Juice is one product of the beverage industry that has made waves since inception. Though there has been lots of changes, there has been improvements in the quality, taste and other organoleptic properties.
Today, juice is consumed by almost every country around the globe as it forms the appropriate drink at a particular time of the day. In the medical sector, juice has been recommended as a means of replenishing vitamin deficiency, minerals and other important trace elements in the body.
So far, the global juice production industries are continually striving to ensure the constant supply of juice for the ever growing global population. However, there has been lots of challenges in this sector which is the main focus of this article.
Now, let us consider some vital challenges which affects juice production.
Capital is a very important factor to consider when setting up any business. However, it is also important in ensuring the smooth running of the business too. In the juice manufacturing industries, capital is needed to set up essential equipment and facilities to increase the efficiency in the production process. For example, the juice filling machine is one equipment that is indispensable in the juice production process. It is also important in the maintenance of the facilities to ensure that there are no damages.
One of the vital factors that hamper the set up and running of any juice production or beverage industry is the cost of equipment and facilities. This poses a problem for those small business owners. In any case the juice filling machine price on the high side, it becomes difficult to purchase such equipment. There are some factors that may affect the easy of acquiring production equipment; they include the current exchange rate, import duties (in any case, the equipment needs to be imported from another country) and other factors directly linked with the state policies.
Safety is a very important factor that needs to be considered. Some juice production industries struggle to meet up with the hygienic standards of juice production and packaging. As we have in the hot juice filling machine where the juice liquid is filled into packaging containers at increased temperatures to ensure that the spoilage microorganisms are kept at the barest minimum. This way, the safety of the product is maintained as well as the safety of the consumers.
Price of the juice product is also very important. When there is a reduction in the price due to some factors, it could have a negative impact on the production industry. Here is a good illustration; the price of orange juice fell by 59%, between the beginnings of December 2006 and today, which puts producers in trouble. The price of that product on the New York Mercantile Exchange went from $ 1.98 per pound of frozen concentrated juice to just $ 0.80 per unit in the mentioned period. This quote is below the equilibrium point in production costs, estimated at $ 0.90 per pound of solids. The situation puts the approximately 4,000 orange producers in the country in trouble.