Since 2020, there has been a significant increase in eCommerce food and beverage demand. Whether consumers are still cautious about going out in public, or have just gotten used to staying at home more, direct-to-consumer (DTC) shopping is not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, with the current trends in market behavior, it is only going to continue to grow. Today’s consumers are focused on health, so they seek out fresh and functional products that provide added health benefits, and the convenience of home-delivery is a plus.
DTC juice brands must be prepared to meet this demand and scale their business models to grow with the trends for fresh, healthy, and convenient options. One way these brands can prepare is by finding the right co-manufacturing partner to support growth. Let’s look at a few things to consider when finding your beverage co-manufacturing partner.
Production Capacity and Product Knowledge
DTC juice brands need to partner with a contract manufacturer who can handle their production volumes and product expectations. Companies everywhere are facing labor shortages, so finding a partner who can support production volumes is a must. Additionally, finding a partner with product knowledge, in this case fresh beverages, is very beneficial. Premium brands should find a specialty contract manufacturer who can focus on packaging their specific product type – fresh, premium beverages. A reliable and experienced partner will be able to provide the best service and meet expectations.
Value-Added Service Offerings
When looking at outsourcing beverage bottling, brands should consider the value of a partner who can meet multiple needs under one roof. This not only reduces the number of links in the supply chain, and the potential for damaged product, but it also saves time and product cost. Finding a contract manufacturer who can also manage product labeling, date-coding, casing, and even storage and logistics will cut cost and raise product efficiencies. A one-stop-shop approach is in the best interest of all parties: the brand, the contract manufacturer, and the consumer.
High Pressure Processing (HPP) Services
For fresh juice and functional beverage brands, the growing cold pasteurization technology – HPP – has become the go-to food safety and shelf-life extension method. In most circumstances, brands would bottle their beverage product in one facility and then transport the product to an HPP service provider to undergo HPP before going to the consumer. Partnering with a contract manufacturer who provides HPP services under the same roof cuts cost and time, and helps lock in the freshest product qualities. For best results, products should undergo HPP soon after bottling to lock in nutrients and all the natural product qualities. Housing the co-packing and HPP under one roof makes this possible and enables the freshest final product.
By forming relationships with service providers like Universal Pure, direct-to-consumer juice brands can focus on their customers’ needs and trust that the outcome will exceed expectations. DTC brands should connect with industry partners that can deliver more than just a beverage – they should find a partner who can deliver fully integrated cold chain solutions.
