Vegetable declines drive produce trends, despite fruit growth
Cucumbers and packaged salads were the two exceptions in the decline in dollar sales of the top 10 vegetable categories, according to United Fresh Produce Association’s second-quarter 2021 issue of FreshFacts on Retail.
The report is produced in partnership with NielsenIQ Fresh, with direction from the United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board.
Released Oct. 20 and sponsored by Mucci Farms, this issue reports that vegetable declines mainly drove produce trends in the second quarter of the year, despite growing fruit dollars. But volume sales declined across the board.
“A year-and-a-half into the pandemic, the new norm continues to evolve in response to changing dynamics,” United Fresh vice president of member services Miriam Wolk said in a news release. “Future growth opportunities lie in understanding consumers’ changing behaviors and leveraging this knowledge to cater to their diverging needs.”
The report examines broader second-quarter 2021 category performance data, as well as measuring retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities.
Seasonal category deep dives feature bananas, broccoli, cherries and onions, with a year-to-year comparison of the last three years’ fourth-quarter results to help in planning for a successful fourth quarter of 2021.
The report also includes a deeper dive into trends for salad kits.
Other report highlights include:
- Despite volume sales losses, six out of the top ten fruit categories grew dollars as prices increase;
- Except for cucumbers and packaged salads, dollar sales declined in the remaining top 10 vegetable categories;
- Value-added fruit continues to grow, rebounding from declines of the recent past;
- Dollar sales of value-added produce are growing the fastest in mixed fruit, cantaloupe and fruit salad;
- Quarterly sales of organic produce top $2.3 Billion, with fruit driving the growth;
- Salad Kits continue to grow, accounting for over 3 out of 10 dollars in packaged salads;
- Higher sales velocity and distribution gains drove salad kit growth;
- Organic produce sales grow 4% compared to a year ago, comprising 12.1% of produce dollars;
- Organic claims made significant share gains in strawberries, herbs and spices, lettuce and raspberries; and
- Total produce household trips to the store are down 3.0 percent vs a year ago.
“Consumers continue to be polarized between cautious versus comfortable and insulated versus constrained,” the report said. “The divide also continues between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those working from home and those returning to workplaces and those who shop out of home, frequent restaurants and entertainment establishments versus those who are still limiting crowd gathering activities and partaking in more at home spending.”
“Future growth opportunities lie in understanding these polarized consumers and ultimately leveraging this knowledge to cater to their diverging needs.”
The United Fresh Retail-Foodservice Board and NielsenIQ Fresh will host a webinar to highlight key statistics and trends included in the second quarter 2021 report. The webinar will be at noon Eastern Time Oct. 26, featuring analysis from Lyndsey Abbott, vice president of the West region at Nielsen. Participants can ask questions and discuss topics. Registration is free for all United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association members and $100 for nonmembers at www.unitedfresh.org.
