Aseptic Puree and the Future of Real Fruit in Food Manufacturing
This summer marked Oregon Fruit’s first appearance at IFT First, and it didn’t disappoint. Held in Chicago, this high-energy ingredient expo is the go-to event for food scientists, R&D teams, brokers, and suppliers looking for the next big thing in industrial food and beverage innovation. We showed up ready to spotlight something increasingly rare on the show floor: real fruit—in the form of high-quality, shelf-stable aseptic puree.
A Sea of Flavors, But Where’s the Fruit?
Flavor and color innovation dominated the show. Adaptogens, mushrooms, and functional ingredients like ashwagandha were everywhere, with buzzwords like energy, calm, and immunity on constant rotation.
But actual fruit ingredients? Surprisingly scarce. Oregon Fruit was one of the only brands showcasing real fruit puree—and the only one offering aseptic fruit puree with traceable sourcing, made for commercial food and beverage manufacturing. In a landscape crowded with powders, concentrates, and “natural flavor” labels, our booth stood out for offering the real thing: clean, consistent fruit, ready to use in scalable applications.
Why Aseptic Puree Matters in Food Manufacturing
Throughout the event, we connected with formulators, food scientists, and brand managers who were hungry for fruit ingredients that offer both quality and convenience. We answered the same three questions on repeat:
Q. Where do you source your fruit?
A. We work directly with trusted growers across the U.S. and select global regions. With 90 years in the fruit business, Oregon Fruit has built deep relationships with top-tier farms, and we’re highly selective about the fruit varieties we choose. Only the best fruit makes it into our purees and concentrates.
Q. What’s in your aseptic puree?
A. Just fruit! No additives, no preservatives.
Q. How can aseptic puree be used?
A. There are many commercial applications for aseptic fruit puree beyond brewing. Our customers rely on our aseptic purees to create everything from ice cream to hot sauce, cannabinoid gummies to functional sodas, canned cocktails to cookies and confections.
The real differentiator for aseptic puree? Shelf stability. Our aseptic puree eliminates the need for frozen storage, freeing up valuable freezer space and streamlining inventory management. It’s a solution tailor-made for high-volume food production—and it got people talking.
Concentrated Interest
One of the strongest ingredient trends at IFT was the rising interest in concentrates—especially in natural essences and reduced-volume fruit formats. Many formulators are looking for ways to deliver intense fruit flavor with lower water content and greater flexibility. Oregon Fruit is proud to offer a range of high-quality fruit concentrates alongside our aseptic purees. Whether customers are looking to amplify flavor in a beverage or increase fruit content in a confection or sauce, our concentrates deliver the potency and reliability commercial makers need—without sacrificing clean label standards.
Takeaways, Trends, and What's Next
IFT is packed with cutting-edge ingredient tech, but the feedback we heard over and over was clear: there’s a demand for clean-label fruit ingredients that perform. Our aseptic puree checks that box—and more. It solves common formulation problems while delivering bold color, real fruit flavor, and unmatched consistency.
We also saw strong momentum in gummy innovation, with countless brands showcasing functional confections made with everything from matcha to mushroom extract. Fruit remains a key flavor driver in this space—and our shelf-stable purees offer a clean, consistent option for gummy producers looking to scale without compromising quality.
Another exciting trend? Upcycled food ingredients. One conversation with a vacuum-drying startup stood out—they're turning food waste into ingredient powders for use in pet food. It’s a reminder that innovation isn’t just about new ingredients—it’s also about using what we already have more efficiently.
For next year, we’re planning even more:
- Sampling additional products from our shelf-stable Pourable Fruit line
- Expanding the booth by including more of our sourcing and R&D team
- Showcasing more real fruit applications for commercial food and beverage brands
IFT First confirmed what we’ve known for 90 years: real fruit ingredients still have a powerful role in food innovation. And Oregon Fruit is here to help commercial manufacturers bring that fruit to life—one shelf-stable puree at a time.
