Fruit juice in a capsule

JUICE IN TIME offers a unique and healthy way of making fruit drinks on demand – using fruit capsules. The company from Brazil first presented its hassle-free beverage solutions at Gulfood 2016. It sees a perfect match for its product in the region’s hotel, restaurant and cafeteria (HORECA) sector. In fact Juice In Time now has operations in Dubai as it looks to expand its offerings to markets spanning the Middle East, North Africa and Russia.

In this interview, Nicolas Daher, Managing Director for UAE operations, talks about the innovative juicing concept and how the company is promoting the brand regionally.

Nicolas Daher, Managing Director, UAE operations, Juice In Time

Please tell us how Juice In Time can benefit consumers.

Juice In time provides the highest technology available when it comes to juicing systems, which is completely different from anything conventional. We provide 100 percent natural juice with no additives, sugar or preservatives; it is fresh fruit smashed and filled into capsules, locking its freshness, and freezing it. We offer convenience, hygiene, freshness, health and taste in just one capsule.

The fruit capsules you mention are the heart of the system. Can you tell us how these are made?

Our capsule development is quite unique – we collect fresh fruits directly from the fields, wash and smash them and subsequently fill the puree into the capsules, then seal and deep-freeze them.

Our capsules remain frozen all the time and we deliver them in the same state as well. Our process is entirely automatic, set under high hygiene standards, to ensure that we have a 100 percent natural final product.

Are there specific maintenance requirements for the capsules as well as the machine?

The deep freezing at -42°C stops any bacterial activity in the fruits, hence there is no need for any preservatives, keeping the product natural and fresh. It is almost similar to freshly squeezed juice as we try to lock the freshness of the fruits in our capsules immediately after filling them.

The capsules need to be stored in a freezer at -18°C at all times, from production to transportation till the final moment a capsule is picked to prepare the beverage.

The machine itself does not touch the fruit contents as a jet of water melts the frozen pulp to create the beverage. There is almost no need for machine maintenance, but our post installation services are high-quality where our machines are checked every quarter.

The juice machine is practically maintenance-free, although the company offers post installation services on a quarterly basis

The company offers several fruit choices. Where do you source the produce?

All our fruits come several agricultural regions in Brazil, depending on the fruit itself. Some of the fruits are well known while others are entirely new and exotic, such as Acerola (Cherry Barbados), Acai, Passion Fruit, Guarana and others. Additionally, the machine is also produced in Brazil as this concept is an indigenous to the country itself.

Capsules come in myriad of flavors, and include traditional ones such as orange and grape to more tropical options such as pineapple and passion fruit. Juice In Time also developed detox mixes, combining fruits and herbal infusions.

How many flavors do you offer?

In our regional portfolio, we do have ten different types of flavors. Our fruit line consists of pineapple, orange, passion fruit, grape and lemon. Our fruit mix line consists of pineapple and mint, acerola and orange, acai guarana and banana while our detox line consists of two options: white tea, hibiscus and apple; and green tea, pineapple, ginger and mint.

We plan to introduce some new flavors that are already in use in Brazil such as cashew, mango, grape, banana and acerola. We are also working on creating a few locally inspired flavors such as dates and tamarind, especially for festivals such as Ramadan and Eid.

Each capsule delivers fresh, sugar- and additive-free juice

The company has an operations hub in Dubai. How does it plan to market the product in the region?

We are targeting two segments via our strategies: Corporate and Retail. For corporates, we are aiming to sell machines and via an agreement, supply them a specified capsule quantity monthly according to the number of employees and requirements, etc. We will supply an access card depending on whether the company intends to provide its employees with free supply of juice or wishes to charge them.

On a retail level, we aim to sell the machine and capsules to coffee shops, restaurants, ice creams, juice kiosks, catering companies, schools, hospitals, etc., which later will resell it to the final consumer. In such a case, the shop operator will prepare and deliver the juice to the end-user.

From Dubai, where do you plan to expand?

We are initiating our journey in the United Arab Emirates, due to its diverse nationalities and ethnicities making the country very attractive. In 2016, we aim to install around 120 machines and hopefully capture five to seven percent of the local juice industry.

After UAE, we plan to proceed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and thereon, all GCC countries. Following that we plan to go to the Levant Region (Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt till Morocco) and then our next step would be the Russian Federation.

These geographical areas are under our radar and we plan to move along this growth trajectory in imminent times to come.

Which regional markets hold most potential for the company?

All the GCC markets are strategically very important but regionally we believe that in the near future, Saudi Arabia holds immense potential due to its size. Currently, our entire focus is on the UAE operational hub as the local market offers immense potential in terms of diversity and a mix of cultural ethnicities.

What is the company's unique selling proposition?

We offer expert training sessions to our employees and offer periodic maintenance visits post machine installations to avoid any bottlenecks. We also currently offer free one-month trial options to companies interested in working with us but are skeptical about the product. We install the machine for free at the designated client outlet and collaboratively monitor sales together. Later we choose the more preferred flavors and stick to them.

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Boardroom Connection: Nicolas Daher

Position: Managing Director for the UAE Operations

Company: Juice In Time Technology

Contact through: Anna Chinnik, UAE Country Manager
M: +971 555123442
E anna@juiceintime.net ; askme@juiceintime.net

W: www.juiceintime.com