Supplying in formats from 340-450ml, 1-litre and 1.5-litre, and working with the major beverage brands, MD Yannick Le Mintier is now busy making deals in Europe.
Interview by Claire Phoenix.
How does Bolthouse Farms operate?
Yannick Le Mintier: Our proposition is that we harvest fresh carrots every day of the year. That’s 3,000 tonnes of baby carrots every day for 52 weeks of the year. Through that freshness, we can produce the best tasting carrot juice, which is why the very well known juice beverage companies with the highest standards come to us.
When we’re all concerned about our health, the objective is a sweet, fresh snack and here it’s the freshness that counts. We supply manufacturers who want the very best, with single strength or puree in drums.
How has the business evolved, and what’s the latest trend in drinks?
Le Mintier: We’ve seen a move to purple carrots, or black carrot as it’s called in Europe. In fact, you can see that our new drink is Red Berries and Purple Carrots, which gives a deliciously light and fruity taste.
We also have a 50:50 Carrot, 50:50 Passion, 50:50 Berry and 50:50 Tropical blend.
What are the benefits of carrots?
Le Mintier: Deep-coloured orange fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and phytochemicals such as vitamin C, potassium and folic acid.
On our Bolthouse Farms website, we have a colour wheel that explains the benefits of ingredients such as carrots. For instance, in the ‘Get your Yellows’ section, the information given is: Deep coloured yellow orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and phytochemicals such as vitamin C, beta carotene and flavonoids.
Including yellow/orange fruits and vegetables in a low-fat diet may:
Beta carotene may act as an antioxidant in the body. Beta carotene converts to vitamin A in the body and assists with reproduction, cell differentiation and vision.
Vitamin C helps with collagen synthesis, amino acid metabolism, strengthens resistance to infection and assists iron in absorption. Flavonoids are phytochemicals that act as antioxidants and may decrease the risk for diseases influenced by free radicals.
Yellow orange/yellow coloured fruits and vegetables include: orange, lemon, peaches, papaya, grapefruits, mango, pineapple, tangerines, mangos, yellow & orange bell peppers, pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and yellow carrots.
Keep an eye out for these Bolthouse products:
How long does a fresh carrot-based beverage last in a chill cabinet?
Le Mintier: We are all cold chain distribution, and we give our retailers in the US a time of 35 days, although it’s a little longer. The freshness is important as this is what gives it such a great taste. You wouldn’t achieve the same result with a from-concentrate carrot juice.
What is the key to your success?
Le Mintier: The key to success is our merchandising capability. Each day, our merchandisers go into the store to check how things are going. We have 70-75 in all – one in each city.
Because of the success of our own Bolthouse Farms beverage line with Bom Dia and the other formats, the world is coming to us. So far, we’re also selling well in the UK and Germany, and in France and Scandinavia.
We’re also doing very well with our protein drinks. No longer does the consumer see these as making them into ‘Mr Muscle’. It’s all about health, so merchandising and constant innovation is key and the objective is to provide a sweet fresh snack every day, with around six baby carrots in many of the drinks made using our puree.
Claire Phoenix is managing editor of Beverage Innovation magazine. Subscribe here.
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