Fruit concentrates are mostly used in the beverages industry to produce fruit juices and nectars. They are available in a wide range of fruit flavors. They are also used as natural sweeteners and to manufacture natural food colors.
Fruit concentrates are implemented by manufacturers in variety of food items so that consumers perceive their products as natural. According to market research the Middle-East and African (MEA) fruit concentrate market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2 percent and is expected to reach USD2.92 billion by 2021 from USD0.91 billion in 2016.
Middle East and Africa have a lot of empty land which can be used for plantation of fruits and vegetables. Support from government will also fuel the growth of the market. Fruit concentrates are fruit juices with stronger concentration and are widely used in beverage industry to make fruit juices and nectar. With its easy to store nature, it is convenient in shipping and transporting.
Also, it is attracting people by being available at an attractively cheaper price. Fruit concentrates generally substitute sugar in various food items such as cakes, juices, chocolates and others by acting as natural sweeteners. They can be substituted with fresh fruit juices due to its longer shelf life and ready-to-make nature. The advantages like easy storage, larger shelf-life and cheaper price is attracting the customers, which is driving the sales and market growth.
But due to the diabetes epidemic that's spreading in the countries, the sales are said to get affected, limiting the market growth. The fruit concentrate market in MEA is segmented based on fruit types like orange, apple, pineapple, banana etc. and also on the basis of application which includes dairy products, juices, squash, soft drinks, frozen products and baby food. Based on geography, Middle-East & Africa market is segmented as Saudi Arabia, UAE, and others.
Major companies in the market are Kerry Group Plc., AGRANA group, Dohler group, Coca Cola's minute maid, Capricon, Oceanaa, Acerola, and Mine Products. On the global level, the market for fruit concentrates is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5 percent to reach an estimated value of around USD 40.2 billion by 2021. Fruit juices and flavors are popular and highly favored in virtually every region of the world.
The global market is driven by the North American region, which has the largest market share and is showing a steady increase in its growth. Increasing knowledge of the ill effects of sugar, coupled with the rising demand for convenience products among the people in North American countries, is driving the growth of fruit concentrate across the region. 100 percent of the juices made from concentrates accounted for about two-thirds of the EU fruit juice and nectars market in 2013, which is equivalent to 6.5 billion liters.
Besides its use in fruit juices, fruit concentrates are majorly used in confectionery and bakery segments in the continent. In the Asia-Pacific region, health concerns about food habits have changed. People are opting for nutritional food items as they are growing wary of sugar intake through processed foods. Moreover, there is a forward trend towards the consumption of processed food products in the developing countries, which further indicates the increasing use of fruit concentrates.
