Coca-Cola is closing down Odwalla, the juice and smoothie company it has owned for 19 years, citing a decline in interest in smoothies among health-conscious consumers.
The business will close at the end of July due to “a rapidly shifting marketplace and despite every effort to support continued production,” John Hackett, president of Coca-Cola's Minute Maid business unit, told CNN Business.
Coca-Cola said the Odwalla business had been under review for years, and the decision was not related to the coronavirus pandemic. However, CEO James Quincey has said that overall, Coca-Cola, like many major food & beverage processors, is seeking to simplify its supply chain during the pandemic by trimming lower-performing products from its portfolio. Odwalla products had a dedicated fleet of refrigerated trucks, which is being dissolved with the brand.
