways of life, consumers cite even more increased purchase of these products, indicating that pandemic-driven consumption shifts may lead to longer-term routines. The category is expected to slowly return to pre-pandemic levels of decline as fears of COVID-19 continue to ease, and sugar content may again overshadow vitamin content. Still, brands have opportunities to maintain some of this new momentum by expanding lines with features like added functional ingredients, exciting flavors and portion controlled sizes – all of which can assist in more frequent and diverse usage occasions for the category.

• The ongoing impact of COVID-19 on juice and juice drinks

• Changes in juice consumption

• Competitive beverages, ideal juice features and a focus on preferred sweeteners

• Attitudes about juice, health and functionality

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

• 100% juice: fruit and vegetable juices, mixes and concentrates, with no other ingredients added; includes both 100% juice blends and 100% pure juice of a single kind

• Juice drinks: juices, mixes (eg powdered drinks such as Kool-Aid) and concentrates containing ingredients other than fruit and/or vegetable juice, such as corn syrup or other sweeteners and flavorings

Note: also included in juice drinks are products typically not associated with juices, such as fruit punches, Bai Bubbles and some kombuchas (if they include juice).

• RTD smoothies: drinks made with fruit and/or juice with some kind of thickener, such as fruit puree or milk

Fruit and vegetable juice and juice drinks covered in the Report include those sold in a number of formats such as:

• Aseptic (boxed)

• Canned/bottled

• Shelf-stable

• Refrigerated/frozen

The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. It was declared a global health pandemic and national emergency in early March 2020. Across the US, various stay-at-home orders were put in place in Spring 2020, and nonessential businesses and school districts closed or shifted to remote operations. The remainder of 2020 saw rolling orders, as states and local governments relaxed and reinforced guidelines according to the spread of the virus in each region.

Vaccine roll-out began in December 2020. Mintel anticipates business operations in the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021 as vaccines are widely administered and social distancing restrictions and capacity limitations are relaxed.

Mintel bases its expectations for economic growth on projections provided by the CBO, the FOMC, the Conference Board and other public sources. Consensus estimates forecast US GDP to increase by 6.5% in 2021. Unemployment has been forecast to decline to as low as 4.1% by the end of 2021 with an average of 5.7% for the year.