A new line of fresh HPP (i.e., obtained by treating under high pressure) fruit extracts named Natural Wellness recently presented at Cibus Parma 2023 has raised great interest. These are healthy references that use the nutritional properties of fruit, ideal for meeting specific consumer needs and offering them a tasty and healthy solution to improve their overall well-being.
"The health beverage segment is booming. The decision to launch an entire line of natural fruit extracts was a logical consequence.
"The main difference from the beverages already on the market is that in Natural Wellness extracts the functional properties of the fruit are being utilized, and none of the references contain water or are fortified with sugar or sweeteners. Among the most popular products are Sport drinks, for replenishment and hydration during and after athletic performance, and protein drinks, with only fruit and vegetable proteins," says Paola Pivetti (pictured) owner of Macè Frut.
The line includes five categories of functional extracts and beverages: Sport - Only fruit and Mineral Salts; Protein - Only fruit and plant-based protein; Detox - 100% fruit; Multivitamin - 100% fruit; and Antiaging - Only fruit and collagen. Macé's Natural Wellness line, at this launch stage, consists of 2 references in each category, for a total of 10 extracts and drinks in the range. The juices come in 250-ml bottles made of 100% recycled plastic, and the label includes functional and nutritional claims related to both the name of the category and to the ingredients.
In addition to the classic juices, Macè fresh juices, in 250 ml to bag-in-box formats, are available in various flavors such as strawberry banana apple, carrot ginger apple, strawberry lemon pineapple, kiwi pineapple spinach apple and many other refreshing blends.
For Macé, the flagship products remain HPP (High Pressure Processing) fruit extracts. For more than 10 years, the company has specialized in the production of these extracts by focusing the energies and skills of the R&D department to constantly improve the range, selection of raw materials, and perfecting the use of HPP technology for juice stabilization. Unlike pasteurization, non-heat treatment at high pressure preserves most of the nutrients in the fruit.
The fruit juice segment in Europe has historically been a mature market with a relatively low growth rate. However, in recent years there has been a growing interest in natural and healthy juices, which has led to an increase in demand. In this competitive scenario, cold-pressed and HPP-stabilized juices are perfectly on point.
"The addition of functional and superfood ingredients makes these drinks and extracts unique. We can define the references in this line as fruit-ceuticals, that is, functional products that use the nutritional properties of fruit to treat and prevent specific ailments."
"Our foreign partners," concludes Paola Pivetti, "have the same needs as the Italian ones, they look for quality products, they are very attentive to sustainability issues, whether social, environmental or economic. They appreciate technological innovation and reliability, which they recognize is our main quality. However, we are very attentive to what is happening in Europe. In particular, we have been monitoring the Nordic markets, so we have decided to expand the range of fruit juice formats and to create some ad hoc references with a more international taste also for the HPP line of pestos and sauces."
On a global scale, functional beverages are a $32 billion industry, which will grow by an average of 6.96 percent over the period (2021-2026). Global functional beverage consumption is driven by consumer preference for soft drinks. The public is willing to pay high prices for functional products. Consumers want to consume low-sugar beverages and are also actively on the lookout for additional health-boosting ingredients.
For more information:
Macè Frut Srl
Via Camillo Prampolini, 32
44047 Terre del Reno (FE)
+39 051 6841244
+39 327 715 4407
[email protected]
www.macefruit.com
