Product Spotlight: Carbonating fruit

Fresh fruit is an indulgent, sweet, juicy experience that many consumers crave. USDA guidelines say we need five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables daily. The National 5-A-Day for Better Health Program since 1991 has been trying to get us to eat five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. But approximately 70 percent of Americans do not consume this amount, often because they think it is too difficult or time-consuming to prepare.

Most consumers think they consume more fruit servings per day than they actually do (most are getting one serving per day). This suggests consumption of fresh fruit is part of their mental framework of food and is a familiar thought, but turning the thought into action is not happening.

Fizzy Fruit Co.; Portland, Ore.

Fizzy Fruit Co. (www.fizzyfruit.com), Portland, Ore., looked at how to take fruit a step further and change the experience of fruit for people by adding carbonation. It started with red seedless grapes and has plans to add pineapple, oranges, apples and other fruits, somewhat dependent upon seasonality. The result is a slightly sweeter taste with that carbonated tang. The product, also called Fizzy Fruit, is easy to consume and uniquely refreshing — and perhaps will increase the number of fruit servings per day.

The company began in 2005, initially targeting school vending and foodservice. During 2006 it slowly spread to retail and early this year reached widespread distribution via Wal-Mart, 7-Eleven and Bi-Lo stores across 15 southeastern states.

Understanding the marketplace

The fruit products market includes packaged fruit, fruit juices and fruit confectionary; all together, sales are $20.8 billion. The largest category is fruit juices followed by packaged fruit. Top producers of packaged fruit are Del Monte, ConAgra, Sunsweet, Sun-Maid Growers, Paradise, Dole, Waymouth Farms, Mariani and Ocean Spray.

Growth for fruit products has been fairly flat over the past five years. While fruit sales overall have stabilized after the low-carb diet, frozen fruit sales have grown. Focus areas for this category include health and wellness trends and new products based on antioxidant content and organic heritage.

Produce accounts for 12 percent of retail grocery store sales, yet keeping fresh fruit in stock without spoilage is a major concern for retailers, too.

Creating a product that moves consumers to a new space is tricky. In this case, using the standards of both carbonated beverages and fresh fruit makes the journey a little easier.

The majority of Americans (88 percent) snack at least once a day. The frequency of snacking declines with age, from a high of 3.1 snacks per day among 1-2-year-olds to fewer than two snacks among those 70 and older. Since snacking is such a part of our everyday lives, and consumers are trying to eat healthier, Fizzy Fruit made a snack with all the attributes of fresh fruit but with the unique refreshment of carbonated beverages.

Our own Crave It! and Drink It! Insight databases indicate fruit is one of the most highly craved foods, fitting in between cheesecake and steak. It can be more craveable than ice cream or chocolate. Its craveablity is driven by the product and emotional attributes. It is a very emotional food.

The key attributes for fresh fruit in ranked order are: taste, product appearance, thirst, aroma, season, texture and mood. Consumers are looking for “fresh fruit … ripe and in season … premium quality.” The sensory aspects and the emotional ties to stress reduction and relaxation are key drivers for fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is consumed at mid-afternoon, mid-morning, breakfast and late evening/right before bed. Dried fruit is much more difficult to understand. It is less familiar to consumers.

Carbonation in beverages spells refreshment for consumers in familiar carbonated beverages (cola, lemon lime, some waters). When refreshment is considered for other beverages, little or no carbonation is important. Interest in carbonation spikes for teens and young adults.

The key trends are convenience, healthfulness and nostalgia.

Convenience: Snacks are available in every possible form of packaging. They can be consumed on the go and in a variety of occasions. New packaging is focused on cars and single-serving sizes, especially 100-calorie packages. However, fruit is not as convenient. It can be messy, with juice running down your arm. At the end, you have to find someplace to deposit the skin or pit. And it has a short shelf life.

Healthfulness: No problem here: Fruit is a poster child for healthfulness. But Fizzy Fruit must be careful keeping the all-natural halo while adding carbonation.

Nostalgia: Fruit was always something that your mom put in your lunch as a kid. You were always told to eat the fruit (you did not have to be reminded to eat the cookies). This was in many ways the emotional armor that your mother gave you to get through your tough day at school.

The experience

Fizzy fruit comes in a 5-oz. (single-serving) plastic jar, which is vacuum-packed to maintain the carbonation. It is priced around $1.99. The packages we sampled contained red seedless grapes. The product is 100 calories and fits the current interest in portion control.