SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Since the beginning of the pandemic, consumers have continued to focus on purchasing products that are both health-forward and immunity-boosting. While our industry continues to adapt to rising demands, trends show that these shopping habits will continue to persist and that fresh produce will remain a high priority. Companies like Side Delights are weighing in on this trend, revealing recently released data on the growing focus on the health benefits of foods and the impact it has on consumer behavior.

“In a time where immunity, health benefits, and food sourcing are critical aspects of food quality, Side Delights potatoes are a nutrient-rich choice for any meal at any age, grown in this country’s best-growing regions,” noted Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “Retailers benefit when they leverage this information and feature potatoes in stores and online to remind shoppers to add potatoes to their shopping lists and carts.”

The International Food Information Council issued a report, “COVID-19 Pandemic Transforms the Way We Shop, Eat and Think About Food,” based on the recent IFIC’s 2020 Food & Health Survey, noted the press release. According to the survey, 85 percent of Americans made at least some change in the food they eat or how they prepare it due to the coronavirus pandemic. Forty percent of respondents who said they were seeking food or diets for their health benefits were explicitly focused on their immune function and that plant-based items have continued to be a trend into 2021.

This connection between healthy eating and reducing disease risk is outlined in the USDA’s newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025. The guidelines recommend nutrient-rich plant-based foods like potatoes for all stages of life—starting as young as six months old.

In addition to what is in their food and its health benefits, consumers are paying more attention to where it is grown. As stated in the Forbes article Food Trends Forecast 2021: Being Healthy In A Post COVID-19 World, “Shoppers have changed how they are choosing their foods with a new yearning for reading labels, understanding what ingredients are in their foods, where their foods come from, and which foods they should avoid.”

Side Delights potatoes are literally “Grown Where It Matters” to be fresh, high-quality potatoes—cultivated in the best potato growing areas, stored in high-tech storage facilities, and packed and delivered close to customers/final mile experts so that the healthfulness of the fresh product stays intact for consumption by shoppers. Once the product is in the store, Side Delights offers award-winning, eye-catching packaging and a complete category assortment to address all types of shoppers—value, convenience-oriented, gourmet, and organic.

While consumers continue to pursue nutritious and healthy fresh produce in stores, keep checking back to ANUK as we bring the latest insights on the industry.

Side Delights^®