Goodbye to 80 Years of History: Minute Maid to Discontinue Frozen Juice Concentrate Cans
After 80 years of the iconic brand gracing frozen food aisles the nation over, Minute Maid will discontinue their frozen concentrate juice cans, which will begin disappearing from retail by the end of March as the remaining stock sells out.
The announcement was made this week by a spokesperson of Minute Maid’s parent company, The Coca-Cola Company, who noted that slowing sales are what drove the decision.
“We are discontinuing our frozen products and exiting the frozen can category in response to shifting consumer preferences,” the spokesperson said. “With the juice category growing strongly, we’re focusing on products that better match what our consumers want.”
The first shipment of frozen concentrate juice cans by the company – then called the Vacuum Foods Corporation, later changing to Minute Maid in 1949 – occurred in April 1946. The concentrate process involves pasteurizing and filtering the juice before evaporating it under vacuum and heat, removing most of the water. From there, it is stored in cans at about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing it to be easily shipped and stored, unlike regular juices.
When needed, the freshly-thawed concentrate can be reconstituted by adding water.
