MONTEREY, CA - Teaming up with marketing research firm Nielsen, Organic Produce Network (OPN) reported its produce sales for the first quarter of 2018. Organic packaged salads continued to be a high driver, dominating organic fresh vegetable sales. Another produce star was organic berries, whose explosive growth boasted over 40 percent of organic fruit sales. According to Matt Lally, Client Manager for Nielsen, the first quarter numbers reflect an uptick in growth for all organic fresh produce.
“Parents and millennials have led the surge in sales which could prove quite the combination in the coming years as more millennials become parents,” said Lally in a press release. “Today’s consumer is interested in eating simpler, cleaner products and this is seen in the continued growth of organic fresh produce.”
Highlights from the report include:
- $1.2 billion in organic produce sales for first fiscal quarter 2018
- Organic fresh produce sales saw eight percent dollar and volume growth
- Organic packaged salads responsible for 19 percent ($250 million) of organic fresh produce sales
- Organic berries made up 13.5 percent ($166 million) of organic fresh produce sales
- Organic berry category saw a 21 percent increase in dollars and a 26 percent growth in volume compared to the first quarter of 2017
- Packaged salads, berries, and apples combined to make up 40 percent of all organic fresh produce sales
- Organic fresh vegetables accounted for $632 million compared to $400 million for organic fresh fruit
- Herbs, spices, beverages, and dressing accounted for $205 million
“Organic fresh produce continues to be a major revenue generator at retail. In addition to berries, organic potatoes, mushrooms, herbs/spices, beverages, and avocados all increased by double digits in both dollar and sales volume compared to the first quarter of last year,” commented Matt Seeley, Chief Executive Officer of OPN. “At the same time, per Nielsen data, conventionally grown berries, beverages mushrooms, potatoes, and herbs/spices were all flat or declined in volume sales.”
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