Value-Added Produce Making Gains
Fresh and value-added produce experienced dollar gains in the second quarter of 2014, resulting in produce department average weekly dollar sales increases by 4.5 percent for the period, according to the latest FreshFacts on Retail report by the United Fresh Produce Association. For Q2 of 2014, increased retail prices for fresh produce drove produce dollar gains, with most fruit and vegetable categories showing increased average retail prices compared to the same period last year.
Value-added fruits and vegetables experienced dollar sales and volume increases for most sub-categories despite increases in average retail price. Value-added fruits posted higher overall dollar and volume sales than value-added vegetables during Q2 2014, however, the volume and dollar sales growth rate for value-added vegetables outpaced that of value-added fruit.
This quarter’s FreshFacts report also debuts a new feature, “Category Deep Dive,” with expanded data for berry, citrus and packaged salad categories. The report shows that strawberries generated 54 percent of overall berry sales, with increases in both volume and dollar sales. For citrus, limes showed an increase in average retail price of 63 percent, resulting in a dollar sales increase of 50 percent. And for salads, organic salads and completes/kits both had double-digit growth in dollars and volume.
“The recommendation to expand the data in these larger produce categories came from the members of our Retail-Foodservice board,” said Jeff Oberman, United Fresh's VP, trade relations and liaison to United’s Retail-Foodservice board. “We’re always looking to enhance the value of these reports and will continue to explore deep data dives and other commodities in future issues.”
In addition, this edition’s Quarterly Spotlight focuses on beverages and juices found in the produce department. The data shows that shoppers are increasingly looking to the produce department for fresh beverages, including fresh fruit juices, smoothies and ciders.
The FreshFacts on Retail report, produced in partnership with the Nielsen Perishables Group and sponsored by Del Monte Fresh Produce, measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities, as well as value-added, organic and other produce categories.
The complete FreshFacts on Retail report can be downloaded free of charge for all United Fresh members ($50 for non-members) by clicking here. For questions about specific data contained in the report, please contact Nielsen Perishables Group at 773-769-3550 or [email protected].