By George Anderson
Falling demand and a bumper crop are not good news for farmers in the orange groves of Florida.
According to an Atlanta Journal Constitution piece, demand for orange juice appears to be falling as the popularity of low-carb diets such as Atkins and South Beach increase.
Squire Smith, a grove manager in Winter Haven, Fla. told the Journal Constitution, "We haven't fully quantified what's going on with the Atkins thing, but if 15 million people have already pulled the plug on orange juice, then it's a real concern. I went on the Atkins diet myself and lost 40 pounds -- without giving up my oranges. I'll be overweight before I give up orange juice."
To make orange juice more appealing to consumers, the industry has continued to push the health angle. Products such as Minute Maid's recent rollout, "Heart Wise" with cholesterol-lowering plant sterols are clearly targeted at an aging American population.
Moderator's Comment: Will the popularity of low-carb diets mean smaller sections allotted for refrigerated, frozen and shelf-stable juices and juice drinks?
In a perfect retailing world where product and space decisions are made on consumer purchases, it would be logical to see low-carb foods and beverages gain space while high-carb items are cut back, if this trend were to continue.
In the real world of grocery retailing, where everyone pays to play, we do not expect to see any significant change in the space given juice and juice drinks. [George Anderson - Moderator]