The EU Pineapple Juice Market Lacks to Gain Momentum

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'EU - Pineapple Juice - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings.

The EU pineapple juice market (which refers to the single strength juice of both direct extraction and reconstituted from the concentrate) was estimated at $368M in 2019, approximately equating the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price. Over the period under review, consumption recorded a mild decline. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2009 when the market value increased by 30% against the previous year. As a result, consumption attained the peak level of $624M. From 2010 to 2019, the growth of the market failed to regain the momentum.

COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a noticeable transformation of the markets throughout the world, in particular, with regard to the pineapple juice market. So far, the uncertainty regarding the depth of both the global and the national economic decline is too great to make reliable forecasts. However, changes are currently taking place in key market fundamentals: macroeconomic background, sales channels, supply chains, consumer behavior, and prices.

According to the IMF, even several months lived outbreak would lead to at least a 3% contraction of the global GDP in 2020. Previously, during the 2008-2010 crisis, pineapple juice production in the world declined in 2010, and afterward, it rebounded over the next two years. Since pineapple juice is a less popular product than more common types of juice, it is more at risk from the COVID-19 epidemic than staple food products. In the context of falling incomes, consumers primarily tend to exclude non-staple goods from purchases, which in the EU countries is relevant for pineapple juice. Given those assumptions, the contraction of the market in the short term of 2020 might be perceptible. In the medium term, the market growth should start to rebound gradually along with rising incomes and the wane of the pandemic.

Major supply chain risk comes from the fact that the pineapple industry in large producing countries (Costa Rica, the Philippines, Thailand) is largely export-oriented, therefore, a decrease in demand in Western countries can hurt local producers. Future pineapple cultivation may be hampered by the possible lack of investment in 2020 due to the economic uncertainty and tight financial conditions for both farmers and investors. Consequently, it could undermine supply chains because local producers will switch to other crops if pineapple cultivation becomes unprofitable.

Another risk may appear due to the disruption of established international supply chains including food handling and packaging intermediaries, as well as in the processing sector. Supply chains may be undermined by asynchronous quarantine measures taken in the involved countries as well as the restraints in deliveries. However, this is now mitigated by the gradual re-opening of the economies in the are key importing markets - the U.S. and Europe, which should support the market demand.

Given the limitations of the HoReCa sector and the reduced number of visits to traditional malls and shops, online retail is becoming a key channel for the sale of food products, including pineapple juice. Moreover, contactless delivery becomes a ‘must-have' option for retail services. As online retail becomes the key sales channel, advertising budgets are to shift increasingly from point-of-sale advertising towards Internet messengers and social networks.

On the other hand, retail packaging adapted to different consumption situations becomes more popular: family packages, single person packages of various shapes and dimensions, snack packages, etc. Furthermore, increased consumer attention to health stimulates changes in branding and promotion towards focusing on the health benefits of pineapple juice, which may support the rise of ‘non-from-concentrate' brands.

Consumption by Country

The countries with the highest volumes of pineapple juice consumption in 2019 were Spain (117K tons), France (82K tons) and Germany (47K tons), together comprising 52% of total consumption. These countries were followed by Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and Belgium, which together accounted for a further 33%.

From 2007 to 2019, the biggest increases were in Belgium, while pineapple juice (single strength) consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, Spain ($115M) led the market, alone. The second position in the ranking was occupied by France ($52M). It was followed by Italy.

The countries with the highest levels of pineapple juice per capita consumption in 2019 were the Netherlands (2.54 kg per person), Spain (2.49 kg per person) and Belgium (2 kg per person).

Production in the EU

In 2019, pineapple juice production in the European Union declined modestly to 334K tons, which is down by -3.6% on 2018. In general, production continues to indicate a noticeable downturn. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2018 with an increase of 33% y-o-y. Over the period under review, production reached the peak volume at 669K tons in 2009; however, from 2010 to 2019, production failed to regain the momentum.

Production By Country

Spain (100K tons) remains the largest pineapple juice producing country in the European Union, accounting for 30% of total volume. Moreover, pineapple juice (single strength) production in Spain exceeded the figures recorded by the second-largest producer, France (47K tons), twofold. Italy (44K tons) ranked third in terms of total production with a 13% share.

From 2007 to 2019, the average annual rate of growth in terms of volume in Spain amounted to -2.4%. In the other countries, the average annual rates were as follows: France (-0.7% per year) and Italy (-6.4% per year).

Exports in the EU

In 2019, exports of pineapple juice in the European Union shrank notably to 112K tons, which is down by -29.9% compared with the previous year. Total exports indicated tangible growth from 2007 to 2019: its volume increased at an average annual rate of +3.4% over the last twelve-year period. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period. The volume of export peaked at 160K tons in 2018, and then reduced notably in the following year.

In value terms, pineapple juice (single strength) exports contracted to $82M (IndexBox estimates) in 2019. The total export value increased at an average annual rate of +2.5% over the period from 2007 to 2019; however, the trend pattern indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded in certain years.

Exports by Country

The Netherlands was the largest exporter of pineapple juice in the European Union, with the volume of exports recording 59K tons, which was near 52% of total exports in 2019. It was distantly followed by Germany (13K tons), Belgium (11K tons), Spain (6.9K tons) and Cyprus (5.5K tons), together achieving a 32% share of total exports. Austria (4.1K tons) and France (3.6K tons) followed a long way behind the leaders.

The Netherlands was also the fastest-growing in terms of the pineapple juice (single strength) exports, with a CAGR of +16.1% from 2007 to 2019. At the same time, France (+11.0%), Cyprus (+9.1%), Belgium (+9.0%) and Spain (+8.0%) displayed positive paces of growth. Germany experienced a relatively flat trend pattern. By contrast, Austria (-9.7%) illustrated a downward trend over the same period. From 2007 to 2019, the share of the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Cyprus and France increased by +44%, +6.1%, +3.7%, +3.2% and +2.3% percentage points, while Austria (-8.7 p.p.) saw their share reduced. The shares of the other countries remained relatively stable throughout the analyzed period.

In value terms, the Netherlands ($38M) remains the largest pineapple juice supplier in the European Union, comprising 46% of total exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Germany ($12M), with a 14% share of total exports. It was followed by Belgium, with a 8.4% share.

In the Netherlands, pineapple juice exports increased at an average annual rate of +14.4% over the period from 2007-2019. The remaining exporting countries recorded the following average annual rates of exports growth: Germany (+0.8% per year) and Belgium (+7.0% per year).

Export Prices by Country

The average pineapple juice export price in the European Union stood at $733 per ton in 2019. Over the period under review, the export price, however, saw a relatively flat trend pattern. Over the period under review, export prices attained the maximum at $873 per ton in 2011; however, from 2012 to 2019, export prices remained at a lower figure.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was France ($1,212 per ton), while Cyprus ($543 per ton) was amongst the lowest.

From 2007 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by France, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Imports in the EU

In 2019, overseas purchases of pineapple juice decreased by -5.1% to 249K tons, falling for the third year in a row after two years of growth. Against its outset level of 2007, imports, however, enjoyed a prominent increase. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2016 when imports increased by 36% against the previous year. As a result, imports attained the peak of 318K tons. From 2017 to 2019, the growth imports remained at a somewhat lower figure.

In value terms, pineapple juice imports reduced to $131M (IndexBox estimates) in 2019. Total imports indicated a pronounced increase from 2007 to 2019: its value increased at an average annual rate of +6.3% over the last twelve-year period. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period.

Imports by Country

In 2019, the Netherlands (87K tons) was the main importer of pineapple juice, generating 35% of total imports. France (39K tons) ranks second in terms of the total imports with a 16% share, followed by Germany (15%), Belgium (12%), Spain (9.5%) and the UK (6.4%).

Imports into the Netherlands increased at an average annual rate of +6.5% from 2007 to 2019. At the same time, Belgium (+19.7%), Spain (+17.8%), Germany (+11.6%) and France (+9.8%) displayed positive paces of growth. Moreover, Belgium emerged as the fastest-growing importer imported in the European Union, with a CAGR of +19.7% from 2007-2019. The UK experienced a relatively flat trend pattern. While the share of the Netherlands (+18 p.p.), Germany (+11 p.p.), France (+10 p.p.), Belgium (+10 p.p.) and Spain (+8.1 p.p.) increased significantly, the shares of the other countries remained relatively stable throughout the analyzed period.

In value terms, the Netherlands ($35M), France ($24M) and Germany ($20M) were the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2019, with a combined 60% share of total imports. Belgium, the UK and Spain lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 27%.

Import Prices by Country

In 2019, the pineapple juice import price in the European Union amounted to $528 per ton, waning by -9.9% against the previous year. Overall, the import price showed a perceptible reduction. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2009 when the import price increased by 8.4% year-to-year. As a result, import price attained the peak level of $850 per ton. From 2010 to 2019, the growth in terms of the import prices remained at a lower figure.

Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was the UK ($649 per ton), while the Netherlands ($404 per ton) was amongst the lowest.

From 2007 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by France, while the other leaders experienced a decline in the import price figures.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform