Looking ahead to the next big industry trends

We are all looking ahead, sometimes finding it more fruitful to think about the road ahead than the path we are on.

Along that vein, I asked a new question to the LinkedIn Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group:

What will be the biggest fresh produce grocery trend over the next decade?

With more than 100 votes received, the opinions were distributed as follows:

1. More private label 15%;
2. Continuing rise of organic 32%;
3. Greater online purchasing 42%; and
4. Other (please comment) 12%.

Here are some excerpts of responses from the group:

• All of the above..... A greater rise in online purchasing of organic private label items;
• Nutrient-dense or eating for nutrition;
• Fairtrade!   ;
• Growth of consumers adopting habits by choosing food for health and wellness; 
• The merchandising counterpart to ‘analysis paralysis” is “selection saturation”.  Are we past diminishing returns to the point of negatively impacting many categories with SKU proliferation? ;
• The invasion of the produce department by manufactured products;
• Global warming could change growing regions and this could take a toll on the produce industry; and 
• Countries being better at growing our own produce year-round and not import so much.

Last week’s poll in the LinkedIn group was closed with fairly diverse results. 

Considering economic harm to U.S. growers, what should be done about increasing imports of blueberries?

1. Nothing .. the market is working: 33%;
2. Tariffs or quotas selectively: 16%;
3. Subsidies to U.S. growers: 17%; and
4. Promotions effort USA grown 35%

At least for those voting, there is comparatively less appetite for measures to protect and subsidize U.S. growers than there is for a domestic produce promotion campaign.

Caught from the web:

California cites 11 firms over COVID-19

United Migrant Opportunity Services creates initiative to protect migrant farm workers

Biden Campaign Hosts Food And Farm Groups Who Say Trump Failed To Protect Workers

Amazon grocery store reportedly to share Kohl’s retail space in California

How do grower, wholesale and retail prices of all fresh produce compare with the last two years? Details from the USDA below!