The Natural Way to Grow Your Business
Dr. A. Elizabeth Sloan, President, Sloan Trends Inc.
Escondido, California USA
The number of natural food households in America is expected to double in the next five years skyrocketing natural food and beverages sales to $48 billion in sales in the U.S. alone. Nearly two-thirds of Americans bought natural food and beverages in 2004, 50% organic. More than half of consumers think it is important for their supermarket to have foods gown without pesticides, 49% foods that are natural, and 35% foods that are free of GMO’s. Led by Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Markets, natural channel food sales topped $11 billion in 2004. Packaged groceries, produce, and nutrition bars, dairy, frozen and refrigerated prepared meals saw the largest sales jumps last year – all well into double digit growth. Natural meats, cereals, coffees, baking mixes and frozen foods saw some of the largest gains. Foods that are produced with sustainable agricultural techniques and clean labeling are also quickly moving mainstream. And the future looks good. Younger generations of consumers are growing up with an even more intense appreciation for natural, organic, and environmental and/or /agriculturally-friendly products. Young people are shopping at natural and health food stores at more than twice the rate of the general population. This presentation will discuss consumer attitudes and actions in terms of natural foods and help quantify and qualify the future natural ingredient/preservative opportunity both here and abroad. It will discuss trends in ingredient categories and retail food and beverage categories and identify where the greatest opportunities exist for natural additives and preservative.