French Fruit Juice by Alain Milliat
Alain Milliat fruit juice is a single-variety, not-from-concentrate juice made from fully ripened fruit, bottled in his French workshop near Lyon. Eleven varieties range from spicy apple and tart pomegranate to savory tomato juice. Clear, fresh, honest – fruit with a sense of origin in your glass.
Fruit juice by Alain Milliat is a not-from-concentrate juice that follows a simple idea: a fruit has its own terroir, just like a great grape vine. Alain, a trained fruit grower from Orliénas near Lyon, has been pressing juices from fruit harvested at peak ripeness since 1997. Whatever is ripe goes quickly into the bottle to ensure the varietal aroma is preserved. We offer eleven varieties, from classics to unique surprises.
Fruit juice with a winemaker's approach to terroir
The idea behind every juice comes from the wine cellar.
Vines recognize locations and vintages, and Alain applies this same standard to fruit. The riper the fruit and the gentler the pressing process, the more clearly the juice reveals its origins and flavor in the glass. This is why Alain searches for the source with the most distinct aroma for every variety, whether in France or beyond.
The result is a juice that doesn’t taste like concentrate, but like apple, like pomegranate, like tomato. Single-variety, fruity, honest – with the character of a single fruit in the glass.
Since the 1990s, Alain has been searching for the right origin for each fruit, sometimes an old apple variety from the north, sometimes sun-ripened citrus fruits from the south. It is not the quantity that counts, but the specific grove or tree that provides that exact note. It is an effort you can taste in your glass.
Eleven juices from sweet to savory
The range extends from breakfast juice to savory apéritifs.
The experience begins sweet and familiar with Cox Orange apple juice and fruity pineapple juice. Things get more exciting with the delicately tart pomegranate juice and the zesty clementine juice, which tastes of the south.
It is refreshing that it’s not just the usual suspects on the shelf. You might know pineapple juice from a breakfast buffet, but a single-variety pomegranate or pure clementine is rarer. It is exactly these sophisticated varieties that make the selection so appealing, as you will find flavors that are rarely seen on supermarket shelves.
Add to this mandarin, grapefruit, cranberry, and a delicate pink grape juice—each variety has its own character. Most juices come in a 330 ml bottle, some in 200 ml, or in 1 liter for those with a big thirst or to share at the dinner table.
The apple is made from the aromatic Cox Orange variety and tastes spicy rather than flatly sweet. The clementine brings the south into your glass, the pomegranate a fine tartness, and the cranberry an autumnal acidity. In this way, the selection covers the entire spectrum, from gentle to zesty.
Not-from-concentrate, single-variety, and pressed at peak ripeness
For Alain, a juice is pure fruit; nothing is diluted.
While a nectar is made from fruit pulp, water, and some sugar, the fruit juice here is not-from-concentrate, pressed directly from the fruit—clear in the glass and clear in taste. If you prefer something velvety and sweeter, you will find what you are looking for in the nectars, such as apricot or white peach.
According to Alain, the gentler the pressing process, the fewer bitter substances enter the juice and the finer the variety reveals itself. We recommend drinking the fruit juice at a cool 8 to 12 degrees Celsius, preferably from a stemmed glass, which allows the aroma to open up as intended.
Because the fruit is the focus, every variety tastes a little different depending on the vintage—sometimes a touch sweeter, sometimes a touch tarter. This is not a flaw, but the opposite of concentrate, which tastes the same everywhere. A good juice should show character, we believe, and Alain has been committed to this since 1997.
Two tomato juices for savory moments
Not every juice wants to be on the breakfast table; some belong in an apéritif glass.
Alain produces two different tomato juices: the classic, deep-red tomato juice and its sun-yellow brother, the yellow tomato juice made from yellow tomatoes. The red one tastes bold and full-bodied, the yellow one is milder and almost fruity.
Both are perfect for the evening, with celery, pepper, and a splash of lemon, whether pure or as a base for a savory drink. This is how a glass of juice becomes a perfect prelude to a meal.
If you have guests, place the red and yellow side by side and let them compare how differently two tomatoes can taste. A little salt, a few ice cubes, and your non-alcoholic apéritif is ready to spark curiosity at the table. We especially enjoy the yellow one with fish and light vegetables.
A workshop that treats fruit like wine
Behind these bottles is a man with a clear philosophy.
Alain Milliat founded his workshop in 1997 near Lyon with an initial range of six juices and nectars—on land that had rarely seen high-quality produce until then. He brought fruit juice to a level that few had previously thought possible, so much so that French sommeliers added his juices to their menus.
The transformation from an orchard near Lyon into a small juice workshop with its own unique standards was not a given, but the result of many trials and a few failures. It is precisely this persistence that distinguishes a good juice from a mass-market beverage, and it is the reason why connoisseurs still appreciate Alain’s bottles to this day.
For over 25 years, Alain has upheld this standard, and you can taste it in every single bottle. The fruit is pressed and bottled in Valence in the Drôme, right in the middle of France's largest fruit-growing region. Today, the brand is at home in over 20 countries. You can find more about the history and the full range in the Alain Milliat producer portrait. We carry these juices because every variety here has a mind of its own.
A juice for every hour
Alain’s juices accompany you throughout the day, each at its right hour.
In the morning, the sweet apple or pineapple juice is part of breakfast; at lunch, a clear pomegranate or clementine juice quenches your thirst. For an apéritif, we reach for the tomato juice seasoned with pepper and celery, and the delicate pink grape juice is a perfect match for dessert.
And for a thoughtful gift, simply put together three varieties—one sweet, one tart, one savory—a small juice tasting that you can give away. Taste your way through the eleven varieties and find your fruit juice for the moment at hand. Enjoy it well-chilled from a stemmed glass; that is truly all you need.
