Minute Maid, an American icon and long-trusted brand, launched Minute Maid Aguas Frescas in 16-ounce cans in March 2022. The new product line has disrupted expectations for on-the-go refreshment with a beloved Latin American-inspired juice drink. Minute Maid Aguas Frescas is offered in three bold and refreshing flavors: Strawberry, Mango and Hibiscus. This innovation has mass appeal but also delivers on what the next generation of drinkers — Gen Z — is seeking: new experiences, inspiration, bold flavors and a more permissible refreshment, which they don’t expect to find in a juice drink.
The great taste of Minute Maid Aguas Frescas utilizes real fruit juice, water and other ingredients to deliver a subtly sweet taste in a caffeine-free and non-carbonated beverage. Minute Maid Aguas Frescas — which contains half the calories of the closest competitor — connects to young consumers by delivering the taste they’re looking for, while simultaneously satisfying their desire for new experiences yet a permissible (i.e. lower-calorie) choice.
To encourage Gen Z to reach for Minute Maid Aguas Frescas, Minute Maid shook up the category by launching the new product line with a “Refreshing AF” campaign. The unexpected campaign is driving relevance and excitement among Gen Z. The “AF” in the tagline is shorthand for “Aguas Frescas,” but it also adds emphasis and exaggeration to make a point with conviction. The product itself is refreshing, as is the marketing content, which is designed to capture attention and drive reconsideration in the juice drink category among Gen Z consumers. Minute Maid Aguas Frescas has been off to a racing start — already selling 2.6 million units in convenience retail, driving $4.3 million in sales, according to Nielsen YTD July 25, 2022 — and continues to build momentum in the category. Approximately 80% of Minute Maid Aguas Frescas volume is incremental to the juice drinks category, coming from new consumers, according to Numerator April 23, 2022-June 18, 2022.
Given Minute Maid Aguas Frescas’ positive reception already, the company will continue to expand on the platform. In the U.S. and Canada, it is also available on Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers in two flavors — Strawberry-Limón and Limonada — and will be expanding to additional dispensed platforms in late 2022 and 2023. Six flavors each will be available for bubblers and traditional fountains.