Opportunity in New Technology: Sugar-Free Juice

Disruptive technological breakthroughs in the food industry have propelled the development of many sectors within food and beverage, fostering the rise of both giants and new brands. Aseptic packaging technologies, such as Tetra Pak, have enabled milk to be stored at room temperature for extended periods, greatly expanding its distribution. Spray drying and freeze-drying technologies have enhanced product preservation and portability, facilitating the widespread consumption of powdered milk and instant coffee. More recently, advancements in sugar substitutes have fueled the rise of sugar-free products.

Amid today’s sugar-reduction trend, the biggest challenge for the juice category is sugar content. As a consumer myself, I often face a dilemma—I love drinking juice, but I’m wary of its high sugar levels. Currently, only lemon juice and grapefruit juice come with less of this concern, but that severely limits the consumption of other juices.

But what if juice could also be sugar-free, without compromising taste? That would be revolutionary. Fortunately, new technologies now make it possible to reduce sugar while preserving the nutritional value of juice—a tremendous leap forward.

In October 2023, the food and beverage industry was abuzz with excitement over the news: “Groundbreaking Breakthrough: Juice Can Now Be Sugar-Free?”

NewTree Fruit Company (NTFC), a nutrition company based in Michigan, USA, announced that it had successfully removed 100% of the natural sugars—fructose, sucrose, and glucose—from cranberry concentrate juice while retaining all of the fruit’s original nutrients. This achievement was made possible through their patented De-Sugaring? technology, which uses a culturing method to extract sugar from fruit juice without the use of enzymes or chemicals.The company was founded in 2014 by Chad Anderson and Kim Anderson, along with research engineer Luc Hobson.

This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for innovation and growth in the juice industry. I, too, eagerly await the day when Chinese companies adopt this technology to remove sugar while preserving nutrition and flavor, so I can enjoy sugar-free lychee drinks, waxberry drinks, and every other type of fruit beverage without hesitation.