When we choose juice, the label is our roadmap. One of the most important indications of quality is the abbreviation NFC (Not From Concentrate). In Bulgaria, the term translates as „direct juice“, but behind these words lies a whole philosophy of production, radically different from the mainstream industry.

The myth of concentrates
To understand the value of NFC juice, we need to know what the alternative is. In the production of juice from concentrate, the fruit juice is heated to high temperatures to evaporate the water from it. This produces a thick, sticky pulp (concentrate) that is easy and cheap to transport. During this process, however, much of the flavour and beneficial substances are lost. Later, at the bottling plant, water and often „flavour packs“ are added to this concentrate to restore the lost flavour.

The purity of the direct juice
With direct juices, this process of dehydration and re-hydration is completely absent. The NFC juice pathway is short and transparent:
1. Selection.
2. Pressing.
3. Pasteurization: the juice undergoes a short heat treatment (pasteurization), which is sufficient to destroy the bacteria but is gentle on the taste and vitamins.
4. Bottling.

The taste of nature

The biggest advantage of direct juices is their taste profile. Each batch may differ slightly, just as apples from one harvest may be sweeter than those from the following year. This is not a defect, but a guarantee of naturalness. Direct juice brings out the soul of the fruit, its density and flavour, without the intervention of technologists to „flatten“ the taste with chemistry.