When it comes to beverage formulation, we get it—sometimes it feels easier to stick with what you know. Straight juice concentrates are familiar, functional, and they’ve been the backbone of plenty of successful products. But if you’re looking to scale smarter, simplify operations, and still wow your consumers with flavor and color, it might be time to rethink your approach.
At Northwest Naturals, we’ve spent decades helping brands do exactly that— move from concentrate-heavy formulations to custom juice blends that are easier to work with, more consistent, and surprisingly cost-effective.
So… what makes a blend better?
Blends Take the Guesswork Out
Anyone who’s spent time on a batching floor knows the reality: working with straight concentrates can be messy. Every new batch can throw you a curveball—maybe the brix is a little off this time, maybe the color’s a shade darker, maybe you’re doing more flavor adjusting than you’d like to admit.
Blends take the unpredictability out of the process. They’re pre-formulated to meet your exact specs—flavor, color, and performance—so every batch is consistent, right out of the gate. That means fewer headaches, less rework, and stronger trust in the product you’re putting out into the world.
They’re Also More Efficient Than You’d Think
It’s easy to focus on the cost per drum when you’re buying straight concentrate. But what about the time your team spends measuring, blending, flavor-correcting, or dealing with waste from partial use? What about the SKUs you’re managing or the training your staff needs just to get a batch right?
Blends streamline the whole operation. Fewer ingredients to stock. Less room for human error. Faster batching and quicker changeovers. And yes, often a lower total cost per finished gallon.
They Work Smarter—Especially for Color
One area where blends shine (literally) is color. Juice concentrates are an incredible natural way to enhance the color of your beverage, but when used as part of a smart blend, they go even further.
Want to brighten up a red? Try elderberry, red grape, or pomegranate. Looking for deep purple? Blueberry and blackberry are your go-tos. Need a warm yellow or orange? Mango, pineapple, and peach bring it home.
And because these are concentrates, a little goes a long way—not only boosting color but also giving you the juice content to support that front-of-pack claim.
Let’s Talk Cost Savings
This might surprise you: blends often cost less than straight concentrates. Why? Because you’re not paying for waste, overuse, or constant adjustments. Our blends are built to hit your flavor and color targets right out of the gate, which means less time tinkering and more time producing. You also benefit from the economies of scale we pass along—saving you on ingredients, storage, and labor.
Think about it this way: if you could get the same—or better—results, for a lower total cost, wouldn’t you?
Less Waste. Less Stress. More Wins.
We hear it all the time: partial drums of concentrate going unused. Or worse, being used improperly and throwing off the whole formulation. With a custom blend, you’re using exactly what you need—no more, no less. You’re not wasting product. You’re not guessing at ratios. You’re simply pouring, batching, and moving on.
And your team? They’ll thank you. Blends reduce the learning curve, cut down on mid-shift adjustments, and free up time to focus on quality—not course correction.
So, Why Blends?
Because they make your job easier. Because they make your product more consistent. Because they’re built to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and still deliver the flavor and color your customers expect.
And honestly? Because there’s a better way to do this.
Let’s build a smarter blend together. Whether you’re launching a new product or cleaning up an existing formula, our R&D team is here to help you create something you can trust—batch after batch.
Let’s talk about what a custom blend could do for you.
Ready to explore the switch? We’re just a call (or email) away.
