18.9%

Organic carrots account for 18.9% of total carrot sales in 2022, according to IRI scan data.

2010

In 2010, carrot farmers got together and started promoting baby carrots (either immature carrots or pieces of larger, thin carrots that are peeled and cut) as an alternative snack food — a successful campaign that has plenty of people snacking on carrots instead of chips, says Food Republic.

28 to 180

Whole carrots typically have a shelf life of 28 to 180 days if kept at 33 to 35 degrees F, a relative humidity of 98%-100% (that means mist lightly at retail).

Learn on PMG: All about carrots, the commodity

21

Diced, sliced or shredded carrots can last 21 days, as can julienned carrots and carrot sticks. But whole, peeled carrots can last up to 30 days.

14%

Percentage of consumers who said they exclusively shop for organic carrots, down slightly from 16% in 2022 but up from 11% in 2021, according to The Packer and PMG’s Organic Fresh Trends 2023 survey.

1600s

In the 1600s, Dutch horticulturists began breeding orange carrots in earnest, altering the course of popular carrot color, previously grown in Afghanistan to be purple, white and yellow, according to Snake River Seed Cooperative.

4.9%

Carrot sales were $144 million in March, a 4.9% increase in dollar sales compared to March 2022. And carrot volume remained steady, according to International Fresh Produce Association’s “March U.S. Market Watch for Produce” report with 210 Analytics.

88%

Carrots are made up of 88% water.

— This piece is from the May-June issue of PMG magazine. Flip through all the digital issues.