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- Soda Wars Continue... The US Has a New #2
Soda Wars Continue... The US Has a New #2
🍊👊🏻 And, more importantly, University of Florida Researchers explore breakthrough approach to combat devastating citrus greening disease.
Jan van Iperen
January 10, 2025
For Professionals in the Juice and Citrus industry
While in my 9th year in the US, I do not have the reference and childhood memories of certain truly “American” staples. When read that Anita Bryant passed away, it started me off into a rabbit hole of old commercials for Coke and Florida Orange Juice… a very delightful trip through golden advertising times. Simple and pure.
I trust that for many older readers the sentence “Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine” brings back memories.
PS There is some controversy around her, but this newsletter is not here to polarize.
In Today's newsletter:
🧃 Juice News
Dr. Pepper steadily worked towards supplanting Pepsi thanks to clever marketing and a fresh creative approach. "Dr Pepper has distinguished itself through effective marketing campaigns that emphasize its unique flavor and individuality," Andrew Dickow, managing director of Greenwich Capital Group and national leader of its food and beverage practice, told Food Institute. "This strategy resonates particularly well with younger demographics seeking alternatives to traditional cola drinks."
“There is some research suggesting that pear juice, particularly from Korean pears, may help reduce the severity of hangover symptoms,” accredited nutritionist Faye James tells Body+Soul. “This is based on studies that indicate compounds in pears can influence alcohol metabolism.
"Korean pear juice, for instance, has been shown to increase the activity of enzymes like alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, which are responsible for breaking down alcohol in the liver. By accelerating this process, pear juice may reduce the accumulation of acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism that contributes to hangover symptoms.”
Coca‑Cola Consolidated, Inc. announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Scott Anthony, will retire effective March 31, 2025. Mr. Anthony has served as the Company’s CFO since 2018.
The Company also announced that Matthew J. Blickley will assume the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective April 1, 2025. Mr. Blickey joined Coca‑Cola Consolidated in 2014 and currently serves as Senior Vice President, Financial Planning and Chief Accounting Officer. He will continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer following this change.
Beverage manufacturer Joriki Beverages announced that it closed its packaging facility in Pittston, Pennsylvania. Local station Newswatch 16 reported that the company notified its 229 affected workers of the immediate shutdown on New Year’s Eve through email.
Joriki stated in the WARN notice that it could not provide the traditional 60-day warning. The company explained that it had been working for several months on a going-concern transaction it thought would sustain operations at the Pittston plant and avoid job losses.
🍊 Citrus News
In this first Global Market for 2025, the focus is on oranges, with the colder weather, especially in Europe leading to higher demand. France has a dynamic market with good demand. Germany has increased demand with oranges coming from many supplying countries. Italy's 2024/25 orange campaign is presented with many production challenges. There are good prices in the fresh market and the industry for Spanish oranges.
Dr Ntshabele has extensive experience in academia and the private and public sectors. For the past five years, he has been the Director of Biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD). From 2015 to 2019, he was the Minister Counsellor of Agriculture in the South African Embassy to Belgium, Luxemburg, and the Mission to the European Union.
His successful track record in management, policy development, international engagement, and negotiation positions him as a knowledgeable advocate for the interests of local citrus growers. The South African citrus industry is mainly export-oriented and generates over R30 billion in foreign revenue annually.
Mexico continues to be the dominant supplier of limes to the United States. About 80 to 85 percent of U.S. lime imports originate from Mexico, followed by Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, and Honduras. "Mexico's 90+ percent share is getting chewed away as other countries like Colombia and Peru are developing their lime industries," says Ronnie Cohen with Vision Global Group. However, with demand for limes continuing to increase, Mexico is still sending large volumes to the U.S. and the country continues to drive the ship.
🔬 Research Worth Reading
Scientists at the University of Florida are testing a new type of citrus tree that can fight off the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening.
While the genetically edited tree has only been tested so far in the lab and the greenhouse, it is one of the most promising discoveries to date in a challenge that has plagued growers, researchers and consumers as Florida’s citrus industry has plummeted over the past two decades.
The approach involves inserting a gene into a citrus tree that produces a protein that can kill baby Asian citrus psyllids, the bugs that transmit the greening disease.
Spanish agricultural union Asaja-Andalucía has denounced citrus processors for buying juicing oranges at below-cost prices, despite juice prices being historically high in the futures market.
It accused the Spanish processing industry of abusing its dominant position and offering farmers prices that do not even cover the costs of production in breach of Spain’s Food Chain Law.
This study is the first to demonstrate the full extent of damage caused by CLas infection under natural HLB-endemic conditions. The results confirm previous observations that suggested fibrous root loss as one of the major consequences of infection and colonization with CLas. They also reinforce the benefits of using IPCs to prevent infection of young citrus trees during the first years of growth in the field.