Young people are increasingly interested in getting their serve of fruit in a processed form, and are turning away from whole fruits, according to author and editor Julian Mellentin.
The New Zealand-based New Nutrition Business editor said the “superfruit” craze was allowing businesses to cash in on changing consumer preferences, particularly among young people who seek convenience and so choose an acai juice over eating an apple of a pear.
Convenience was a major factor in the rise of superfruits. Juices present fruits in their most convenient form, a fact that allows hefty price premiums to be charged due to the appeal to increasingly time-starved consumers.
Superfruit extract-based food supplements such as bilberry, cranberry, acerola and pomegranate are all selling well; bilberry has become the world’s most expensive fruit.