US Citrus May 2025 Forecast: California steady at 47.5M Boxes

Overall, the sentiment for orange seems positive on the crop and production side… now we need to see some positivity on the consumption side. What is the trend you see where you are in the world?

Juice News 🧃

Blake’s Hard Cider and Carhartt launch American Apple collab

As America’s leading independent cider producer, Blake’s cider is always made with 100% real fruit and American-grown apples. A perfect complement to Carhartt’s commitment to quality workwear and firm roots in hard work and farming heritage, Blake’s authentic, farm-based beverages are founded on a 1,300-acre orchard in Southeast Michigan and almost 80 years of Blake’s family generational farming.

Water Biggest Volume Gainer in 2024 in Liquid Refreshment Beverages, Expert Says

“Rapid hydration is the fastest-growing segment within sports drinks now,” he said. “Then comes Prime Hydration, which disrupted the disruptors. They took the market by storm. They launched about three years ago, and within a little more than a year they grabbed an eight share of the market and they did heavily on the backs of social media influencers.”

New drinking trends emerge as Americans embrace health and convenience

The American beverage scene is recalibrating; six-pack beers are out, and ready-to-drink cocktails are in.

A new study from Escoffier School of Culinary Arts shows a pivotal year for alcohol consumption. The report, compiled by the nation's top culinary school, outlines changes impacting bars, restaurants, and beverage brands.

Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador to end controversial tax on sugary drinks

Newfoundland and Labrador's premier says his government will end the province's controversial tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.

Liberal John Hogan said in the legislature today he has asked the finance minister to repeal the so-called "sugar tax." The Opposition Progressive Conservatives have long criticized the tax, saying it worsened the cost of living for may families.

The tax added 20 cents per litre to sugary drinks, including pop, sweetened fruit-flavoured juices, slushies and non-diet fountain sodas.

Pueblo (CO) department of public health and environment proposes healthy beverages for all

PDPHE wants to implement the program to focus on decreasing excessive consumption of sugary drinks in Pueblo county. Their plan to do that involves creating a new standard for drinks offered by all eateries in the city that have a bundled children's meal (a kids' meal plus a drink included with the price of the meal.) The new program would have a default option for something like water or milk. Neither would have any added natural or artificial sweeteners.

How beverage brands can show value and win sales in Southeast Asia

• Explore why “value” means more than just price for Southeast Asian On-Premise consumers—and how brands can win without discounting

• How is brand reputation, quality, and trust shaping beverage choices across key SEA markets?

• What are the tactical ways to influence purchase decisions, from menu design to bartender engagement and social media presence?

• Discover opportunities to tailor drinks strategies by occasion, aligning with local consumer needs from casual moments to celebrations

Citrus News 🍊

Florida Citrus Crop Forecast: All Orange 11.6M Boxes. California 47.5M

The 2024-2025 Florida all orange forecast released today by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is up less than 1 percent at 11.6 million boxes. If realized, this will be 36 percent less than last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 4.58 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season, and Navel varieties) and 7.05 million boxes of Valencia oranges.

Spotlight on Citrus: Hope Grows in Revitalizing Florida’s Signature Crop

In response to the latest citrus crop estimate, Matt Joyner, Executive VP and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, released a statement: “Every day, I hear from Florida citrus growers who are seeing healthier trees thanks to the tools they’re using to fight citrus greening and recover from hurricanes. This month’s upward momentum reflects growers’ relentless efforts to bring a crop to market and preserve family-run operations that have sustained the industry for generations.

New Insights Into OJ Demand

One-hundred percent orange juice (OJ) has long been a favorite in American households, but supply challenges, changing consumer behaviors, a crowded beverage category and higher prices have impacted how much OJ consumers buy. Recent research conducted by Sungeun Yoon sheds light on consumer price sensitivity and substitution behaviors within the category, offering actionable insights for growers, marketers and retailers.

Empty market welcomes South Africa’s early citrus

Grapefruit has become the most difficult citrus category to manage, requiring careful coordination among growers not to oversupply markets. In fact, the level of cooperation among grapefruit farmers and exporters is perhaps unrivaled in South African fruit exports.

In-depth: How Rising Global Demand Is Boosting Orange Production in Brazil

Brazil is one of the world’s leading agricultural nations, and its orange production has exploded in response to surging global demand. Areas such as São Paulo and Minas Gerais in Brazil’s citrus sector thrive due to the country’s temperate temperature and fertile soils, making it the world’s top provider of orange juice.

Research Worth Reading 🔬

Optimizing Pulsed Magnetic Field Parameters for Microbial Safety and Quality in Orange Juice

PMF-treated orange juice showed minimal changes in color, viscosity, and microbial stability during refrigerated storage. The absence of heat-related degradation ensures retention of quality attributes. This study demonstrates that PMF is a viable, nonthermal alternative for processing high-acid fruit juices, providing a balance between microbial safety and quality preservation.

Spatial and temporal detection of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ in Diaphorina citri through optimized scouting, sampling, DNA isolation, and qPCR amplification in California citrus groves

These targeted ACP sampling strategies and optimized laboratory processing methods will facilitate CLas detection in psyllids for streamlining citrus greening disease management.