The News
AUSTRIA JUICE GmbH has introduced a 30% reduced-sugar fruit juice powered by its fermentation technology. The company is launching apple juice concentrate as its flagship product at PLMA in Amsterdam on May 2026. The technology reduces sugar and calories while maintaining the juice's natural flavor and essential properties.
When a pre‑war company unveils a new product at a trade show, the headline alone isn’t enough—what matters is how that launch aligns with industry trends and regulatory shifts. Austria Juice has done just that by debuting a 30% reduced‑sugar apple juice concentrate at PLMA Amsterdam on May 20, 2026. The move comes ahead of the EU Breakfast Directive’s new “reduced‑sugar fruit juice” category, which will take effect on June 14, 2026 and requires a minimum 30 % sugar cut.
The concentration technology is built around that statutory threshold: natural sugars are fermented into ethanol, then blended back with apple juice to hit the target sugar level without adding sweeteners or off‑flavors. Because it’s delivered as a concentrate, manufacturers can blend or dilute it themselves, keeping their own production lines intact while meeting the new legal label.
Why operators should care. First, consumer demand for lower sugar is strong: a 2023 IFIC survey found that 66 % of shoppers are actively trying to reduce sugar in drinks. Second, the fruit‑juice market is only growing at about 2.1 % CAGR, so brands need a differentiator to capture shelf space and maintain margins. Private‑label brands already chase clean‑label reformulations—42 % of European private‑label beverage launches in 2025 featured reduced‑or‑no‑added‑sugar claims—so Austria Juice’s plug‑in solution gives them an easy way to comply with law while keeping a “natural” image.
The concentrate itself is produced at Austria Juice’s 12 global sites, giving the company the infrastructure to supply the ingredient at scale. The product can be blended or diluted by end users; it does not automatically translate into a finished retail unit and therefore requires brands to handle final packaging, pricing, and distribution.
For distributors, this means they can add a low‑sugar ingredient to their portfolios without overhauling existing production lines. Retailers—especially those carrying private‑label or craft brands—can offer a healthier option that meets the new EU category while preserving an all‑natural image. Bars and restaurants can keep current juice offerings unchanged; the concentrate is not a ready‑to‑serve product.
The PLMA show, with over 30 000 visitors in 2025, underscores the industry appetite for clean‑label solutions. Austria Juice’s debut there signals that it sees an opportunity to capture part of that demand before the directive takes effect.
For distributors looking to add a low‑sugar ingredient without disrupting their own supply chain, Austria Juice offers a ready‑to‑use concentrate that ticks both the EU’s 30 % sugar‑reduction requirement and the growing consumer push for healthier drinks.
Original Press Release
AUSTRIA JUICE GmbH unveils its fermentation technology, developed to reduce sugars in 100% fruit juice. This natural process lowers sugar and calories by at least 30% while keeping the juice flavourful. Austria Juice is introducing apple juice concentrate as its flagship reduced-sugar product at PLMA in Amsterdam in May 2026.
The patent-pending technology keeps each juice´s authentic fruit identity and essential properties. This allows beverage companies to label the product as "reduced-sugar fruit juice from concentrate". The taste also stays naturally fruit-forward thanks to Austria Juice's distinct FTNF (From the Named Fruit) know-how.
Filling the white space in the market
"We at AUSTRIA JUICE identified a gap between the desire for 100% fruit juice and the need to reduce sugar consumption", explains Kai Oliver Antonius, AUSTRIA JUICE's Vice President. "Mindful consumers want the nutritional benefits of pure juice, but without the sugar load. They also prefer not to compromise on taste or to sip artificial sweeteners. Meanwhile, we enable our clients to keep their labels clean".
How the technology works
The fermentation technology used by AUSTRIA JUICE is patent-pending. Sugar is converted, processing aids are completely removed, and the product is blended with fruit juice concentrate to achieve the desired sugar content. The juice produced contains at least 30% less sugar and a minimum of 30% fewer calories, achieving EU "Breakfast Directive" goals.
AUSTRIA JUICE developers chose this process over other methods because it is quick, streamlined and precise. This method prevents off-flavours and secondary notes and makes sure that the final product contains no undesirable alcoholic or fermented aromas.
The business model
"Our reduced-sugar products are market-ready – just add your brand and sell, or dilute for ready-to-drink goodness", explains Severin Guski, AUSTRIA JUICE's Business Development Manager. "We are set to serve key players seeking plug-and-play solutions to reduce sugars in beverages made from 100% fruit juice. Our ready-to-use assortment features three juice concentrates: apple, orange and multifruit".
Staying ahead of EU regulations
In June 2024, the amended EU Breakfast Directives came into force, officially introducing a brand-new category: reduced-sugar fruit juice. The directives for this new category take effect on 14 June 2026. The revised EU breakfast guidelines increase transparency and ensure that reduced-sugar products are clearly identifiable. In this new category, juices with a minimum sugar reduction of 30% can be named "reduced-sugar fruit juice".
"Given these EU market disruptions, we help CPG brands transform regulatory change into product opportunity", adds Cornelia Kerschbaumer, Director of Marketing & Communication. "These better-for-you reduced-sugar options are 100% natural fruit juice – for breakfast or on-the-go products. Our solutions help parents; instead of arguing with their kids about drink choices, parents can now give them what they want, just with 30% less sugar".
Lowering sugar is high priority
This EU change supports informed consumer choices, reflecting a clear shift in the marketplace: people want less sugar without sacrificing fruity mouthfeel and robust taste.
In its Global Juice Market Trends Report, Innova Market Insights highlighted several challenges: At a time when consumers are actively limiting sugar in their diets, juice's primary barrier is overcoming its high natural sugar content.1 According to a survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), 66% of consumers reported trying to reduce their sugar consumption.2
First product at scale
"Our first reduced-sugar product combines two key AUSTRIA JUICE strengths: the technology is based on AUSTRIA JUICE's know-how in wine fermentation and our strong position in juice concentrates worldwide", notes Antonius. "We also draw on our leadership in FTNF solutions, spanning technology, application development and production. This integrated expertise gives us an advantage in designing sugar-reduction tech powered by fermentation, as well as our ability to maintain fresh fruity flavour in the juice".
AUSTRIA JUICE has scaled to meet consumer demand for reduced-sugar fruit juice in Europe and other regions. The company has geared up to help juice manufacturers comply with EU regulations.
Sweet success
The reduced-sugar fruit juices are trusted quality and precision from AUSTRIA JUICE, Europe's juice experts. The system locks in all the goodness of 100% fruit juice while cutting back on sugar. "With EU Breakfast Directives right around the corner, AUSTRIA JUICE helps producers fast-track reduced-sugar solutions that deliver everything consumers love about fruit juice", concludes Kerschbaumer.
Check out AUSTRIA JUICE at PLMA in Amsterdam on 19-20 May 2026, at booth 3.D47, to taste our reduced-sugar fruit juices.
About AUSTRIA JUICE
AUSTRIA JUICE is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of apple and berry juice concentrates and an important producer of food & beverage ingredient solutions.
Founded in 1936 as "YO - Ybbstaler Obstverwertung", AUSTRIA JUICE is a member of the AGRANA Group. Around 1,000 employees at 12 locations produce fruit juice concentrates, beverage compounds, natural flavours, direct juices and fruit wines and supply more than 750 customers in the food processing industry in 65 countries.
1 Innova Market Insights, "Global Juice Market", June 25, 2025. https://www.innovamarketinsights.com/trends/global-juice-market/
2 The International Food Information Council, "2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey". June 20, 2024. https://ific.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-IFIC-Food-Health-Survey.pdf
Sources consulted (web research):
- Austria Juice Rolls Out 30 Reduced Sugar Fruit Juice Powered By Propr…
- Austria Juice Patent Pending Fermentation Technology Sugar Fruit Juice
- Austria Juice Rolls Out 30 Reduced Sugar Fruit Juice Powered By Propr…
- Patent Pending Fermentation Technology Reduces Juice Sugar And Calories
- Austria Juice Launches 30 Reduced Sugar Fruit Juice Using New Ferment…
- Austria Juice Reduced Sugar Fruit Fermentation
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Source: PR Newswire