Producing fruit juice that’s pumped with flavour!

Jun 13, 2023

Darryl Macdougall, Managing Director, Verder Pumps South Africa

FRUIT juices are one of the fastest growing agro-processing sub sectors. According to research by Insight Survey the South African Juice market achieved growth of 3.4% year-on-year between 2020 and 2021. This is stable growth and an increase on the growth rate that the market achieved in preceding years (CAGR of 2.8% over 2013 to 2018). And this growth is despite the unescapable impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which demonstrates the value proposition of the local fruit juice market – not only for local consumption, but as a keen exporter to numerous markets, including Netherlands, USA, Canada, Singapore and Japan.

Substantiating this growth is the change that can be seen in consumer behaviour and consumption, as more consumers become health conscious and look to switch to food and beverages that offer higher nutritional value for their money's worth. Ready to serve the more mindful consumer, South Africa's premier 100% pure and natural fruit juices offer good quality products and numerous flavours, with staples like apple, grape, pineapple and exotic blends forming the basis of the South African range.

That said, remaining competitive in an increasingly saturated market is no small feat. From crop to grading, to the perfect blend and everything delectably juicy in between; for every processor in this market, ensuring high product quality – both in terms of flavour and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the public/end consumer – is critical to their business sustainability. Maintaining the highest standards in hygiene in the production of their products is non-negotiable, as even the slightest contamination could mean a batch of product is unusable, or unsafe for consumption, which could lead to product recalls, financial loses and potentially reputational risks.

Producing high quality fruit juice products every time therefore requires machines that are 100% reliable, equipment that is safe and every part of the production line should be accessible for regular cleaning, sanitisation and sterilisation. And the pump and piping solutions installed throughout the plant are the backbone of the production line and what keeps the product flowing through the entire processing operation to the final stage of bottling.

Understanding the intricate and technical details and implications of selecting the right pumping solutions for specific use applications can be challenging, however, it is an important purchase decision – and continued and sustainable optimum production performance of the plant is dependent on the longevity of the equipment.

For example, consider replacing progressive cavity pumps with Packo hygienic pump solutions (such as our twin-screw, rotary lobe and CIP pumps), which will negate issues with current progressive cavity pumps, such as tiny rubber filaments getting into the juice batch, and thereby aid in ensuring a pure product is delivered every time.

Additionally, standardising equipment throughout the plant can reduce downtime and total cost of ownership, due to less breakdowns and need for repairs on equipment/machinery, which also results in less stock holding requirements in terms of spares.

To be assured of the quality of equipment, fruit juice processors should look to a trusted and reputable brand that can offer a wide range of long-lasting, cost-effective and integratable pumping solutions that are certified and fit-for-purpose for numerous applications throughout the production line, which means more plant uptime, efficiency and high-quality outputs, and better service delivery.

Reference:

Insight Survey 2022: https://insightsurvey.co.za/south-african-fruit-juice-industry-report-industry-specific/