Xi'an based SkyPeople Fruit Juice, a processor and manufacturer of concentrated fruit juices and fruit products, has announced that it has started production of mulberry vinegar and kiwifruit vinegar beverages at the company's Zhouzhi factory.
SkyPeople says that is the first company to introduce production of mulberry vinegar and kiwifruit vinegar beverages in China. Until now, apple vinegar has been the only fruit vinegar beverage available in China's domestic market.
The demand for fruit vinegar beverages has been steadily growing in the international market since the mid 1990s, particularly among female consumers, due to their health benefits. It is reported that compared to traditional fruit juice beverages, fruit vinegar beverages contain more vitamins, amino acids, and essential minerals. Some fruit vinegar characteristics, such as acetic acid, lactic acid, amino acids, glycerol, and aldehyde have been shown to dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation.
While the demand for fruit vinegar beverages has been increasing in China, the average per capita consumption of vinegar products, including cooking vinegar, vinegar-based health products, and fruit vinegar beverages, is only 0.19 kg per year, or roughly 11% and 14% of the consumption levels of Japan and the U.S., respectively.