Tropicana Canada has introduced a new segment to the refrigerated juice market with the launch in eastern Canada of Tropicana Tropics chilled 100% juice blends.

While juice blends in the past have always contained less than 100% juice products, Tropicana Tropics is made from 100% real juice.

Three blends of orange juice with tropical fruit juices are now available in 1.89 litre easy-pour cartons: orange peach mango, orange strawberry banana, and orange kiwi passion.

The company says there is room to extend the brand but it will monitor results of the first three flavors for about six months before proceeding with more flavors.

Tropicana currently controls 48% of Canada’s $216 million chilled juice category and is now ranked as the 10th largest Canadian supermarket brand by A.C. Nielsen – impressive given that Tropicana has been in Canada for only five years.

The company was established in 1991 as a Canadian division of Seagram, which bought the u.s. company in 1988.

Andrea Graham, product manager for Tropicana Canada, attributes the success to the company focusing on its core strength: 100% pure fruit juices.

In addition to Tropics, the Tropicana chilled lineup includes Premium and Homestyle orange juice, GroveStand orange juice, OrchardStand apple juice, and Golden and Ruby Red grapefruit juices. Tropicana Twister is its only shelf-stable product.

Graham says there is still lots of room for growth in the chilled juice category.

She says Tropicana will attain growth by increasing share among health-conscious consumers looking for 100% pure fruit juice and by tapping into the idea that juice is no longer considered a breakfast-only beverage.

‘Overall, the chilled juice category is in a state of what Nielsen calls `dynamic market growth,’ which is a category growing at over 20% annually. Chilled juices are growing at 28% in Canada,’ says Graham.

‘Approximately 60% of Canadians drink orange in the morning so there’s 40% to look at for other mealtime and refreshment occasions, and that’s a significant number,’ she says.

While Tropicana is a national company, its focus has been in Eastern Canada.

Graham says, ‘At this point, we will remain focused on the east but down the road we intend to have all our products in national distribution.’

The Tropics launch in the East is supported by outdoor and transit advertising along with radio promotions, in-store coupons and sampling.

Most of the radio and in-store efforts are linked to a draw for six trips for two to Breezes, an all-inclusive resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

The campaign, from FCB Canada of Toronto, runs until the end of May.

Three outdoor executions have been created to play up the imagery that comes with the name Tropics.

Headlines include: ‘It’s a jungle in here,’ ‘Sunburn not included,’ and ‘Try this exotic vacation package.’