Choose a sparkling fruit drink when the conference brief calls for fizz and an individually served option; choose a still smoothie when guests are meant to have a blended fruit-and-purée drink. Check the serving format, storage instructions and current allergen information for the exact product, and provide water separately rather than relying on fruit drinks throughout the day.
If guests should be able to pick up a carbonated fruit drink at a break, look for a product labelled sparkling or carbonated rather than ordering a smoothie. Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners list sparkling juice drinks separately from smoothies.
A smoothie fits a request for a blended fruit drink rather than carbonation. Plan storage around the product you order: Waitrose & Partners lists 0–8°C refrigeration and consumption within two days of opening for the Innocent Fruit + Veg Smoothie.
Keep current ingredient and allergen information available for the drinks actually served, particularly if a flavour changes or a drink is decanted. Food Standards Agency guidance and Food Standards Scotland state that food businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked drinks.
Settle whether the break calls for fizz or a blended drink first. Then check portions, handling and the information guests will need at service.
Choose it when: Guests should be able to take a fizzy, individually served drink without pouring.
Bear in mind: Sparkling apple juice is not a smoothie; the Appletiser 250ml can lists 26g sugars per serving, according to Joybuy and Tesco Groceries.
Choose it when: The brief specifically calls for a blended fruit-and-purée drink rather than fizz.
Bear in mind: Check the exact product’s storage instructions; Waitrose & Partners lists 0–8°C refrigeration for the Innocent Fruit + Veg Smoothie.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drink style | Look for an explicit sparkling or carbonated description if fizz matters. For a smoothie, check that the product is a blended fruit drink; the categories are listed separately by Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners. | I want guests to receive the drink described in the event brief, not a still smoothie when fizz was requested. |
| Serving format | Check the number and size of individual containers, or plan how larger bottles will be poured. Appletiser is listed by Joybuy and Tesco Groceries as six 250ml servings. | Guests need to collect a drink quickly at a break, or staff will need a workable way to serve bottles. |
| Portion and sugars | Read sugars per serving as well as container size. Joybuy and Tesco Groceries list 26g sugars per 250ml Appletiser can; the NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day. | I want fruit drinks to be an optional refreshment, with water available separately throughout the event. |
| Storage | Check the exact label for storage temperature and instructions after opening. Waitrose & Partners lists 0–8°C and consumption within two days of opening for the Innocent Fruit + Veg Smoothie. | Can the venue hold the chosen drinks as labelled until they are served? |
| Allergen information | Keep the current pack or supplier details for each drink and recheck them after substitutions. Food Standards Agency guidance and Food Standards Scotland require food businesses to provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked drinks. | If someone asks about ingredients before choosing a drink, staff need accurate information for the one being served. |
That phrase can conceal a difference in drink style. Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners separate smoothies from sparkling juice drinks, while Appletiser is described as carbonated apple juice.
Specify either a sparkling fruit drink or a still smoothie, then confirm the ingredients and container format of the exact item.
The NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day. Joybuy and Tesco Groceries list 26g sugars in a 250ml Appletiser serving.
Offer water separately and present the fruit drink as an optional break refreshment.
Waitrose & Partners specifies 0–8°C refrigeration and consumption within two days of opening for the Innocent Fruit + Veg Smoothie.
Check the chosen product’s label and arrange suitable holding and service times before ordering.
Opened bottles also need to be used within their stated period, which matters when planning quantities for several breaks.
A different flavour or a decanted drink may no longer match the information staff have at hand. Food Standards Agency guidance and Food Standards Scotland require allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked drinks supplied by food businesses.
Check the product actually delivered and make its current ingredient and allergen information accessible before guests choose.
These references show the distinction between still smoothies and sparkling drinks; a retailer carrying both does not make the two product types interchangeable.
A still-smoothie reference: Waitrose & Partners describes its Fruit + Veg Smoothie as a blend of crushed fruit and vegetables, juices, apple water and extracts.
Tesco Groceries lists smoothies and Appletiser sparkling apple juice in separate product categories.
Sainsbury's lists own-label 750ml smoothies alongside branded smoothies in its smoothie range.
M&S describes its smoothies as fruit-juice-and-purée blends and lists 350ml and 750ml bottles.
Tesco Groceries and Sainsbury's list Naked smoothies, including 750ml Green Machine and Blue Machine products.
These options cover individually packaged sparkling apple drinks and other fruit-flavoured fizzy drinks for a conference break. They are not blended smoothies; check each drink’s ingredients and container size against the brief.
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A sparkling apple-juice option for individually served breaks, not a smoothie. Joybuy and Tesco Groceries list 26g sugars per 250ml serving; the NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day. Provide water separately.
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An orange-and-passion-fruit option to consider when the break calls for fizz rather than a blended smoothie. The named pack contains 12 × 250ml; check the current ingredients and allergen information before service.
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An apple-flavoured fizzy soft drink in a 24-can pack, rather than a smoothie or a 100% fruit-juice drink. Check the current ingredient label if the brief specifies fruit-juice content, and handle pressurised cans with care.
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A bottled orange soda to consider when a fizzy drink is acceptable instead of a smoothie. The named format is 330ml; confirm the number of bottles needed and check the current allergen information for service.
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A 500ml fruit-flavoured soda bottle for a break where fizz is wanted; decide whether that size fits individual service or a poured serving. Its product information notes possible traces of soy or milk, so check the current pack and make its allergen information available.
No. Tesco Groceries and Waitrose & Partners list sparkling juice drinks separately from smoothies. If fizz is required, choose a drink explicitly described as sparkling or carbonated; if a blended fruit drink is required, check the smoothie’s ingredients and do not assume it contains carbonation.
It offers an individual serving, but it should be an optional drink alongside water rather than the only all-day provision. Joybuy and Tesco Groceries list 26g sugars per 250ml Appletiser can, while the NHS advises limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150ml a day.
Follow the label of the exact smoothie ordered. Waitrose & Partners specifies 0–8°C refrigeration and consumption within two days of opening for the Innocent Fruit + Veg Smoothie; those instructions should not be assumed to apply to every drink.
Food businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked drinks, according to Food Standards Agency guidance and Food Standards Scotland. Keep accurate information for the exact products served, including any substitutions, where guests can obtain it before selecting a drink.