Ocean Spray is set to launch a Pink Cranberry variety with vitamin C and no added sugar, artificial colours or flavours.

The juice drink will be available from the end of October in ambient and chilled varieties at an RRP of £1.85. It contains a blend of pink, red and white cranberries, which gives it a sweeter taste compared to other cranberry drinks. This makes it a suitable drink outside the traditional breakfast occasion, the supplier says.

Its launch comes amid research showing that nearly three-quarters of non-cranberry juice consumers would be more likely to drink it if it had a sweeter taste profile, according to Jo Dickinson, senior UK marketing manager at Ocean Spray. “The majority of these consumers consider cranberry juice to be inherently healthy but two-thirds don’t consider it due to its tartness,” she said.

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“We wanted to create a different type of cranberry juice filled with passion and purpose that appeals to the younger, non-cranberry drinker who is often put off by the tartness of traditional cranberry juice. It also needed to have wider appeal outside of the breakfast occasion.”

Cranberry juice makes up just 2.5% of all UK sales, but Ocean Spray believes the new variety can grow this share thanks to its versatility.

Additionally, Ocean Spray’s volume sales are up by 20% against a total juice category decline of 9%, with its chilled take-home juice up by 36% and ambient take-home juice up by 17%.

The supplier will support the launch with a nationwide sampling campaign, as well as TV, social media and display advertising.

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