Sunkist sees lemon consumption surge

Lemons have seen a pandemic bounce and that surge has continued into 2021.

“Overall consumption of lemons is up by over 22% for the last 52-week period, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI) data,” said Christina Ward, senior director of global marketing for Sunkist Growers, Valencia, Calif.

Sunkist Growers is a 128-year-old fresh citrus cooperative with lemon groves located throughout California and Arizona, Ward said, and has a year-round supply of lemons of all sizes for retail and foodservice customers.

For retailers, Ward said that Sunkist offers customizable marketing programs to cross-promote in the seafood and alcohol departments, along with eye-catching displays that support sales in the produce department.

“In the summer months, lemonade destinations create refreshing displays for the lemon category,” Ward said. “We continue to see growth in bagged lemons, which is up 48% versus a year ago, while bulk is up 19% compared to last year.”

Ward said the gains point to the fact that the lemon category has been pulled by increased consumer demand during the pandemic.

“Overall, lemons have been one of the top citrus items and consistently in the top 10 fruit items at retail,” she said.

According to IRI’s “The Future of Food: Five Consumer COVID Trends That Are Here to Stay,” Ward said 37% of consumers say “food is better medicine than medicine,” and, due to the pandemic, 17% would buy more products that support immunity.

“Since lemons are high in vitamin C, we continue to promote its nutritional benefits, engaging with shoppers looking for healthier meal alternatives,” Ward said. “In doing so, we speak to the versatility of lemons and how they can be a natural way to flavor dishes and drinks, boost potassium intake and cut down on sodium as a salt alternative.

With more consumers cooking at home, our website offers meal hacks, recipe inspiration and ideas on how to use the whole fruit, from juicing to zesting to charring.”

Sunkist also has organic lemon varieties available year-round, Ward said.