Beverage sourcing

NFC vs FCOJ lemon juice: which one your beverage program needs

Beverage manufacturers and cocktail programs choose between not-from-concentrate (NFC) lemon juice and frozen concentrate (FCOJ, sometimes LCJ 400 Brix). The choice drives cost, mouthfeel, labelling and shelf-life. Here is how buyers decide.

NFC — single-strength, cold-filled or flash-pasteurised

5.5–7.0 % citric acidity, 7–9° Brix, pH 2.2–2.4. Cleanest label ('lemon juice'), best mouthfeel, premium bar and RTD positioning. 12 months chilled, 18 months flash-pasteurised.

FCOJ / LCJ — 5–6× concentration for logistics

Concentrated to roughly 400 GPL citric or 40–65° Brix, frozen at −18 °C in drums or totes. Cuts freight cost per litre of finished product by 5×. Requires on-site reconstitution and label declares 'lemon juice from concentrate'.

Cost per litre of finished beverage

NFC is 2–3× more expensive per litre delivered. FCOJ wins on unit economics for high-volume soft drinks and RTD cocktails; NFC wins on shelf claim and mouthfeel.

Application fit

NFC: premium bar, HoReCa, clean-label RTD, organic SKUs. FCOJ: beverage plants, syrup makers, industrial confectionery, non-premium retail.

What NostraMareFoods supplies

NFC organic and conventional in 1 L glass, 5 L bag-in-box, 200 L aseptic drums, 1,000 L IBCs. Cold chain 2–8 °C with per-pallet temperature logging. FCOJ available on request from qualified partner mills.

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