Short week and lots to do!

Enjoy today’s edition.

Sincerely,

The Coca-Cola Company has expanded its ‘Bring the Juice’ platform to include Minute Maid Zero Sugar, launching a new bilingual campaign in the U.S. and Canada. The campaign features comedian Melissa Villaseñor and aims to celebrate everyday wins. This initiative highlights Minute Maid's commitment to offering a no-sugar option while engaging consumers through relatable and uplifting messaging across diverse audiences.

Focus Factor, a consumer health company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after losing Costco as a significant retail partner. This loss intensified the challenges faced by the company, which relies heavily on sales through major retailers. The bankruptcy filing highlights the vulnerabilities in the consumer health sector, particularly for brands dependent on large retail partnerships for their market presence and revenue generation.

The Beverage Forum, a significant executive gathering in the beverage industry, will return to London for its second year in October. This event aims to unite industry leaders who are shaping the global beverage landscape. Participants can expect discussions on current trends, innovations, and challenges facing the beverage sector, fostering collaboration and networking among key stakeholders in the industry.

Longbottom & Co has successfully entered the retail market with its tomato juice, now available in Sainsbury's stores. The brand has previously made a name for itself in the hospitality and aviation sectors, showcasing its quality and appeal. This launch marks a significant step for Longbottom & Co as it expands its distribution and aims to reach a broader consumer base through supermarket channels.

Cherry juice has gained popularity in Premier League football as a beneficial supplement, traditionally favored by runners and cyclists. During a recent match, German midfielder Florian Wirtz was seen consuming cherry juice while sitting on the bench after being substituted in Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Newcastle United. This shift highlights the growing recognition of cherry juice's advantages within professional sports.

TRIP has announced the appointment of Kendall Jenner as its global ambassador and shareholder. This move comes as calming beverages are experiencing significant growth, surpassing gut health and protein drinks to become the fastest-growing segment within the functional drinks category. The rising popularity of calming drinks reflects a broader trend in consumer preferences towards wellness-oriented beverage options.

Citrus land in Florida has decreased by nearly 21 percent over the past year, as reported by federal sources. This decline reflects ongoing challenges within the state's citrus industry. The report highlights the significant loss of citrus farms, which impacts the overall agricultural landscape. As the 2026-2027 growing season approaches, these trends raise concerns about the future viability of Florida's citrus production.

The South African citrus industry has revised its export projections for the second time this season due to multiple challenges. Factors contributing to this decline include the ongoing war in Iran, severe weather disruptions, and persistent systemic port delays. These issues have significantly impacted the industry's ability to meet previous export estimates, highlighting the ongoing volatility within the sector.

The HLB disease has been detected for the first time in Imperial County, California, specifically on a residential property. This discovery led to the establishment of a quarantine area extending five miles from the infected tree. The quarantine aims to prevent the spread of the disease, which poses significant risks to citrus crops in the region. Further monitoring and management efforts will likely follow.

00470-0/fulltext) Pomegranate juice (PomJ) contains high levels of polyphenols, specifically ellagitannins and anthocyanins, which are associated with metabolic benefits. A randomized crossover trial investigated its acute metabolic effects, revealing that PomJ induces similar glycemic responses compared to sugar-water but elicits distinct incretin responses. Despite the potential benefits, the overall evidence regarding the acute metabolic effects of PomJ remains inconclusive, warranting further research.

This study introduces a clustering method utilizing k-medoids to analyze price trend patterns of citrus products by examining their origin prices. The approach enhances unsupervised learning by focusing on correlation-based techniques, allowing for more accurate identification of price dynamics within the citrus market. The findings contribute to understanding pricing behaviors, which can inform stakeholders in the citrus industry about market trends and fluctuations.

The study presents a chromosome-level genome assembly of Hamlin sweet orange, focusing on the MADS-box gene family, which plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development, especially in flower and fruit morphogenesis. Transcriptomic analyses provide insights into the regulation of secondary fruit development, highlighting the importance of these transcription factors in citrus biology and their potential applications in improving fruit quality and yield.

The study investigates the use of ultrasonic extraction to obtain functional bioactives from pineapple peel, emphasizing environmentally friendly and sustainable processing methods. This technique aims to enhance the efficiency of extracting valuable compounds while minimizing waste and energy consumption. The findings contribute to the development of greener practices in the food industry, promoting the utilization of by-products and improving the overall sustainability of processing methods.