Refreshing dreams, sour reality

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/10.

The average price per litre is higher this year than last year; penetration hasn’t changed, but purchase frequency has declined (NIQ, June 2025). As regards flavour preferences apple, orange and peach remain the classics that attract the masses. Recently 100% products such as orange, apple and beetroot have become more popular, while multivitamins, tomato and nectar have declined, with the cheaper 12% fruit content segment remaining relatively stable. Shopping habits have also changed: there has been a shift towards discounters and online channels, while private label products have become stronger in the longer term, but recently the positions of manufacturer brands have stabilised. Owing to the inflation, fruit juice has become an occasional treat in many households and the raw material supply is also unstable.

Consumers are increasingly looking for functional and low-sugar versions

Seasonal refreshments

Emese Szász-Bognár
international brand
and communications 
manager
Sió-Eckes

SIÓ prepared with strong citrus refreshments for the summer season: the Limonádé product line has joined the already existing CitrusFriss portfolio, enriched with fruit pulp. In addition to the three 1-litre variants – Lime-Strawberry, Peach-Lemon-Mint, Lemon-Watermelon – two convenient, small-sized products quickly became shopper favourites.

The new hohes C Vitaminvíz is available in three flavour combinations (Strawberry-Grapefruit, Orange-Passion Fruit, Lime-Ginger), it is free of sugar and sweeteners, and contains added vitamins and minerals. Functional solutions are playing an increasingly important role in the product range. Hohes C SuperShots are now available as four intense-flavoured 100% fruit shots (Antiox, Energy, Immun, Regeneration).

“We add tangible value to the taste experience: vitamin supplementation, practical packaging and health consciousness”,

notes Emese Szász-Bognár, international brands and communications manager at SIÓ-Eckes Kft.

While private label products strengthen on the long run, recently, it is rather the position of manufacturers’ brands that has stabilized

Functional portfolio

Anett Novák
senior brand manager
Maspex Olympos

Last spring the Topjoy brand came out with a functional trio with 20% fruit content and fortified with vitamins: Immunity (multivitamins, A-E-C-B), Vitality (apple-peach, B-C-D) and Fitness (0% added sugar, apple-pineapple-orange-lemon, vitamins C and B, magnesium).

“With Topjoy Functional drinks we combine the fruity experience with extra vitamin intake”,

says Anett Novák, senior brand manager of Maspex Olympos Kft.

The brand’s revamped Topjoy app returned this spring, with daily messages accompanied by a nationwide prize game.

Klaudia Pécskövi
brand manager
Márka Üdítőgyártó

Márka’s strategy focuses on expanding its selection of functional and low-sugar drinks and strengthening its export markets in Central and Eastern Europe. The company uses recyclable PET bottles and lightweight bottle technology.

“Márka has a stable Hungarian background and is open to modern taste and lifestyle trends”,

explains Klaudia Pécskövi, brand manager of Márka Üdítőgyártó Kft.

Zsuzsanna Papp
marketing manager
Szobi

From Szobi 100% products beetroot and orange are the most popular, while reduced-energy items are also becoming increasingly prominent. In 2025 the company is installing a solar park and palletiser robot to increase energy efficiency and production stability.

“Consumers are looking for natural and low-calorie products, and we are consistently developing in this direction”,

points out Zsuzsanna Papp, marketing manager of Szobi Italgyártó Kft.

The average price per liter is higher this year than a year before; penetration has remained unchanged, but purchase frequency has declined

Grown locally

Katalin Sarkadi
head of marketing 
Funky Forest

Funky Forest offers 100% pressed juices and smoothies made exclusively from fruit and vegetables, with no added sugar, additives or preservatives. Two new products launched in the last six months are the 100% apple and peach juice and the apple, pear and blackcurrant smoothie, which has quickly become popular thanks to its rich antioxidant and phytonutrient content.

“Our products naturally replenish energy – even during sports – and can replace a snack or breakfast”,

remarks Katalin Sarkadi, head of marketing at Funky Forest.

The brand uses mainly local fruit and vegetables, cold-presses them and puts them in environmentally friendly glass bottle packaging.

In the recent period, 100% products—such as orange, apple, and beetroot—have gained strength, while multivitamin, tomato, and nectar products have declined

ESBANA’s flagship product is sea buckthorn fruit pulp.

Attila Kiss
founder
ESBANA

Tünde Zsíros
managing director
ESBANA

Attila Kiss, the founder of ESBANA informs that one of the basic principles of the product range is high fruit content and the absence of preservatives, additives and artificial colours.

“In the spring we introduced the SeaSHOT fruit drink range in four varieties: the high fruit content, conscious packaging and unique flavours have an energising and immune-boosting effect”,

stresses Attila Kiss.

The brand covers a special segment, based on organic sea buckthorn, using only natural ingredients.

A segment of the younger audience is more up to experimenting—demand has been increasing for cactus, mango, and watermelon variants across several brands

Guest writer:
Zsuzsa Hunwald
consultant
YouGov Shopper

Although fruit juice value sales were up 9%, they decreased by 2% in volume and 1% in frequency, based on MAT 06/2025 vs. YA data. Its place is claimed by energy drinks, ice tea and carbonated soft drinks. Smoothies are also losing ground, in contrast to fruit purée, sales of which jumped 38% in volume and 39% in value due to double-digit penetration and frequency growth. Parents with children under the age of 14 years buy 74% more fruit juice than those without children of this age. Apple remains the favourite flavour (with a good average price), accounting for more than a fifth of the market. Apple juices are followed by multivitamin and peach products. Orange is only in fourth place and its share has decreased compared to the previous year, owing to a 38% surge in prices. Nearly half of fruit juice value sales and more than half of the volume come from discount supermarkets.