Fresh Trends 2023: Who are the most frequent buyers of broccoli?

Editor's Note: The following report is from The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2023, which provides insight based on survey responses from consumers. Since 1983, The Packer has sponsored 40 major consumer studies to track trends in the purchases and consumption of fresh produce, documenting the fluctuation in purchases of specific fruits and vegetables as well as changing attitudes toward industry issues.

The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2023 survey found that 43% of consumers reported purchasing broccoli in the past year. That was down slightly from 46% in the 2022 survey and 44% in the 2021 survey.

Broccoli retail per capital availability has stayed fairly stable the last few years, rising slightly from 5.47 pounds in 2011 to 5.66 pounds in 2019.

Both the fob average price and the retail average price for broccoli increased in the past year, according to USDA statistics. The average fob broccoli price in 2022 was $21.86 per carton, up 40% from $15.62 per carton in 2021.

The 2022 average retail promoted price for broccoli was $1.17 per unit, up 14% from $1.03 per unit the previous year.

The USDA said the number of stores promoting broccoli in 2022 was 451,956, down 10% from 502,192 in 2021.

Higher-income and older consumers were the most frequent consumers of broccoli, according to Fresh Trends 2023.

The survey found that 49% of consumers earning more than $100,000 a year said they purchased broccoli, compared with 37% for those making under $25,000 annually.

Likewise, 48% of consumers aged 60 and older said they purchased broccoli, compared with 38% of those in the 18-29 age bracket.