National Foods’ juice line Berri will be required to change two of its flagship brands, Australian Fresh and The Daily Juice Company, after an ACCC investigation found the brand names might be misleading customers into believing the juice was 100% freshly-squeezed. Some Australian Fresh juices contain a blend of fresh and cold stored juice, depending on seasonal availability, with only the Australian Fresh apple juice being 100% freshly squeezed. Daily Juice Company juices contain a blend of... ...Read more »

Australian owned beverage company Bickford’s Australia has signed a long term manufacturing and distribution agreement with one of the UK’s largest soft drink companies, Britvic to launch the UK’s number one FMCG kids brand Robinsons Fruit Shoot juice drink into the Australian drinks market.The partnership between Bickford’s and Britvic International Ltd. brings together over 360 combined years of industry experience and expertise, by two beverage manufacturers best known... ...Read more »

The news that Australasian premium beverage company Charlie’s Group Australia has sold in to 750 Coles stores nation-wide is a big boost for fruit growers in the South Australian region.Charlie’s produces its ‘not from concentrate’ juices and smoothies from a Renmark (S.A.) production unit established in 2008 especially to take advantage of the region’s prolific citrus production. Coles is stocking 11 of Charlie’s products nationally with the deal having the potential... ...Read more »

This month, the natural health beverage company Odwalla introduces Heart Health Superfood, a berrylicious new blend that contains 0.4g of plant sterols per 8 fl oz serving. The plant sterols — naturally sourced plant extracts — may help to reduce cholesterol and support cardiovascular health when you drink two 8 fl oz servings per day with meals as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This new smoothie contains a mix of juices and purées: apple, peach, banana and strawberry.... ...Read more »

Once strictly the domain of a ploughman’s lunch, beetroot is now also a colourful addition to the breakfast table. Sales of beetroot juice at UK retailer Waitrose have shot up with demand for the purple-hued drink rising by 82 per cent in the past year. This sharp rise in popularity is outpacing the growth in sales of orange juice and other more traditional juices.And it’s not just beetroot juice that Britons are stocking up on. The vegetable itself is fast becoming a culinary staple.... ...Read more »

New Zesty Addition Cuts the Salt, Keeps the KickCampbell Soup Company is bringing on the heat to low-sodium foods with the introduction of V8Spicy Hot Low Sodium100% vegetable juice. With 140 milligrams of sodium in each 8-ounce glass, this deliciously-zesty juice delivers bold taste with less salt while still serving up two full servings of vegetables (1 cup) and 50 calories. In fact, V8Spicy Hot Low Sodiumjuice displays the American Heart Association heart-check mark and meets the U.S. government... ...Read more »

US food giant HJ Heinz has introduced a slew of new products into major cities in India.The company has launched chutneys, cooking sauces and mixes and ready meals “to meet the needs of the discerning Indian consumer”, Heinz India MD N Thiruambalam said. Heinz Home Style Chutneys are available in two varieties – coriander mint and tomato – and are priced at INR60 (US$1.28). The company has also launched Heinz Chef Style Sauces, a range of Mediterranean- and Chinese-style sauces. Heinz... ...Read more »

It’s well known that lollies and fizzy drinks cause tooth decay, but CHOICE has warned so called healthy snacks such as some muesli bars and fruit drinks are also rotting our children’s teeth.  A survey has found a number of sugar-free energy and sports drinks can also damage teeth because of their high acid content. Working with the Australian Dental Association’s Victorian Branch, CHOICE compared the sugar content and acidity of 85 processed foods and drinks and categorised them as... ...Read more »

Charlie’s Group Australia, producer of Charlie’s brand juices and smoothies and Phoenix Organics soft drinks, has received a $120,000 grant from the South Australian government to increase production capacity. Charlie’s Group, based in New Zealand, took over the Renmark orchard and factory of Australia’s Gallard and Mirage Group in 2007, to form Charlie’s Group Australia. The move allowed the company to produce its juices close to a long-term assured fruit supply, and... ...Read more »

A new breed of sparkling fruit juices that contain more sugar than CocaCola have been labelled ‘Worst Offenders’ in a review of 40 popular drinks by Dr Rosemary Stanton and children’s health lobby group The Parents Jury. Dr Stanton and The Parents Jury have once again teamed up as the Food Detectives to investigate the truth behind the marketing spin on children’s food and drinks. The results of their investigation reveal that carbonated fruit juices are the new Worst Offenders... ...Read more »