The quarter’s growth was led by the Monster Energy Drinks segment, where net sales increased 27.6% year over year to $2.19 billion. Management attributed performance to core brand strength and a steady cadence of innovation across platforms such as Monster Energy, Ultra, Juice Monster, Reign and Bang.

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are increasingly focusing on fruit-forward refreshers as a key area for beverage innovation. This trend represents a competitive strategy for QSRs aiming to differentiate themselves in the market. As the demand for unique and refreshing beverage options grows, these establishments are intensifying their efforts to capture consumer interest and loyalty through innovative drink offerings that feature fruit flavors.

The functional juice shot category has reached a value of £100 million, experiencing a compound annual growth rate of 47% over the past year. Moju has emerged as the leading brand in this segment, delivering more value than any other functional juice shot brand during the same period. This growth reflects increasing consumer interest in health-focused beverage options.

Isabel Mirfakhraie, a technical marketing associate at Imbibe, discusses the evolving landscape of the functional beverage market in an interview. She emphasizes the importance of a holistic formulation approach and flavor modulation to meet consumer expectations. The conversation also highlights emerging trends in consumer demands, reflecting the need for beverage manufacturers to adapt their strategies to stay competitive in this dynamic market.

NoWhere Foods has won a NEXTY Award for its innovative nonalcoholic drinks, which are crafted from heirloom and native ingredients. The company draws inspiration from forgotten landscapes across the United States, emphasizing the use of traditional foodways. This recognition highlights NoWhere Foods' commitment to creating unique beverages that celebrate cultural heritage and the significance of native ingredients in modern beverage production.

The 2026-2027 orange crop forecast for the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt is projected to reach 255.2 million boxes. This volume represents a 12.9% decrease compared to the previous season and sits 14.6% below the ten-year average. The smaller crop is primarily driven by a 17% reduction in the average number of fruits per tree, which fell to 514, and an anticipated increase in the premature fruit drop rate. These downward pressures outweighed the positive impacts of a larger number of bearing trees and higher individual fruit weights. Unfavorable climate conditions, including drought-induced water stress in May 2025 and subsequent heat waves, impaired initial fruit sets and resulted in a harvest predominantly composed of second-bloom fruit.

Overall yield is expected to average 697 boxes per hectare, marking a 13.8% decline from the previous crop cycle. Total fruit drop and fruit loss rates are projected at high levels of 23.7% and 31.3%, respectively. These elevated rates are heavily influenced by the escalating severity of greening disease, the impacts of citrus leprosis, and a later harvest timeline. To accurately capture these ongoing challenges, Fundecitrus improved its crop forecasting methodology this season. By incorporating a fruit stripping assessment at harvest alongside traditional soil-berm monitoring, the forecast now more precisely accounts for total fruit loss directly in the field rather than relying on prior correction factors.

California citrus growers are set to benefit from a new robotic soil-mapping system that accurately measures water levels beneath individual trees. This technology aims to optimize water usage, potentially leading to significant water savings in citrus cultivation. By providing precise data on soil moisture, the system can help growers make informed irrigation decisions, enhancing water efficiency in California's agricultural sector.

The Greek orange season is progressing favorably for exporters, characterized by high demand and elevated prices. Mr. Stavros Giannopoulos, owner of Citrusland, indicated that the supply of Valencia oranges is depleting rapidly. This situation highlights the urgency for exporters to manage their inventories effectively as the season continues, ensuring they can meet ongoing market demand while navigating the challenges of limited availability.

Want to dive deeper in citrus? Coming in 2026: citrodex.com

During routine surveillance of online functional beverages, a fruit and vegetable juice product marketed for weight-loss and fat-burning effects was found to contain a novel chlorinated bisacodyl derivative. This compound was illicitly added, raising concerns regarding consumer safety and regulatory compliance. The discovery highlights the need for increased monitoring of functional beverages to ensure they meet safety standards and do not contain unauthorized substances.

This study investigates the sustainable valorization of three cider industry by-products: apple pomace, cider lees, and rotten apples. The research focuses on optimizing low-cost culture media for the microbial fermentation process aimed at producing mannitol. The findings suggest that utilizing these by-products can enhance economic viability while contributing to waste reduction in the cider production industry, promoting sustainability in beverage manufacturing.

The sugar industry encounters challenges in achieving high purity and yield during production, especially in the clarification stage. Effective clarifying agents are critical for this process. Recent research highlights activated carbon as a viable adsorbent for impurity removal in sugarcane juice clarification. The study explores the potential of nano activated carbon derived from fruit peels, offering a sustainable solution to enhance sugarcane juice quality.