How Kagome’s Tomato Juice is Dominating the Vegetable Beverage Market: The Power of Lycopene and GABA”

Kagome’s vegetable beverages are gaining support across a wide range of age groups. In 2023, while the vegetable beverage market remained flat, Kagome’s “Tomato Juice” achieved a 123% year-on-year growth, expanding its market share to over 60%. As a result, the tomato juice market as a whole grew by 116%.

This success can be attributed to the functional claims of “lycopene” and “GABA” displayed on the packaging. Lycopene is reported to increase HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood, while GABA is known to lower blood pressure in those with high blood pressure. These health benefits have driven increased purchases among people in their 40s to 60s. Additionally, discussions about lycopene and beauty on social media have significantly boosted purchases among those in their 10s to 30s. Furthermore, the price of fresh tomatoes has doubled compared to the previous year, leading more people to buy tomato juice as a substitute. Heavy users, who consume the juice more than once a week, have increased their annual consumption from 17L in 2019 to 27L in 2023.

Kagome’s tomato juice is supported by consumers for its commitment to using only tomatoes and for its pure, unadulterated taste. On the other hand, while Kagome’s carrot juice gained popularity in 1992 with the hit product “Carrot 100,” the value of beta-carotene in carrots is still not widely recognized. To address this, Kagome launched three new products in March this year: “Kagome Yasai Seikatsu 100 Green Salad,” “Kagome Yasai Seikatsu 100 Lemon Salad,” and “Kagome Carrot Juice High Beta-Carotene,” aiming to further expand the vegetable beverage market.

“Green Salad” contains over 30% superleaf vegetables and provides about one-third of the daily vegetable intake recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (350g). It features a refreshing flavor with white grape, pear, and lime notes. “Lemon Salad” uses whole-squeezed lemon ingredients for a refreshing aroma and crisp taste, reducing sugar content by about 30% compared to “Kagome Yasai Seikatsu 100 Original.” It provides about half of the recommended daily vegetable intake. “Carrot Juice High Beta-Carotene” uses New Zealand carrots, known for their sweet and rich flavor, and the Vegetable Refining method to reduce unwanted flavors, achieving a clean taste. The adoption of aseptic filling technology has allowed the elimination of lemon previously used for shelf life, resulting in a 100% carrot juice with natural sweetness.

For promotion, the band “Ryokuoushoku Shakai” has been appointed as the image character for “Kagome Yasai Seikatsu 100,” with a new message, “Make Morning Your Ally,” featured in TV commercials. For “Carrot Juice High Beta-Carotene,” the “Carrot Hero Strategy” highlights the value of beta-carotene.

Source: Kagome website, Gekiryu Online