BY MIRABEL ODETA
After more than eight decades as a staple on American breakfast tables, Minute Maid’s frozen juice products are set to disappear from stores within the next two months. Coca-Cola, which owns the iconic brand, announced it will discontinue all frozen Minute Maid products and fully exit the frozen can category, citing changing consumer preferences and evolving demand in the juice market.
A company spokesperson said the decision reflects a broader strategic shift toward products that better align with what consumers are choosing today. While demand for juice remains strong overall, Coca-Cola said shoppers are increasingly favoring ready-to-drink and refrigerated options over frozen concentrates. As a result, all Minute Maid frozen products will be discontinued in the first quarter of 2026, with remaining in-store inventory available only while supplies last.
Minute Maid frozen orange juice has long been one of the brand’s most recognizable and popular offerings. Over the years, the frozen lineup also included lemonade, pink lemonade, limeade and raspberry lemonade, all of which will be phased out under the new plan. The move marks the end of an era for a product category that once revolutionized how Americans consumed orange juice.
Coca-Cola emphasized that the change will not affect Minute Maid’s broader juice portfolio. Refrigerated, ready-made juices will remain widely available in grocery stores, including orange juice, lemonade and other fruit-flavored drinks sold in disposable containers. Cold fruit juices packaged in plastic bottles will also stay on the market, with flavors such as orange, apple, cranberry apple raspberry, cranberry grape, pineapple orange and peach mango continuing to be offered.
Consumers will also still be able to buy Minute Maid’s zero-sugar juice drinks in refrigerated plastic containers, available in a range of flavors. In addition, apple juice, mixed berry juice, lemonade and fruit punch for children will continue to be sold in smaller, disposable packages.
Coca-Cola highlighted the strong performance of Minute Maid’s zero-sugar products in its third-quarter 2025 report, noting solid growth across North America and the expansion of the brand into select Asia-Pacific markets. The company said this progress reflects its focus on adapting to changing consumer tastes while driving growth across its beverage portfolio.
The report also pointed to continued gains in categories such as water, sports drinks, tea and coffee, which helped offset declines in traditional Coca-Cola products, juice, and value-added dairy and plant-based beverages. Concentrate sales lagged unit case volume slightly, a difference the company attributed to the timing of concentrate shipments.
Despite a challenging operating environment, Coca-Cola said it has remained flexible and continued investing in growth. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James Quincey said the company is strengthening its leadership position by offering consumers more choice across its beverage lineup and leveraging the strengths of its franchise model.
Financially, Coca-Cola reported net revenues rose 5% to $12.5 billion, while operating margin stood at 32%. Earnings per share climbed 30% to $0.86, and the company gained share in the total nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverage market. Coca-Cola is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 10.
Minute Maid’s history stretches back to 1945, when it was founded as the Florida Foods Corporation and began producing orange juice for the U.S. Army. A year later, the company pioneered frozen concentrated orange juice, helping to popularize the product nationwide. After several name changes, it became the Minute Maid Corporation in 1949 and was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 1960, cementing its place as one of America’s most enduring juice brands.
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