U.S. sales of natural/organic food and beverages grew 9%, to nearly $39 billion, compared to under 2% growth for nonorganic grocery categories, according to a new report
U.S. consumers’ food tastes continue to evolve, according to a newly released survey that reveals Americans most want to see “Natural,” “Organic” or “Grown in the USA” product labels on their food.
Their more expensive prices would seem to indicate a downturn in organic foods and beverages, but organic consumers have yet to abandon organic products in any significant numbers and have, instead, employed coupons and smart shopping strategies to seek their favorite organic options.
Vegetarianism may not be the largest trend in the food industry at present, but surprising numbers of young people are opting to go meat-free, while an aging population has its own reasons behind avoiding meats.
How much of a market is there for vegetarian products? A 2009 Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) survey found about 1% of American consumers identify themselves as vegan, roughly a third of the number who regard themselves as vegetarians, but the group’s 2010 survey found a surprising amount of vegetarians among Americans between 8-18.