Sponsored Post: Fruit purées are rapidly gaining importance in beverage development – as a natural, versatile and high-quality base. VOG Products demonstrates how a broad portfolio and tailored solutions open up new opportunities for beverage manufacturers and industry players.
Beyond purées, VOG Products also develops additional base products for the beverage industry. (Photo: VOG Products)
The beverage market is evolving: consumers are increasingly focused on natural ingredients and authentic taste. Fruit purées meet these expectations perfectly and are therefore becoming a core component of new drinks across the wellness, convenience and premium segments.
As clean-label ingredients, purées contribute not only colour and flavour, but also texture and nutritional value. There is particularly strong demand for natural, fruit-based raw materials that remain true to their origin and unadulterated in character. This is exactly where VOG Products comes in, offering a wide range of apple, pear, kiwi, apricot and peach purées – single-variety, blended or individually developed.
A portfolio that enables diversity – conventional and organic
Fruit purées from VOG Products stand for a comprehensive, one-stop portfolio. Whether classic single-fruit purées, well-balanced blends or customer-specific formulations, the possibilities are virtually unlimited. Many variants are also available in organic quality – a decisive advantage for brands that rely on certified organic raw materials.
Tailor-made solutions are an integral part of the offering: from product development and technical implementation to sensory fine-tuning, VOG Products supports customers at every stage of the product creation process.
Applications: From smoothies to cider – purées set new impulses
Purées can be used across a wide range of beverage categories, enabling sensory differentiation, premium formulations and creative innovation:
Beyond purées, VOG Products also develops additional base products for the beverage industry – including cider bases for cider and fruit sparkling wines, as well as compounds, i.e. fruit blends that serve as the foundation for new beverage concepts.
Benefits for brands and private label
Production takes place on state-of-the-art processing lines, ensuring maximum product safety, consistent quality and high efficiency. VOG Products’ New Product Development (NPD) services combine technical expertise with creative product development – ideal for companies looking to realise new flavours, blends or customised applications.
VOG Products offers:
Individual recipes and customer-specific blends
High technical expertise and development support
Solutions for both branded manufacturers and private label customers
The fruit is sourced from a controlled and certified supply chain – largely from South Tyrol and Trentino, as well as the wider northern Italian region. The producer organisation is supplied by member cooperatives representing around 6,000 family-owned farms, many of which have been growing apples for generations. This origin ensures:
Consistent quality throughout the year
High supply reliability
Transparency and full traceability
As an internationally experienced processing specialist with long-standing customer relationships, VOG Products stands for reliability, partnership and innovative strength – a solid foundation for companies aiming to develop future-ready beverages based on natural ingredients.
With legally binding deadlines fast approaching, 2026 marks a watershed for consumer packaging regulation, particularly in the European Union, as the bloc’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) takes full effect in August. As sector priorities are defined by recycling and broader sustainability trends, mono-material packaging solutions will become more important as efforts continue to make packaging more easily recyclable at scale, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
Mono-material packaging – based on a single material type, in preference to using several different packaging materials – reduces complications for recyclers and consumers alike. It removes recycling challenges such as separating disparate materials in laminated packaging and simplifies consumers’ waste disposal decisions. As regulatory targets tighten, mono-materials are increasingly becoming a critical innovation focus and a clear pathway to compliance.
Richard Parker, Principal Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Regulators around the world are including elements into packaging legislation that promote mono-material solutions, particularly as a function of driving recycling rates and efficiency.”
GlobalData’s latest report “Top Trends in Packaging 2026: Industry Insights,” explores mono-material solutions and reveals the upcoming top trends that are shaping the packaging industry. It provides an overview of major packaging regulation announcements across the world, from the new EU PPWR to state-level regulation updates in the US. Drawing on these developments, the report identifies five emerging trends, namely, mono-materials, smart packaging, biobased packaging, hyper-personalised packaging with AI, and refillables and reusables.
Mono-material solutions deliver recyclability
In addition to the EU’s PPWR, California has legislated that all single-use packaging must be recyclable or compostable by 2032, while several other US states’ extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations create similar impetus to move to mono-material solutions. China’s Single-Use Plastic Control Roadmap reached key milestones in 2025, including the elimination of non-recyclable, multi-material laminates while encouraging polyolefin-based (PP/PE) mono-material solutions, which in effect means “recyclable” is achieved by using mono-material paper or plastic.
Recycling packaging a mainstream consumer impulse
According to GlobalData’s Q4 2025 consumer survey1, a quarter of consumers globally now consider that recyclable packaging is an essential characteristic in the products they buy, and almost half see it as a nice-to-have, showing the extent to which that measure of sustainability and a commitment to environmentally-friendly behavior has penetrated consumers’ routines. Consequently, there is a double incentive for packaging producers to look at mono-material solutions – regulatory pressure and a supportive consumer base looking for quicker, simpler recyclables. Simplicity is a key element in both contexts.
As regulations increasingly penalise hard-to-recycle formats, mono-material packaging helps brands improve recyclability scores, reduce EPR fees, and simplify compliance reporting. Regulation is also targeting the wastage associated with oversized packaging, which increases space used in transportation and storage while wasting it inside the packaging. Simple, mono-material, and correctly sized packaging helps to evade regulatory pressure, while also appealing to consumers, who are increasingly critical of the space and recycling challenges that they can face when dealing with oversized packaging.
Mono-material performance comparability challenge
The challenge for packaging producers adopting mono-material approaches is to deliver performance comparable to the multi-material packaging they are seeking to replace. Traditional packaging works because it leverages the complementary properties of multiple materials to solve problems such as securing product longevity, hygiene, and packaging durability. Relying on one material to achieve the same can be difficult, necessitating continued materials research and acceptance of the limitations of and unsuitability of mono-materials in some cases.
Parker concludes: “For brands, mono-materials are no longer a niche innovation but a baseline expectation for future packaging strategies. To remain competitive and compliant, brands should prioritize redesigning packaging portfolios around mono-material solutions, invest in material and barrier innovation to maintain product performance, and ensure packaging choices align with local recycling infrastructure and evolving sustainability regulations.”
1GlobalData 2025 Q4 global consumer survey, 21,000 respondents across 42 countries
As we look forward to 2026, a fundamental shift is already underway in product identification. The standard one-dimensional barcode is giving way to the dynamic 2D barcode, accelerated by the GS1 Sunrise 2027 initiative. The transition to QR codes and GS1 Digital Link is also driven by evolving regulations, consumer demand for transparency, the industry’s push for operational efficiency and the growing need for brands and private labels to establish a direct line of communication with shoppers.
Markem-Imaje, a global leader in product identification and traceability solutions, is deeply engaged in supporting this transition across Europe and beyond. Rémy Fontanet, Solutions Business Development Manager at Markem-Imaje, comments on the three trends driving rapid uptake of next-generation 2D barcodes.
1. Transparency is now a baseline expectation
“This year we saw a major UK retailer, Tesco, begin trials of next-generation QR codes powered by GS1 Digital Link to improve the accuracy of date codes, reduce food waste, help prevent the sale of out-of-date products and better inform consumers. The pilot demonstrates exactly why brands and retailers are accelerating adoption.
“Consumers increasingly expect instant, unique, verifiable information about the products they buy. They want to understand where an item comes from, how it was made, and what is in it. 2D barcodes can provide this depth of information transparency in a single scan, helping retailers and brands build trust through content that extends far beyond what can be physically displayed on the pack.
“According to Syndigo’s State of Product Content 2024, half of consumers abandoned a potential purchase because they could not find enough information, while 35 % returned a product because it did not meet expectations based on its description.
“GS1 Digital Link offers a direct way to meet this rising demand for clarity and trust.”
2. Sustainability and waste reduction are still high on the agenda
“The second major trend is sustainability. New EU rules, including the Digital Product Passport (DPP), will require brands to share more detailed information on-pack, covering ingredients, sourcing, environmental performance and recycling guidance. Static labels alone cannot meet this requirement, but 2D barcodes can. 2D barcodes offer the most effective way to provide accurate, batch-level or even serialised, unique information for each product, without overcrowding packaging.”
“Consumers also continue to prioritise sustainable behaviour. Mintel reports that 73% of UK shoppers try to act in a way that is not harmful to the environment. Having recycling information at your fingertips through a quick scan with your smartphone will facilitate waste handling. In addition, with smart 2D, you can include best-before dates and recall information in the connected code and block it at the Point-of-Sale or automatically lower its price when the product is about to expire, hence, increasing sales volumes and avoiding food waste.”
3. Health and wellness are shaping a new era of product data
“The third trend shaping adoption in Europe is health and wellness. As concerns around ultra-processed foods increase and the use of weight-management therapies becomes more mainstream, consumers are seeking more specific, real-time nutritional insights.
“Providing clear and complete information via a QR code allows consumers to make more informed choices and helps credible brands differentiate themselves. The clean label movement reinforces this. Innova Market Insights data shows that 35 % of European food and beverage launches carry a clean label claim, with strong consumer demand for ingredient transparency. Nearly two-thirds of shoppers reconsider purchases based on the ingredient list, and more than half say honesty is their top priority.
“2D barcodes can provide unique product or batch-level nutritional data, allergen updates and even direct access to recall information. For brands, this creates an opportunity to strengthen trust and loyalty by offering verified product data at the moment it matters most: the point of choice.”
Döhler announces the expansion of its Paarl manufacturing facility, marking a significant advancement in its operations within the African market. By enhancing product availability and customising offerings, Döhler deepens its partnerships with local customers and positions itself at the forefront of the food, beverage and life science and nutrition industry in the region.
The expansion of Döhler South Africa’s plant in Paarl introduces new, state-of-the-art production lines for compounds and emulsions as well as powdered and liquid flavours. In addition, it substantially increases the company’s capability for processing bulk juice concentrate. From now on, customers will have direct access to the complete portfolio of compounds, which shows Döhler’s commitment to being at the forefront of the food, beverage and life science and nutrition industry in the region.
2024 promises to be a groundbreaking year for Döhler South Africa following notable achievements and the establishment of strategic partnerships in the last year. The Paarl plant expansion sets the stage for future advancements. The addition of cutting-edge production lines and state-of-the-art R&D labs will further strengthen Döhler’s ability to deliver high-quality products and product solutions directly to the African market.
The expansion of Döhler’s plant in Paarl was officially inaugurated in May with a ceremony attended by prominent industry figures, the Drakenstein Executive Mayor and the Consul General of the German Consulate, emphasizing Döhler’s commitment to deepen its engagement with the African food, beverage and life science and nutrition industry.
Link between happiness and hydration among Americans found in a survey* on water consumption habits
While it’s no secret that hydration is essential for health, a new survey commissioned by True Lemon and conducted by OnePoll uncovered its impact on overall happiness for Americans. Among the 2,000 respondents, 46 % who drank the most water (10+ glasses a day) said they were very happy compared to only 22 % of those who drank the least water (1 – 3 glasses a day).
Those that drank the most water also reported finding happiness and appreciating the little things in their days. They also try to improve their mood and fuel their day by staying hydrated (36 %), eating enough to avoid getting “hangry” (31 %) and taking walks (30 %). In addition, 61 % percent of those who drank more than 10 glasses of water a day said they used water additives or drink mixes and powders like True Lemon, while 59 % of those who drank the least water said they did not.
“There are so many health benefits to drinking water, but 43 % of respondents reported that water ‘tastes boring’ posing it as one of the biggest challenges to increasing their intake. The number one problem we solve for our customers is that we help them drink more water. In fact, in a recent study with over 4,000 of our customers, 94 % said we helped them drink more water every day,” said Heidi Carney, Executive Vice President, Marketing at True Citrus. “Adding a packet of True Lemon to your water allows you to reap all the hydration benefits of drinking water by making it delicious.”
*This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by True Lemon between Feb. 16 and Feb. 22, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
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