WASHINGTON, D.C. - As suppliers and retailers alike look to optimize ever-evolving consumer behavior, the United Fresh Produce Association has revealed a critical resource. The association recently announced it has released its Q1 2021 issue of FreshFacts® on Retail, pulling back the curtain on several critical shopper trends.

“More than a year later, the pandemic continues to cause significant changes in consumer behavior,” said Miriam Wolk, Vice President, Member Services. “The cautionary spending environment means brands will need to be laser-focused on economically constrained consumers’ price sensitivity and channels, shifting towards value outlets.”

The new issue, which is sponsored by Mucci Farms, debuts a new horizontal layout for an enhanced digital viewing experience and measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities.

The Q1 2021 issue reports that most department sales remain higher than the past two years, as rising prices drove produce dollars as consumption fell slightly, the press release explained. The report also looks at broader category performance date for the quarter, with seasonal category deep dives including avocados, cantaloupe, cauliflower, and corn. The report offers a year-by-year comparison spanning the last three years’ Q3 results to help companies plan for a successful Q3 2021.

Highlights featured in the Q1 2021 report include:

• Total produce household trips to the store are up 4.6 percent vs a year ago
• Salad kits continue to gain in popularity, as dollar share grew +2.1 pts
• Quarterly sales of organic produce eclipse $2.3 billion
• Mixed fruit are the top selling value-added category and eight out of top ten categories reported growth
• Shopper spend on value-added vegetables continues to grow, with 2.7 percent dollar contribution of value-added vegetables to total produce

Keep a tab open for ANUK as we continue to bring you the latest news in the fresh produce industry.

United Fresh Produce Association