Fresh Produce Trends: Produce Sales Trend Brighter: ‘FreshFacts’ Q2 Report
The latest edition of the United Fresh Foundation’s quarterly retail research report shows some promising news for the produce industry. Retail sales of fresh fruits and vegetables across many categories posted volume and pricing gains in the second quarter of 2010, according to the Washington-based United Fresh’s quarterly “FreshFacts” report.
According to the report, fresh produce clearly remains a high priority for many consumers, since many purchased more produce regardless of price. Onions, for example, increased a dramatic 42 percent in average retail price, but that didn’t hinder volume, which grew 0.6 percent. A similar trend occurred in citrus, where price increased 16 percent, but volume still grew nearly 3 percent. Even more promising, value-added fruit and vegetables increased average prices by 1.6 percent and 4 percent, respectively, and both maintained volume growth.
Produced in partnership with the Chicago-based Perishables Group and sponsored by Del Monte Fresh Produce in Coral Gables, Fla., United Fresh’s “FreshFacts on Retail” report measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities, as well as value-added, organic and other produce categories.
Highlights of the Q2 report include:
• A 6.6 percent increase in average vegetable dollars and a 4 percent increase for fruit
• Five of the top 10 fruit categories and seven of the top 10 vegetables experienced dollar growth
• An increase in dollars and volume for every value-added vegetable category, and an increase in overall value?added fruit dollar and volume sales by 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively
• Increases of 8 percent in sales and 11 percent in volume for organic fruits overall
In addition, this “FreshFacts”edition features a Quarterly Spotlight on how to measure the performance of retail promotions in produce, including how to measure their effectiveness. The spotlight also shows the produce department contributing 27 percent of all volume while on promotion, with 58 percent of all fruit promotions being efficient (above expected sales) and 47 percent efficiency for vegetable promotions.
The complete “FreshFacts on Retail” report can be downloaded free of charge to all United Fresh members ($50 for non-members) at www.unitedfresh.org.
For more information on how to obtain the report or suggestions for future category spotlights, contact Patrick Delaney, United Fresh communications manager, at 202-303-3400, ext. 417, or [email protected]. For questions about specific data contained in the report, contact Kelli Beckel at the Perishables Group at 773-929-7013.