Minute Maid & Hi-C Harness the Power of the Pouch

By Judy Rice

New Minute Maid Coolers and Hi-C Blast juice beverages in patented, contour, stand-up pouches are not in full national distribution yet—but they're already growing the category.

Rick Zuroweste, director of marketing for the Kids Beverage Team at The Minute Maid Company (Houston, TX), tells us that the new products and packages are enjoying high popularity in the Southwest and Midwest markets where they are currently available. At the same time, they seem not to be cannibalizing sales of the brands' other product and package types.

Minute Maid and Hi-C, members of the Coca-Cola family, formed the Kids Beverage Team in the mid-1990s. The team's objective is to analyze the various segments of the juvenile consumer market and to develop products and packages targeted toward those segments. Pouch packaging, which, during the 1980s was dominated by Capri Sun juices, was seen as terrific candidate for the kids market. In the past, Zuroweste notes, there had been certain legal and patent issues associated with pouch packaging. In addition, pouch materials and pouch packaging equipment require a substantial investment. But Minute Maid and Hi-C determined that the investment was worth it and developed their own patented pouch design.

The 200-ml (6.75 fluid oz) pouches are being marketed in 10-count packs, and the promotional efforts are focused on kids between 9 and 14, also know as the "tweens." As Zuroweste explains, "Our research shows that the tweens consider the more traditional juice box to be a little kids' package. But our contour pouch is ‘cool'."

The new pouch was designed with aesthetics and ergonomics in mind. It's attractive to look at, easy to grip, stands on its own, and features a wide-mouthed, no-spill pocket where a wide straw is puncture-inserted to open the package. The proprietary film/foil preformed pouches (supplied by Gebo-France) and aseptic filling and sealing equipment (manufactured by Tetoni-Italy) provide a 10-month non-refrigerated shelf life for unopened product.

Minute Maid Coolers include four flavors: Fruit Punch, Berry Punch, Pink Lemonade, and Tropical Punch. Hi-C Blast is available in five flavors: Fruit Pow, Berry Break, Sporty Lemon-Lime, Tropical Bash, and Citrus Craze. The products already have attained a 12% market share in the Midwest and Southwest and are expected to be full national distribution by early 2001.

For more info: Ray Crockett, Minute Maid. Tel: 713-888-5670, or rcrockett@minutemaid.com