The troubled global economic situation and multiple crises are dampening the market trend for fruit yoghurts (which constitute the main market for the products of the fruit preparations business). Analyses by Euromonitor in March 2025 showed a stagnating global market for the 2024 calendar year (with a growth rate of 0.1% compared to 2023). While the size of the fruit yoghurt markets decreased in Asia (–3.5% p.a.) and Western Europe (–1.0% p.a.), volumes increased in North America (+1.3% p.a.), Eastern Europe (+0.7% p.a.) and Latin America (+1.2% p.a.). A similar global market situation is expected for the 2025 calendar year, with only a mildly positive growth rate of 0.7% compared to 2023. Average annual volume growth of 1.3% in the subsequent years is forecast to the end of 2029. The niche category of plant-based yoghurt alternatives showed volume growth of 1.4% in the 2024 calendar year. This market segment is expected to grow at an average rate of 4.3% per year in the longer term up to and including 2029.
Besides yoghurt, the main market segments significant to the diversification of the fruit preparations activities are ice cream and food service. According to Euromonitor (March 2025), the global ice cream market expanded by a slight 0.7% in the 2024 calendar year and is projected to accelerate somewhat to a growth rate of 1.3% in 2025. Average annual volume growth of 1.8% is then expected for the remaining period to 2029. In the food service segment, the most important markets served by AGRANA are quick service restaurants (QSR) and coffee & tea shops. Current forecasts from GlobalData predict a positive volume trend in these subsegments to 2029, with average annual growth of 3.4% for QSR and 3.7% for coffee & tea shops.
The market environment for fruit preparations is determined by consumer trends in the global markets for dairy products, ice cream and food service. The main market-driving trends are pleasure, affordability, naturalness, sustainability and health. Consumers are reacting to the persistent crises by focusing more on their own needs. They seek authentic, enriching experiences and are more adventurous in their food and drink choices. In the food service space in particular, this is leading to a steady increase in creative and specialised beverage concepts. Consumers in this sector are increasingly willing to pay premium prices for unique beverage experiences. Food service is therefore an important and growing market for AGRANA Fruit, complementing the retail product market.
The fruit juice concentrate business continues to navigate two opposing trends – that towards not-from-concentrate 100% juices on the one hand, and that towards lower fruit juice content in beverages on the other. Thus, there is growing demand for beverage bases with a reduced fruit juice content. AGRANA addresses this trend with its strategic emphasis on the increased production of beverage bases and natural aromas.
In the 2024 apple campaign, a substantially lower volume of raw material was processed compared to the previous year, at historic high apple prices. The delivery volumes of apple juice concentrate and market demand were very satisfactory, due in part to the high prices of orange juice concentrate. The volumes of product from the 2024 apple campaign were contracted with very good contribution margins. Additional demand for apple juice concentrate is expected in the second quarter of the 2025 calendar year due to early contract call-offs.
Sales volume and revenue in the value-added business continued to follow a very positive trajectory and higher contribution margins were achieved than in the prior year.