To view the 2020 Fresh Trends Magazine click here.
It used to be that chefs drove the trends in foods—debuting what they saw as the “up and coming” hot items on restaurant plates—and creating demand for lesser-known commodities like kale or kumquats that would eventually translate into more sales in supermarkets. Today the American public has a firsthand role in that foodie stage, as online recipe sites offer rankings and public comments, food blogs popularize various tastes, and Twitter feeds drive interest without consumers having to leave the comfort of their own homes. Fruits and vegetables remain at the forefront of new flavors, bringing continual hope for fresh sales.
As new recipes call for extending people’s palates, those sales are reflected in consumer trends. In this year’s Fresh Trends research, more than two-thirds of respondents to the consumer survey which asked about more than 50 different commodities said they were buying more fresh produce now than two decades ago. Avocados were the commodity that topped the list of items that shoppers said they were buying now that they did not buy previously, followed by asparagus and broccoli. All three of these commodities were also popular “new choices” for consumers in Fresh Trends 2019. (For the record, 74% of respondents said they typically buy fresh fruit and 72% said the usually buy fresh vegetables.)
As buying patterns extend outside the supermarket, buying trends are changing as well. Almost one-third of shoppers (32%) said they would purchase fresh produce through an online service like Amazon Fresh or Peapod. Slightly more than a third (36%) of consumers said they could be convinced to change their shopping behavior based on recommendations from friends on their social network—like trying a new type of fruit/vegetable or recipe.
Taking it a step further, Fresh Trends 2020 polled consumers as to whether they’d use social media to connect to their supermarket if they would be able to view the quality of fresh produce daily or even hourly—22% said they would be at likely to do so. Twenty-six percent said they’d likely connect to their store via a social media platform if the store posted “blasts” like price drops updated periodically (daily, every few days, on weekends, etc.).
Budgets and Buying Habits
Enticing consumers to try new produce items means appealing to their taste buds and their wallets. One-third of shoppers said two different things could encourage them to try something new: sampling and sales. Advertising an item and putting it out to try allows the flavors to come alive. Forty percent of respondents to Fresh Trends 2020 said they prefer to buy what’s healthy and do so when they can get a good deal. Thirty-one percent of shoppers trust their friends and family and will try new fruits or vegetables via word of mouth, and 29% said that tasting an item at a restaurant could convince them to buy it at the supermarket.
More than 60% of shoppers said they strategically buy products when they go on sale to help control their food budget. For 49%, buying store brands helps to keep costs down, and 35% say they clip and use coupons. While 26% of consumers said they haven’t changed their eating habits in the past year, 23% said they are buying food that is less expensive and 38% said they eat at home more often to save money.
On average, 41% of families go grocery shopping about once a week; another 26% shop two to three times per month, according to Fresh Trends 2020. After they get their food home, one-fifth said they make a meal with fresh produce five or six times per week, and 21% said they cook with the fresh stuff four times a week. Fewer (18%) use fresh fruits and vegetables in a meal daily.
Keeping dollars local hits home for 60% of shoppers who say they prefer to keep their food dollars in their local community. Fifty-three percent of respondents said they “make a conscious effort” to buy locally grown produce.
Focusing on Favorites
Six in 10 of those surveyed said they’re eating more produce than one year ago, and 65% said they are eating more than five years ago. Seventy-five percent said they’re eating more fresh produce as they try to include more nutrients in their diets. As part of that effort, some may be using fruits and vegetables in between meals. More than half of respondents said they were grabbing produce as a snack more now—56% noted more produce purchases as a snack than five years ago, and 51% were snacking on produce more than one year ago.
When focusing in on individual commodities, consumers clearly have their favorites. Fresh Trends tracks the top 20 fruits and vegetables each year, and the same items remain on these lists from last year (no newcomers this time around). Blueberries climbed two spots from No. 10 to No. 8 and the summer favorite cherries came in at No. 11 (up from No. 13). Mangoes dipped from the No. 16 spot to nineteenth over the past year. When it comes to vegetables, salad mix’s popularity jumped from No. 10 to No. 5 in 2020. Mushrooms moved from thirteenth in 2019 up two spots to No. 11 this year. Spinach climbed from No. 15 to No. 13 in 2020.
