Heritage juice brand finds its way to Pinoy shelves

FLY Ace Corp., distributor of imported juices, canned vegetables and fruits, reported an 80 percent increase in sales after acquiring the license to exclusively distribute Mott’s Apple Juice in the Philippines.

The growth is attributed to consumers’ shift to a healthier lifestyle, bringing into the forefront more products that are said to be beneficial of ridding the body of toxins.

“Mott’s Apple Juice is a heritage brand known for its quality and delicious taste. As a distributor, we have made it available in leading supermarkets. It has helped our business a lot because we have directed our consumers to where to find their favorite brand,” Fly Ace senior product manager Jasmine Culpe said.

She said the distribution license was awarded in 2014.

Mott’s Apple used to be available only in small stores that sold imported products. But Capule said they only needed to boost the brand image of Mott’s Apple, opening the path to more prominent shelves.

The manufacturer of Mott’s in the United States implemented stringent screening procedures on choosing their partner-distributor here. “We had to prove to them that we have their best intentions at heart,” she said.

For 43 years, Fly Ace Corp. is one of the leading food and beverage consumer goods companies in the country. The company’s portfolio includes Jolly canned goods and canola oil and Doña Elena olive oil. Aside from Mott’s Apple juice, Fly Ace is also the sole distributor of Welch’s grape juice and Old Orchard orange juice.

“We have a wide range of 100 percent juice brands. But we are focusing on beefing up our juice portfolio,” she said.

Abe Cipriano Jr., vice president for marketing, said Fly Ace Corp. aimed to bring the best of the world to Filipino consumers.

“For Mott’s, we aim to strengthen the distribution chain here. It is a heritage brand that has been around since 1842. It was introduced to the Philippines in the mid 1980s. It has been a brand of choice since then,” he said. Mott’s Apple Juice traces its roots to New York when S.R. Mott used the techniques he learned from his grandfather.

He perfected advanced pasteurization and filtration techniques at his mill. With no sweeteners or preservatives, Mott’s apple juice is pasteurized at 190 degrees to eliminate bacterial growth.