PRIVATE-LABEL JUICE SALES FLOWING

JULIE C. BOEHNING

Supermarket chains are feeling the squeeze in their frozen juice aisles. But private label is helping to prevent a category meltdown, retailers said.

"Private label is one of the reasons why we haven't taken more space from the category," said David Goodyear, frozen food manager at Dreshertown Shop 'N Bag, Upper Dublin, Pa. "I can't keep it on the shelves. It still draws a lot of traffic to the case."

In recent years, convenient chilled juices have lured shoppers away from frozen concentrate. But retailers said private label -- along with new blends, promotions and cross-merchandising -- is aiding the category.

Though overall frozen juice sales have dropped over the last few years, private label is on the upswing. Within the orange juice segment, private label is the No. 1 slot, with 41% of sales for the year ending Dec. 9, 1995, according to ACNielsen, Schaumburg, Ill. During the same period, private-label blended frozen juices -- combinations of two or more flavors -- increased 19% to $5.9 million.

"Private label is vital," said Henry Johnson, president and buyer of frozen food at W. Lee Flowers and Co., Scranton, S.C. "It's a better value because it's a good product and it's cheaper."

If the category continues to lose sales to its chilled counterparts, retailers said they will put more stock in private label.

"We're going to start doing deletions within that category and that will come from national brands, not private label, so the percent to total sales will increase," said Jerry Beck, category manager of frozen food at Schnuck Markets, St. Louis.

While basic private-label orange juice is a solid performer, some newly created products are adding excitement to the overall category.

Refreshing blends, which include juices from fruits like guava and mango, were cited by retailers as hot alternatives to more conventional frozen juices.

"We're seeing a lot of increased movement in the other flavors and fruit juices," said Larry Provencal, frozen food buyer at Mars Super Markets Inc., Baltimore. "The blends are moving better." Organic juices, in blends as well as single flavors, are also selling well within the category. Ross Elkin, group product manager at Welch Foods Inc., Concord, Mass., told SN the category is shifting toward greater variety. This summer Welch's is introducing two new flavors: Welchade Watermelon Strawberry and Welch's Orchard Berry Sunsplash.

To draw shoppers to frozen juice promotions, retailers often take ad items out of doors and feature them in coffins. Some retailers cross merchandise frozen juices with other breakfast foods.