The European market potential for pineapple juice

The 2024 data shows Europe still dominates global pineapple juice imports, even though consumers drink less juices. The European market for pineapple juice is facing two big drivers: higher health concerns and a tighter raw fruit supply. Crop losses in major countries of origin have tightened the market and pushed buyers to test smaller suppliers from Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Indonesia. Exporters who keep quality levels stable, prove fair and sustainable production practices, and use recyclable packs meet the priority lists of European retailers.

1. Product description: pineapple juice

Pineapple juice is a popular tropical beverage. It is made from the pineapple fruit, which is native to South America. Pineapple is widely grown in Asia (Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, China and India) and Latin America (Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica). In 2024, global single-strength pineapple juice production was 452,000 tonnes.

Pineapple juice is obtained by extracting the juice from fresh pineapples, which is then filtered and pasteurised. The juice is produced from the fleshy insides of ripe pineapple fruit (Ananas comosus). The main pineapple varieties used for juice are Smooth Cayenne, Abacaxi (Pemambuco or Perola) and Queen. Pineapple juice may contain finely split insoluble materials, but does not contain shell fragments, seeds, other coarse or hard substances or extra pulp.

For practical reasons, juice for export is usually concentrated and reconstituted with water later. This lowers transportation costs, which would otherwise include costs for water and packaging. Juice from various sources can be mixed and canned as pineapple juice with or without added sugar. It can also be clarified, refined and condensed for canned pineapple syrup.The exact product categories and their HS codes are listed in Table 1 below. This helps traders match each type of pineapple juice to the right customs code.

Table 1: Harmonised System (HS) codes for trade in pineapple juice products

Source: Autentika Global, ITC Trade Map, 2025

Vitamins and minerals can be added to the fruit juice under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006, and additives in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. Other allowed ingredients are restored flavour, pulp and cells.

The quality of pineapple juice is defined by the following:

• Colour: characteristic of the variety, most commonly golden yellow to amber;
• Flavour and odour: distinct pineapple flavour and odour, free from foreign flavours and odours;
• Pulp content: may vary and is normally between 6 and 18% in concentrated pineapple juice. Importers may require more pulp content as visible pulp in juices is becoming more popular among European consumers;
• Brix level: concentrated pineapple juice quality is mainly defined by ‘Brix level’ (sugar content of an aqueous solution), which directly affects product price. Under trade classifications, the highest category for pineapple juice is a Brix level higher than 67. However, in European industry practice, the most common concentrated pineapple juices are around 60-61 Brix or 65 Brix. Under European Union Directive 2001/12/EU, the minimum Brix level for reconstituted pineapple juice is 12.8;
• Acid level: alongside Brix level, the level of citric acid is the main parameter determining product quality and price. Usually, acid levels for concentrated pineapple juice are 2-4% citric acid. Acid levels vary between pineapple varieties and producing countries. The most common variety of pineapple used for juice production in Asian countries is Smooth Cayenne, while in Costa Rica it is MD2 or Golden Pineapple. Another important quality parameter is the Brix-to-acid ratio. The higher this ratio, the higher the quality of the juice. Usually, juice made from Golden Pineapple has a 23:28 ratio, while Smooth Cayenne juice has a 15:20 ratio. However, the lower-ratio (and sweeter) juice from the MD2 variety is used to produce ‘Not from concentrate’ juices (NFC).

Table 2: Key pineapple juice formats in trade and processing

Source: Autentika Global, 2025

In this study, ‘Europe’ means the 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom (UK) and the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). ‘Developing countries’ refers to nations on the OECD-DAC list of aid recipients for 2025.

2. What makes Europe an interesting market for pineapple juice?

Europe is the world’s largest importer of pineapple juice by value. It accounts for more than 63% of global imports of single-strength pineapple juice. Europe also accounts for 51% of global imports of PJC in 2024.

European imports of pineapple juice decreased in volume by an average of 5.0% annually between 2020 and 2024, and increased by 7.5% in value during the same period. This indicates an increase in pineapple juice import prices over the last five years. In 2024, Europe imported 292,489 tonnes of pineapple juice, valued at €397 million.

In Europe, 64% of pineapple juice imports came from developing countries, and 36% from intra-European trade, mainly re-exports. These re-exports may contain some value-added processing, such as reconstituting the juice from a concentrate. Between 2020 and 2024, the share of European pineapple juice imports from developing countries remained largely stable. Imports from developing countries peaked at 248,000 tonnes in 2022.

Source: Autentika Global, Eurostat, ITC Trade Map, UK Trade Info, 2025

In the next five years, the European market for citrus and tropical juices is likely to decrease, with an expected annual volume decline of around 3%. Import volumes of these juices have been declining by around 4% per year. This is due to higher prices and a lower fruit supply. This is especially visible in pineapple and orange juice. Pineapple and other tropical juices briefly attracted more interest as orange juice prices spiked. Pineapple juice prices rose fast too. However, import volumes dropped as rising pineapple juice prices met consumer resistance.

Many bottlers then stopped offering pricy 100% pineapple juice and switched to products with much lower amounts of juice. These alternatives include nectars and flavoured waters. Price concerns are not the only factor behind lower sales. In Europe, there is growing awareness of health issues related to sugar consumption.

Just a few years ago, European consumers were drinking less but better quality juices, especially with 100% fruit content. Widespread information about the high sugar content of fruit drinks has led to concerns among European consumers and negatively impacted the pineapple juice market. This trend worsened with huge price increases for orange juice. Although orange juice prices fell sharply in the first half of 2025, pineapple juice prices remained at record levels because of a continued shortage of fruit for processing.

Source: Autentika Global, Eurostat, ITC Trade Map, UK Trade Info, 2025

Note: The figure above represents apparent consumption (the difference between imports and exports). There are few official sources with data on pineapple juice consumption per country.

European consumption of pineapple juice in the top 6 consumer markets was estimated at 115,786 tonnes in 2024. Over the last 5 years, apparent consumption in these 6 markets fell by an average annual rate of 7.8%. France, Germany, Spain, the UK, Belgium and Italy are the largest consumption markets.

3. Which European countries offer the most opportunities for pineapple juice?

As Europe’s main importer of pineapple juice, the Netherlands is an interesting focus market, an important trade hub and a significant re-exporter of imported pineapple juice. France also provides good opportunities for pineapple juice. Other European countries that are large importers of pineapple juice are Germany, Spain, Belgium and the UK.

Source: Autentika Global, Eurostat, ITC, UK Trade Info, 2025

The Netherlands: the largest European importer and trade hub

The Netherlands is Europe’s largest importer of pineapple juice and a major re-export hub. It is home to some of the largest European traders. In 2024, the Netherlands accounted for 30% of total European imports by volume. In 2024, total Dutch imports came to 85,030 tonnes in volume and €109 million in value. More than 90% of these imports were re-exported to other European countries, mainly Germany and France. Dutch imports decreased annually by on average 5% in volume between 2020 and 2024. Imports in value increased annually by 6% in the same period. 

In 2024, 55% of Dutch pineapple juice imports by volume came from Costa Rica, followed by the Philippines (11%), Thailand (7%), South Africa (6%), Indonesia (6%), Brazil (3%), Kenya (2%) and Togo (2%). Costa Rica and Thailand have seen their exports to the Netherlands decline in 2024, Costa Rica by 17% and Thailand by 25%. Suppliers that saw their volume exports increase in 2024 include the Philippines (37%) and South Africa (41%), as well as Brazil (19%), Kenya (23%) and Togo (16%). 

Dutch consumption of pineapple juice has benefitted from consumer wellness and health trends, leading to interest in the fruit’s health properties. Consumers are also increasingly demanding organic juices. 

Demand has been negatively affected by concerns over sugar content in fruit juices, as well as by the price increases across tropical and citrus juices, including pineapple juice. The consumption tax on soft drinks and juices (in Dutch) has been raised to 26 euro cents per litre. Beverage manufacturers are moving towards lighter and zero-sugar variants, smaller packaging and reformulation of existing products.

The current high price of pineapple juice has also shrunk consumer demand for 100% pineapple juice. The juice is mostly used in smaller quantities in tropical mixes, refreshing drinks, and low-calorie drinks (in Dutch) such as SPA flavoured waters. 

Tropical juices such as pineapple are popular with Dutch producers of mixed juices, which are usually labelled ‘Tropical’ (Tropisch), ‘Exotic’ (Exotisch) or ‘Multivitamin’ (Multivitamine).

Examples of Dutch tropical juice companies are SVZ, Prodalim, Verbruggen Juice Trading, Ariza (specialised in organic products) and Santos Enterprise Food. The leading European processor and trader, Döhler, also sells large quantities of juices through its Dutch subsidiary (Doehler Holland BV). 

Private labels of juices and nectars account for half of total retail sales. The leading retail chain, Albert Heijn (owned by Ahold Delhaize), sells juices under its own ‘AH’ label, which are packed by Refresco. The leading independent juice brands, Appelsientje and CoolBest, are produced by Riedel. Other juice, nectar and soft drink producers include Vrumona (part of the Heineken group), Mogu Mogu and Hoogesteger.

France: a leading consumer

France is the second-largest importer of pineapple juice and leading consumer in Europe. It accounted for 14% of European pineapple juice imports by volume in 2024, amounting to 38,681 tonnes and €51.5 million in value. Domestic consumption was indirectly estimated at around 34,000 tonnes in 2024. This is a decrease from 48,000 tonnes in 2020 and comes to an average consumption decline of 8% per year. Between 2020 and 2024, French imports of pineapple juice decreased by on average 7% per year in volume and increased 4% in value. 

In 2024, the leading suppliers of pineapple juice to France were 2 transit countries: Germany (30% volume share) and the Netherlands (23%). Other important suppliers include Costa Rica (13%), Spain (13%), Thailand (9%), Côte d’Ivoire (3%) and Togo (2%). The Netherlands’ import share has remained relatively unchanged in the past 5 years. However, imports from Germany have grown from less than 10,000 tonnes in 2020 to now exceed 11,700 tonnes in 2021-2024. Direct imports from Costa Rica have suffered a sharp drop, falling from more than 13,000 tonnes in 2020 to just 5,046 tonnes in 2024. 

Similar to the rest of Europe, consumer concerns about the high sugar content of juices have negatively impacted market growth in France. Demand for organic and low-calorie juices is strong in France. To meet this demand, French producers are innovating with the introduction of ‘lighter’ juices, such as Pressade’s organic nectars with no added sugar. Other companies are mixing juices with milk and water (Danao). 

In 2023, pineapple juice sales in France fell by 7.3% compared to 2022, according to the French Juice Association’s (UNIJUS) 2023 report (in French). The 2024 report is expected to be published here. 

An estimated 45% of fruit juices and nectars on the French market are packed as private labels for retail chains. The leading retail chains include Carrefour (Carrefour, Carrefour Extra and Carrefour Bio labels), E.Leclerc (Jafaden and Bio Village labels), Intermarché (Paquito label), Auchan (Auchan and Auchan bio labels) and Super U (U label). Private labels are often packed by European bottlers such as Refresco. The leading independent juice brand in France is Tropicana, followed by Joker (Eckes Grannini).

Germany: a large consumer and a major re-exporter

Germany is the fourth-largest importer of pineapple juice in Europe, accounting for 11% of total European imports. Between 2020 and 2024, its imports decreased by on average 8% annually in volume while increasing 3.7% in value. In 2024, German imports of pineapple juice reached 32,356 tonnes, with a value of €38.4 million. Germany is one of the major trading hubs in Europe and re-exports 50% of its pineapple juice imports. It is the fourth-largest consumer of pineapple juice in Europe, after France. In 2024, per capita pineapple juice consumption in Germany fell to 0.2 litres, down from 0.5 litres in 2020.

Germany sources 51% of its pineapple juice from developing countries, especially Costa Rica. In 2024, Costa Rica accounted for 41.7% of Germany’s imports by volume, followed by the Netherlands (37.6%) and Austria (9.5%). The Philippines has seen a marked increase in exports to Germany from 77 tonnes in 2020 to 1,287 tonnes in 2024. After import, most tropical juices are diluted, processed and packed.

Domestic consumption of pineapple juice is decreasing in Germany, which is also reflected in the import volumes. The drop in consumption is due to consumer concerns about the high sugar content of juices. German consumption of fruit juice and fruit nectars, which has been under increasing pressure for 3years, fell less than expected in 2024 (in German). The German federal association of fruit and nectar producers (VdF) also warned of pineapple shortages.

Pineapple juice is increasingly being used in juice mixes, with the addition of vitamins to make ‘multivitamin juices’. It is also an ingredient in smoothies, functional drinks, flavoured waters and various juice cleanses and diets. Germany is the second-largest consumer of smoothies and the largest organic market in Europe, making organic juices especially attractive.

Figure 4: Pineapple juice is used for tropical fruit juice blends

Source: Autentika Global

Entering the German juice market is difficult since imports are dominated by a few large industrial suppliers that source from other European countries. Though there are more than 300 juice bottlers in the country, most do not import raw materials directly but are supplied through big traders such as Döhler and Austrian companies with facilities in Germany, such as Agrana and Grünewald (Ernteband Fruchtsaft). Other industry suppliers include Carriere, Johs.Thoms, Saprex and Juice Trade.   

More than 40% of juices and nectars in Germany are sold as private labels by leading retail chains, including Solevita (by Lidl), Sooniger (ALDI Nord), rio d’oro (ALDI SÜD), REWE Beste Wahl and Ja (REWE) and EDEKA/EDEKA Bio (EDEKA). Most retail chains also offer organic or bio private labels, but most organic juices are sold through specialised organic retailers such as Denn’s, Alnatura, tegut…, Bio Company, ebl-Naturkost and BioMarkt. Leading bottlers of own brands in Germany are Valensina, Eckes Granini (Hohes C and Granini brands) and Columbus Drinks (Punica soft drink brand). The leading smoothie brands in Germany are TrueFruits and Innocent.

Spain: an attractive market for tropical juices

Spain is the third-biggest importer of pineapple juice in Europe, accounting for 13% of total European imports by volume. Between 2020 and 2024, annual imports fell by 2.5% in volume and increased 10.3% in value. In 2024, Spanish pineapple juice imports came to 36,510 tonnes, equal to €51.5 million. Spain is only slightly behind second-placed France in its volume of imports and very slightly ahead in import value. If current trends continue, Spain could soon overtake France to become the second-largest European importer of pineapple juice.

Like Germany, Spain is a major re-exporter of pineapple juice, re-exporting 44% of its imports to other countries, mainly France, Morocco, the UK and Saudi Arabia. Spain is the third-largest consumer of pineapple juice in Europe, with apparent consumption totalling 21,178 tonnes in 2024. Over the past 5 years, apparent pineapple juice consumption has been declining in Spain at an average annual rate of 2.6%. Apparent consumption is calculated as the difference between imports and exports.

In 2024, the leading supplier of pineapple juice to Spain was Costa Rica, with a 60% share of imports, followed by transit country the Netherlands (14%), then Thailand (7%), Indonesia (4%) and the Philippines (3%). In the past 5 years, Spain’s imports from Costa Rica dropped 3%, with rising imports from the Netherlands (0.5%), Thailand (5%), Indonesia (14%) and the Philippines (7%). 

Spain is an attractive market for tropical juices, including pineapple juice. Private labels account for around 40% of Spanish retail sales of tropical juices. The leading private labels in Spain include Hacendado (Mercadona), Carrefour/Carrefour BIO (Carrefour), Dia (Dia), Solevita (Lidl) and Eroski (Eroski). The two largest bottlers for private labels are J. Garcia Carrión and AMC. The main juice brands in Spain are Don Simon (J. Garcia Carrión) and Juver (Conserve Italia). Ingredient traders include Universal Iberland, Altex and Quirante Fruits.

Belgium: a growing market 

Belgium is the sixth-biggest importer of pineapple juice in Europe, accounting for 8% of total European pineapple juice imports by volume. Between 2020 and 2024, Belgian imports decreased by on average 7.7% per year in volume and increased 1% in value, indicating that import prices were higher in the market. 

In 2024, the volume of pineapple juice imports was 22,534 tonnes, with a value of €18.9 million. Belgium remains an important re-exporter of pineapple juice. In 2024 Belgium exported 15,357 tonnes. 

Belgium is the fifth-largest consumer of pineapple juice in Europe. In 2024, its apparent pineapple juice consumption was 7,177 tonnes, down from 16,117 tonnes in 2020, making Belgium one of the markets that experienced the fastest decline in Europe (18.3% average annual decline in the 2020-2024 period). It is important to keep in mind that these trends may be temporary since Belgium was the fastest growing market just a few years ago. Global pineapple juice prices have risen because supply has significantly dropped in the past couple of years. 

The leading pineapple juice suppliers to Belgium include Costa Rica, with a 53% share, followed by transit countries the Netherlands (34%), France (9%), and Germany (2%).

The United Kingdom: an innovative market

The United Kingdom (UK) is the fifth-largest importer of pineapple juice in Europe, with an import volume of 30,039 tonnes and import value of €38.7 million in 2024. Between 2020 and 2024, UK pineapple juice imports increased by on average 13.5% per year in value and decreased 1.7% in volume, indicating rising import prices. In 2024, the UK’s apparent consumption of pineapple juice was 29,814 tonnes, up from 27,935 tonnes in 2020. This represents a yearly average growth of 1.6%.   

The leading suppliers to the UK in 2024 were Costa Rica (63%), followed by Ireland (17%), Indonesia (4%), Spain (3%), the Philippines (3%) and South Africa (3%). Together, developing countries accounted for over 76% of pineapple juice exports to the UK. In the past 5 years, the import shares of transit countries like the Netherlands and Spain declined significantly. For example, the Netherlands exported almost 16,000 tonnes of pineapple juice to the UK in 2020, declining to just 757 tonnes in 2024. 

The UK introduced a Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) in 2016, aiming to reduce sugar in soft drinks. It does not apply to any drink where no sugar is added. In its Autumn 2024 budget the government announced a review of the SDIL with a public consultation to last until July 2025. The government confirmed that the SDIL will remain a tax on pre-packaged soft drinks with added sugar. This means that pure fruit juice will not be considered as part of this consultation.

In 2023, 60.8% of sales in the still & juice drinks category were low/no calorie products. Opportunities for emerging suppliers include selling pineapple juice as an ingredient to beverage manufacturers. British beverage producers are very innovative, experimenting with new and healthy options in smoothies, juice shots, functional drinks (with vitamins, amino acids, kombucha, aloe and cannabidiol). Fairtrade-certified juices provide another opportunity on the British market. The UK is the largest fair-trade and smoothie market in Europe.

In the UK, private labels hold more than 50% of the juice market. The leading UK retailers are Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, ASDA and ALDI. The leading independent brands are Tropicana and Innocent. Refresco is a major direct juice importer and has six bottling and blending factories in the country. It bottles the vast majority of juices, nectars and soft drinks for private labels in the UK, as well as brands such as Innocent, Ocean Spray, Del Monte and Um Bongo. Leading suppliers of tropical juices as ingredients include Symrise, Kanegrade and Gerald McDonald & Company.

4. Which trends offer opportunities or pose threats in the European pineapple juice market?

Top trends influencing the processed fruit juice business in Europe in recent years were sustainability, especially in terms of waste reduction, and greater consumer preference for more affordable products. Other key themes include individualised and better diets, food safety, diversification of sourcing origins, and convenience. Exporters from developing countries will have more opportunities if they invest in sustainable production and partner with European clients to develop and promote healthy and sustainable products. 

Cold-pressed juice is another growing trend in the global juice business. Cold-pressing is a unique processing method believed to preserve both flavour and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

Sustainability to shape the future of the European market

Environmental threats have made sustainability one of the most critical issues around the globe. To accelerate the green energy transition, the European Union has set up schemes such as the European Green Deal, which includes the Farm to Fork Strategy and Biodiversity Strategy, to make it the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The European Union plans to help developing countries shift to more sustainable food systems and a sustainability section will be incorporated in all EU bilateral trade agreements.

One of the strongest trends in the food and beverage sector, including in the juice sector, is sustainable packaging. The European Farm to Fork Strategy strives to achieve sustainable food distribution through expanded use of sustainable food-contact materials. Beverage cartons, steel, aluminium, glass and bioplastic packaging are among the new packaging categories offered in European juice markets. Several European laws have been enacted to ban the use of non-recyclable materials, including plastics, with the following provisions:

• From July 2021, polystyrene has been banned from the EU market as a material for food and beverage packaging.
• From April 2022, a new tax applies in the UK to plastic packaging not made from at least 30% recycled plastic.
• By 2024, all beverage bottles under three litres must be closed by tethered caps. Tethered caps are caps that remain connected to the bottle after opening.
• By 2025, PET beverage bottles must contain at least 25% recycled plastic.
• By 2030, all bottles in the EU must contain at least 30% recycled material.

Many juice processors in Europe have set their own sustainability goals, including making operations more sustainable by putting pressure on raw material suppliers. Examples include prioritising suppliers that use bioethanol and bioplastics over those that use fossil fuels. 

Emergence of low-calorie and functional drinks

Young European consumers, in particular, want functional advantages from juice. Young consumers are concerned about losing weight, boosting energy and improving skin condition. Functional claims about bone, muscle and heart health are important to both physically active and elderly consumers. Seniors are one of the fastest-growing adult populations and an especially strong market for adult-focused juice flavours.

Consolidation in the juice industry

Mergers and acquisitions, as well as production centralisation and expansion, are changing the European fruit and tropical juice industry. Some examples are:

• Expansion of product lines: Del Monte® expanded its presence in Iceland supermarkets in October 2021 with a new and extensive range of Not From Concentrate (NFC) juices. Del Monte® Juices was available in all Iceland Foods and The Food Warehouse shops by the end of October 2021. This followed the success of the Del Monte® Frozen Fruits collection, a chilled juice line that debuted in May 2021 with Pure Orange Juice, Pressed Pineapple Juice and Pressed Apple & Mango Juice. This replaced Iceland’s own existing label of chilled juice products.
• In 2021, PepsiCo announced an agreement to sell Tropicana, Naked and other North American juice brands to PAI, a French private equity group. Under the agreement, PAI also has a permanent option to buy specific Pepsi juice companies in Europe.
• In 2023, Dutch bottler Refresco bought a modern canning plant in Fidenza, Italy, boosting its ready-to-drink juice production in Southern Europe.
• In June 2025, Refresco strengthened its Nordic footprint. The company agreed to buy Norway’s Telemark Kildevann Holding (TKV), which operates 2 drink plants serving Norway and Sweden.

Juice prices are up because of lower pineapple production and processing

• There is a global pineapple shortage, especially for processing. The main supplier countries, Thailand and Costa Rica, are particularly affected (in German). In Costa Rica, the climate phenomena La Niña and El Niño have led to a lack of rainfall, which means the pineapple fruit is smaller and less produce is available.
• Many processing plants are currently unable to produce at full capacity. The situation on the global market is becoming increasingly critical.
• In April 2025 the German fruit juice association VdF called for the abolition of tariffs (in German), particularly for pineapple juice (8% to 16% tariff) and orange juice.
• Due to the low price of fresh pineapples, many Thai farmers have shifted to other crops and neglected their pineapple plantations.
• Henry Lamotte Food cut its 2025 forecast for Thai pineapple to 700,000 tonnes. This is the second year in a row with a record low. The company does not anticipate a significant improvement this year.
• The huge price increase of orange juice in 2024 had an impact on the whole category of juices, nectars and juice drinks. PJC is now more expensive than frozen orange juice (OJ) concentrate. FCOJ was available for between $3,500 and $4,000/t FOB Brazil in mid-2025, while PJC reached almost $4,900/t, an interviewed industry source stated in June 2025.

This study was carried out by M-Brain and updated by Autentika Global on behalf of CBI.

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