When business and marketing strategies make a difference in the fruit juice industry

As summer approaches, fruit juice consumption is on the rise both at home and in the Horeca sector (hotels, restaurants and cafés). As a result, operators are expanding their offer, which has become very diverse in a market that is, however, a complete labyrinth, where regulations certainly do not help the consumer.

The interview with Dario De Lisi, sales manager at Masseria Fruttirossi, the Apulian agritech company that is an Italian producer of pomegranates with 400 hectares of land, 40 of which are dedicated to avocados, explains how commercial and marketing strategies have allowed the company to position itself on the market in an exemplary way.

Juices are produced and marketed in Italy and abroad under the Lome Super Fruit brand in a modern processing and packaging plant surrounded by orchards.

Characteristics of Masseria Fruttirossi juices

"We are the only Italian company that can guarantee the quality of its products through a short, controlled and certified supply chain," explains De Lisi. "In fact, we only use pomegranates from our own production. Lome Super Fruit juices are 100% pure, cold-pressed, freshly squeezed fruit, without the use of third-party concentrates or the addition of sugar, preservatives and colorants. Rich in natural nutraceuticals such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, they are a great tasting health supplement. Our products are also Vegan OK certified.

These are fruit juices that are in line with the tastes and needs of the health and wellness conscious consumer, a market segment that is also growing rapidly in our country. "This sets us apart from almost all of our competitors, who mostly market a drink with a minimal percentage of fruit, often made with frozen concentrate that comes from abroad and is extracted from commonly grown fruits, without having to comply with regulations to protect consumers."

Masseria Fruttirossi offers a range of juices in different formats in glass bottles, which are sold both in large retail stores and in the Horeca channel. "The Lome Super Fruit line includes two pure juices: pomegranate, our flagship, a very tasty fruit with extraordinary natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and clementine, a typical local citrus. We also offer two blends, both based on pomegranate, designed to meet the tastes of a younger audience: the pomegranate, ginger and lemon blend, and the pomegranate, strawberry and raspberry blend. The two juices are also available in PET bottles, especially in large retail outlets, which contain juice that has undergone a cold process based on hydrostatic pressure rather than traditional pasteurization. Together with the cold chain, this guarantees a shelf life of 30 to 40 days."

The manager adds that too often consumers and bar owners don't know the difference between a real fruit juice and a fruit drink. "In addition, the regulations absurdly forbid us from putting the words 'no added sugar or food coloring' on fruit juice bottles, while they allow fruit drinks to do so, giving them the opportunity to produce labels with catchier wording that can confuse consumers.

The strategies used to promote our juices in the market are obviously different between the large retail sector and the Horeca sector, but both aim to make people understand the difference between a fruit juice and a fruit-based drink."

Strategies implemented in the Horeca sector

The Lome Super Fruit range is mainly found in bars, for which the 200 ml format is intended. "We focus on business places that want to stand out in terms of quality, authenticity and taste, and we help them promote our juices. During this period, we are launching an innovative breakfast campaign for our distributors, communicated through promotional counter displays. We are applying an attractive time-based discount on Lome Super Fruit juices, allowing retailers to offer their customers a complete breakfast with Lome juice, cappuccino and croissant at an advantageous price."

"In recent years, we have developed our distribution network, which now covers almost the entire national territory; our commercial strategy in the Horeca sector also includes accompanying and supporting retailers and bartenders in their professional growth, organizing workshops in retail outlets for their customers, as well as training and refresher courses."

Strategies for the large-scale retail sector

The 250ml and 500ml formats, on the other hand, are aimed at supermarkets and retailers, where there are palette displays that step out of the traditional shelves where these products are usually positioned. "For each brand, we organize two tasting days at strategic points of sale, with hostesses and flyers. In supermarkets, we promote our product directly to consumers, with campaigns in which we are present with branded displays in stores and tasting events with staff explaining the qualities of our juices, and also with the distribution of promotional material. This action is accompanied and supported by advertising campaigns, which are often new: last August, for instance, one of our spots was broadcast for a week on the 410 "Indoor GoTV" of the motorway service areas in Italy, a high visibility campaign that allowed us to reach a total of about seven million people, with more than 300 play-overs per day."