Minute Maid has announced it will discontinue all its frozen juice products, including the iconic frozen orange juice concentrate that first hit shelves in 1946. The Coca-Cola Company, which owns the brand, said the decision reflects changing consumer tastes as shoppers move away from frozen concentrates towards fresh and ready-to-drink options.
Customers have taken to social media to express their dismay, with many recalling childhood memories of the frozen can being mixed with water for breakfast. One user on X lamented the loss of a cost-effective option, while another noted its usefulness in cocktails. The product was originally developed by Vacuum Foods Corp, which later renamed itself Minute Maid, and was the first frozen orange juice to be shipped across the United States.
Coca-Cola acquired Minute Maid in 1960, and the brand introduced ready-to-drink orange juice in 1973, reducing the need for home mixing. Frozen juice sales have declined in recent years, facing competition from energy drinks, protein smoothies, and growing health concerns over added sugar. Minute Maid launched a Zero Sugar range for its fresh juices in 2020, but frozen products have continued to languish.
According to market research firm NielsenIQ, US sales of frozen beverages fell by nearly 8 per cent in the 52 weeks ending 24 January. The frozen juice category has also been hit by rising prices, with a 12-ounce can costing an average of $4.82 in December, up 13 per cent year-on-year, due to poor weather in key growing regions. Minute Maid will exit the frozen can category entirely from April.
