Orange Juice Sales Skyrocket During COVID-19 Outbreak
The devastation associated with the worldwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak isn't just a public health crisis, it's also threatening to be one of the biggest economic drains ever as businesses struggle to stay open and millions find themselves out of work, at least temporarily.
But as in any time of crisis, some industries are actually seeing a significant uptick in sales as a result of this COVID-19 pandemic.
Companies that manufacture cleaning products and protective gear have seen increased demands for their products, while the toilet paper industry has seen quite an unexpected buying frenzy for its product.
One other group that has seen sales skyrocket amidst this health scare is one that has actually been dealing with increasingly sluggish sales over the past 20 years - the orange juice producers in Florida.
According to the latest figures from the Florida Department of Citrus, retail sales of all orange juice products were up nearly ten percent (9.8%) from late February through the middle of March.
Industry experts attribute the increase in orange juice sales to a pair of factors: a renewed interest in consumption of healthy foods, like Vitamin C rich OJ to help strengthen a body's immune system, and increased time at home for a majority of consumers who have fewer food and drink options with many restaurants now either closed or offering limited service.
But it's not just oranges that are in high demand right now.
The latest Citrus Department data show an 8.2% increase in grapefruit shipments and nearly a 26% boost in tangerine and tangelo shipments.
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