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The year was 1999.
As the new millennium approached, American shoppers were becoming more health-conscious than ever before. The public wanted fresh, natural foods that were uncomplicated and free of artificial additives.
Sensing this shift, executives at the Coca-Cola Company gathered in a boardroom to brainstorm a new direction.
"The market is changing," said the CEO. "If we want to compete in the 21st century, we need a brand that speaks to emerging consumer values."
Ideas flew fast and furious, until finally a young upstart named Miller stood up.
"I think we need to strip away the excess and focus on real, garden-fresh ingredients," he declared. "Pure, delicious fruits and vegetables, simply prepared for maximum nutrition and flavor."
The team was electrified by this simple yet powerful concept.
Work began secretly on a variety of test recipes and packaging designs. By late 2000, the final product was unveiled: a line of not-from-concentrate orange juices called Simply Orange.
In 2001, Simply Orange finally launched in stores across the Northeast.
Shoppers were drawn to the minimalist black and green bottles that enabled them to see the vibrant orange juice inside. As expected, they loved the bright, fresh taste that evoked sipping juice straight from an orange grove.
Within two years, Simply Orange was available nationwide and debuted new juice flavors.
Over the next decades, the brand would lead a revolution in authentic, back-to-basics beverages.
The history of Simply Beverages had just begun.
The origin of Simply Beverages dates back to 2001, when the iconic juice brand Minute Maid sought to establish a new line of premium fruit juices.
Seeking to capitalize on growing consumer demand for healthy, natural beverages, parent company Coca-Cola crafted the Simply Beverages concept.
The new brand was envisioned as a way to offer consumers an uncomplicated, yet high-quality juice made with simple, garden-fresh ingredients.
In that seminal year of 2001, Simply Beverages was brought to life by Minute Maid.
The fledgling brand launched with just three varieties of not-from-concentrate orange juice sold primarily in the Northeastern United States.
Though its offerings were initially limited, Simply Beverages' commitment to simplicity and authentic taste quickly resonated with consumers.
Over the next few years, distribution expanded down the Eastern Seaboard and then nationwide, as the brand gradually broadened its portfolio of fruit juices.
By the mid-2000s, Simply Beverages established itself as a leading premium juice brand, fulfilling the promise of its creator Minute Maid to deliver healthy, natural beverages made simply and free of artificial ingredients.
A key to Simply Beverages' identity and success has been its use of fresh-squeezed Florida oranges.
The brand has established strong ties with the Florida citrus industry and become one of the largest purchasers of the state's oranges.
Simply Beverages sources a substantial portion of its orange juice from Florida groves, highlighting the juice's origin in a region ideal for growing delicious, nutrient-rich oranges.
By leveraging these high-quality Florida oranges, Simply Beverages is able to consistently deliver orange juice with an authentic, fresh-from-the-grove taste.
The brand works closely with Florida growers to obtain oranges at their peak ripeness and extract juice within hours through gentle squeezing.
This focus on Florida oranges gives Simply Beverages' juice a bright, clean flavor showcasing the natural sweetness and richness of oranges from America's prime orange-growing state.
Through prudent partnerships with Floridian growers, Simply Beverages has secured reliable access to exceptional fruit while supporting the livelihoods of countless citrus farmers.
Its identity as a major buyer of Florida oranges demonstrates Simply Beverages' commitment to both quality and domestic sourcing.
For consumers, it serves as an assurance of an authentically fresh and delicious glass of orange juice.
A persistent challenge in the juice industry is delivering consistent flavor throughout the year, as taste profiles fluctuate with growing seasons and crop variability.
Seeking to overcome this hurdle, Simply Beverages pioneered an innovative computer-modeled system to blend orange juice sources and ensure uniform taste.
By tapping into data analytics, Simply Beverages devised a proprietary algorithm that predicts seasonal variations in juice characteristics.
This advanced model incorporates growing conditions, crop maturity, and other factors to guide optimal blending ratios on a month-to-month basis.
Simply Beverages combines orange juice from Florida, Brazil, and Mexico according to the computer model's recommendations, creating a tailored blend to match the target flavor profile.
The result is orange juice with a remarkably steady taste all year round.
While Simply Beverages' juice content varies by source, consumers perceive a consistent premium quality, never knowing the subtle adjustments happening behind the scenes.
This computer-modeled blending approach has become a cornerstone of the brand's commitment to delivering simple, garden-fresh taste in every bottle, regardless of seasonal fluctuations.
Once again, Simply Beverages leveraged innovation to overcome a challenge and elevate the drinking experience.
In the early 2000s, Simply Beverages made a pioneering move that would become a defining hallmark of its brand—launching in clear plastic bottles with a signature green twist top and large green seal.
This stood out from the traditional packaging of the time, often opaque materials and materials that obscured the color of the actual juice inside.
By being the first major juice brand to use clear plastic bottling, Simply Beverages enabled consumers to see the fresh, bright color of the juice within.
This conveyed a sense of purity, wholesomeness and quality, highlighting that there were no artificial colors or unnecessary additives. The clear bottling effectively showcased the simplicity of the product inside.
Complementing the transparent shaping was the addition of a bright green twist top and Green Seal graphic.
This distinctive and vivid logo further emphasized the natural, garden-character of the juice while making Simply Beverages bottles highly recognizable on grocery shelves.
The unique clear bottle with green accents ultimately became a trademark of Simply Beverages, setting it apart within the juice aisle and aligning with its brand identity as a producer of fresh, uncomplicated beverages made from real fruits.
To this day, the Simply Beverages clear bottle remains one of the most iconic package designs in the juice industry.
In the mid-2000s, Simply Beverages embarked on targeted product line expansions to broaden its portfolio beyond the original simple orange juices.
This strategic product development enabled Simply Beverages to venture into new and appealing flavor profiles.
The brand made its first foray outside orange juice in 2006 with the launch of Simply Lemonade and Simply Limeade. These refreshing new offerings garnered strong consumer demand and established Simply Beverages as a diverse juice maker.
Building on this initial success, Simply Beverages continued rolling out innovations over the following decade:
With each new product, Simply Beverages found fresh ways to deliver simple, authentic fruit taste.
The calculated expansion strategy enabled the brand to retain its identity while capturing new consumers and trends.
Just over a decade, Simply Beverages transformed from a single-product orange juice company into a diverse juice maker offering a spectrum of flavors.
Though the offerings grew, Simply Beverages stayed true to its timeless commitment of garden-fresh simplicity in every bottle.
In 2018, facing rising costs for materials, transportation, and manufacturing, Simply Beverages made the strategic decision to reduce the size of its signature 59 oz plastic bottle to 52 oz.
This change was implemented to help offset escalating expenses and maintain competitive price points for consumers.
While a reduction in volume, the new 52 oz size stayed true to Simply Beverages' brand identity.
The familiar clear bottle and green accents remained, delivering the same fresh-tasting and simply made juice. By cutting just 7 oz, Simply Beverages found significant cost savings from reduced plastic and packaging needs.
This shrewd adjustment provided long-term financial benefits without compromising quality or abandoning Simply Beverages’ core eco-friendly bottles.
The introduction of 52 oz bottles marked an important move to sustain Simply Beverages’ accessibility and profitability in a challenging business climate.
Through proactive and pragmatic decision-making, the brand was able to adapt to economic shifts and reap operational efficiencies.
Despite changes behind the scenes, loyal customers continued enjoying the same wholesome, garden-inspired juices from Simply Beverages in sleek, eco-friendly packaging.
The 2018 strategic downsizing exemplified Simply Beverages’ commitment to delivering both quality and value for years to come.
Nearly two decades after its founding, Simply Beverages has cemented itself as one of the premier fruit juice brands in the United States today.
Through steady growth, calculated innovation, and adherence to its core values of simplicity and authenticity, Simply Beverages has earned a reputation for quality among consumers across America.
Simply Beverages reigns as the top-selling refrigerated orange juice brand in the U.S.
Its trademark clear plastic bottles are now a fixture of grocery store shelves from coast to coast. Supported by strong consumer loyalty, Simply Beverages outsells other leading brands within the growing premium juice segment.
While the brand has evolved from its fledgling beginnings, Simply Beverages remains committed to its guiding principles.
Natural flavors, sustainable packaging, responsible sourcing, and uncomplicated recipes continue to define the brand and its broad portfolio of juices.
Thanks to this focus on quality and its roots, Simply Beverages is poised for even greater growth and impact on the American juice industry for years to come.
The story of Simply Beverages is one of Strategic evolution paired with commitment to identity.
By simultaneously adapting to market forces and staying true to its core mission, Simply Beverages has ascended over two decades from an ambitious startup to a household name synonymous with delicious, garden-fresh juice.
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