• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
beverages

Can watermelon squeeze into the juicing craze?

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 8, 2014, 3:26 PM ET
Tsamma is an all-natural watermelon juice new to the market this year
Tsamma is an all-natural watermelon juice new to the market this yearPhoto courtesy of Frey Farms

Peruse the produce aisle at your local grocery store and you’ll likely find a massive selection of juices featuring blueberries, carrots, strawberries and other familiar fruits and veggies.

But the juicing craze — a growing, multibillion-dollar business — has up until now left one popular fruit behind: the watermelon. Now one Illinois farmer is hoping there’s still some room for the large fruit to make a splash.

The watermelon juice in question is called Tsamma [pronounced sah-mah], and it was conceptualized earlier this year by fresh produce grower Sarah Frey-Talley. After testing a variety of flavor bases at home for a few months, Frey-Talley, the chief executive of Frey Farms, is now bringing Tsamma to major retail shelves.

Frey-Talley believes the watermelon is a perfect fit for the juice aisle, pointing out that the average American usually buys a whole watermelon just five times a year. It can take a lot of time to slice the fruit, remove seeds, and then it has to be consumed quickly—all factors that limit its growth potential.

“We took an inconvenient item that Americans like to eat anyway and we put it in a bottle.”

Even though it has been on the market for just three months, Tsamma is already on the shelves in more than 1,200 stores, including Whole Foods (WFM) and The Fresh Market (TFM). Other national chains are expressing interest in the beverage, which squeezes one-and-a-half pounds of watermelon into each bottle.

Tsamma’s quick acceptance from grocery-store chains can be attributed to Frey-Talley’s experience as both a farmer and a savvy saleswoman. When Frey-Talley was as young as eight, she accompanied her mother on a delivery route for the watermelons her family grew on a small, 80-acre farm in southern Illinois.

By the time she was a teenager, Frey-Talley took over the route from her mother, at that point she also began to purchase watermelons and cantaloupes from small farms and distribute them to stores across several states.

Since Frey-Talley took over the family business she has expanded what is now called Frey Farms across seven states, with several thousand acres of land, and distribution centers that package and ship the produce. In the beginning, Frey-Talley worked alone, but now she employees up to 600 workers during the peak-growing season.

Tsamma (named after a melon grown in Africa that is thought to be the parent of all melons we know today) is angling for a slice of the bottled super-premium fruit and veggie juices segment, which reported sales of $2.25 billion last year, according to a Barron’s report that cited Beverage Marketing data. Sales for that segment are up 58% since 2004, the research and consulting firm has reported.

Consumers are gravitating toward bottled juices, and even buying more mixers to make juices at home, as they aim to drink more all-natural beverages. That shift has resulted in greater sales of juices, smoothies and flavored waters, but fewer sales of high-sugar beverages like soda.

Sherry Frey (no relation to Frey-Talley), vice president of Nielsen Perishables Group, said the popularity of juices has ebbed and flowed the past few decades, but this time around it is notable that juices aren’t just popular with health-conscious consumers. Juice sales today have across-the-board appeal, Frey said, noting that millennials are looking for something healthy on the go, parents like to serve juices to their kids, and boomers are looking at the benefits of juicing as they look to extend their lives.

Frey-Talley has a fairly aggressive growth plan for Tsamma, hoping annual sales will hit $150 million within five years.

“Some might think that our plan of growth is aggressive, and we definitely have a lot of consumer education to do to get people to understand the benefits,” Frey-Talley said. She believes watermelon juice sales could one day rival the sale of coconut water — another beverage that has become wildly popular in recent years.

“I’m hoping anyway,” she said. “Otherwise I’ll have to sell a farm.”

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

What is red light therapy?: Our experts break down the new wellness trend
HealthHealth
What is red light therapy?: Our experts break down the new wellness trend
By Katie MooreMay 21, 2026
41 minutes ago
zohran
PoliticsWorld Cup
Mamdani’s campaign for cheap World Cup tickets delivers 1,000 for city of 8 million
By The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago
duggan
PoliticsElections
‘In 60 days there’s been a huge change in the attitudes of this country’: Former Detroit mayor says bipartisan approach in governor race is doomed
By Corey Williams and The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago
malaysia
CybersecuritySocial Media
Malaysia slams ‘grossly offensive, false, menacing and insulting’ TikTok memes about its king
By The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago
Meta laid off 10% of its workforce as Mark Zuckerberg warns that in the AI race ‘success isn’t a given’
AILayoffs
Meta laid off 10% of its workforce as Mark Zuckerberg warns that in the AI race ‘success isn’t a given’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago
reeves
Personal FinanceInflation
British government’s answer to cost-of-living crisis: discounts on theme park tickets, chocolate bars
By Jill Lawless and The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
Workplace Culture
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
By Sydney LakeMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
4 days ago
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
Workplace Culture
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
A 'proudly autistic' workplace expert says putting neurodivergent employees in a typical office is like dropping a polar bear in Austin, Texas
Conferences
A 'proudly autistic' workplace expert says putting neurodivergent employees in a typical office is like dropping a polar bear in Austin, Texas
By Tristan BoveMay 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.