>>consumers and buyers give their views on the latest launches
Ocean Spray White Cranberry range
From: Gerber
Cranberries harvested when they are white are reported to be sweeter than those picked later, when they’ve turned red. The three-strong range comes in clear plastic bottles.
Price: £1.49 for a 1.5-litre PET bottle, £1.29 for one litre and £1.25 for three 200ml packs
Total score: 37/50
consumer’s verdict
Philip Hession, 34, graphic designer, Rochester, Kent
Our family normally goes for peach, orange, grape and apple juices.
My wife Emily is a fan of red cranberry juice and our son, Charles, aged 10, drinks it occasionally, although I find it a bit sharp.
The three white cranberry products have very attractive, fresh-looking packaging. I love the plastic bottles and it is nice to be able to see the drink.
All three flavours are sweeter than their red cranberry equivalents. The apple blend is smoothest, while peach is sweetest. The grape version leaves a bit of an aftertaste. Each of us went for a different flavour as our favourite.
We probably wouldn’t buy the grape version again but the peach and apple combinations could find their way onto the family shopping list.
Score: 19/25
buyer’s verdict
CHris Suggett, senior buyer, bells stores
The visual appeal of these white cranberry juice fruit blends is rather higher than their taste delivery.
They are definitely less tart than red cranberry juice and are fairly sweet. However, they still leave a dry feeling in the mouth and this is likely to continue to put children off. Chilling the products doesn’t seem to improve things.
The range will certainly need the backing of its substantial marketing campaign.
Cranberry juice is not the best-selling SKU in our juice range so I would not consider stocking the white blends at the moment.
Once initial trial volume and sales increases have passed, cranberry juice drinkers will have yet more variants to choose from - and that will dilute sales across the sector.
Score: 18/25
Ocean Spray White Cranberry range
From: Gerber
Cranberries harvested when they are white are reported to be sweeter than those picked later, when they’ve turned red. The three-strong range comes in clear plastic bottles.
Price: £1.49 for a 1.5-litre PET bottle, £1.29 for one litre and £1.25 for three 200ml packs
Total score: 37/50
consumer’s verdict
Philip Hession, 34, graphic designer, Rochester, Kent
Our family normally goes for peach, orange, grape and apple juices.
My wife Emily is a fan of red cranberry juice and our son, Charles, aged 10, drinks it occasionally, although I find it a bit sharp.
The three white cranberry products have very attractive, fresh-looking packaging. I love the plastic bottles and it is nice to be able to see the drink.
All three flavours are sweeter than their red cranberry equivalents. The apple blend is smoothest, while peach is sweetest. The grape version leaves a bit of an aftertaste. Each of us went for a different flavour as our favourite.
We probably wouldn’t buy the grape version again but the peach and apple combinations could find their way onto the family shopping list.
Score: 19/25
buyer’s verdict
CHris Suggett, senior buyer, bells stores
The visual appeal of these white cranberry juice fruit blends is rather higher than their taste delivery.
They are definitely less tart than red cranberry juice and are fairly sweet. However, they still leave a dry feeling in the mouth and this is likely to continue to put children off. Chilling the products doesn’t seem to improve things.
The range will certainly need the backing of its substantial marketing campaign.
Cranberry juice is not the best-selling SKU in our juice range so I would not consider stocking the white blends at the moment.
Once initial trial volume and sales increases have passed, cranberry juice drinkers will have yet more variants to choose from - and that will dilute sales across the sector.
Score: 18/25
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