According to new research, both the organic market and the food-allergy market have only just begun to bear 'fruit' and enjoy success.
According to a report from Global Industry Analysts, Inc., thanks to an increase in food sensitivies and allergies, "the global market for food allergy/intolerance products will continue to explode, reaching a projected $26.5 billion-plus by 2017." This can't be shocking for most of you; if you poll a group of 10-20 people, I can almost guarantee someone will have some sort of allergy, senstivity, intolerence, etc. In fact, in the past decade alone, food allergy incidences have risen ~10.5%. That's crazy!
This is great news for those who suffer from these allergies and issues, as it means they'll have more and more options to choose from. Suffering from ANYTHING is hard enough; having increased options to enjoy and make everyday life feel more 'normal' is a great thing.
I'm not sure if this has a halo effect on organic foods, or if organic foods is enjoying it's boom due to an increased focus on health & wellness in the U.S., but, according to the Organic Trade Association, "sales of organic products rose 9.5% in 2011 to $31.5 billion, crossing the $30 billion mark for the first time." While price is still an issue (many consumers dismiss organic foods because they consider them to be too expensive compared to generic products), as the recession's effect subside, consumers are increasingly open to investing in organics for themselves and their families.
So how does this growth break out?
- Organic food sales grew by 9.4%
- Fruit and vegetables accounting for 41% of all purchases
- Dairy products came in second with 14.6%,
- Packaged and prepared foods followed with 13.6%
-Meat, fish and poultry is the fastest-growing of the eight food categories, up 13% from 2010 (it should be noted that it still remains the smallest, accounting for just 1.8% of all organic food sales)
Of course organic (just like healthier foods) faces issues due to consumer confusion (people don't understand the difference between terms like 'organic', 'natural', 'local', etc.), but this is a great opportunity for brands to help consumer gain shopping confidence by helping them better understand the many terms they see in the grocery store, and recognize how to shop smarter and better (no matter how they define 'better').