A rise in specialty organics
A rise in specialty organics
The term “specialty” often relates to items that are more expensive and are often viewed by shoppers as non-staple items used for special occasions. But when you’re talking specialty organics, it’s becoming more and more the norm.
“The biggest thing that has happened in the industry lately is the recognition as a lot more people are making the move toward these products — the growth is continuous and steady,” said Bryant Hammer, marketing coordinator for Lakeside Organic Gardens, based in Watsonville, CA. “For us, we’re trying to make a bigger push in terms of marketing the products to our customers and the general public.”
The way to do that, he shared, is by educating people about the benefits of organics and making sure that those they deal with put the products in the best light.
It was just about a year ago when the Specialty Food Association and Food Marketing Institute partnered on a strategic plan focusing on the $127 billion specialty food category. The marriage of the two groups was created to establish a program to engage in food-safety training and increase understanding of the specialty food industry.
“Specialty foods outpace their non-specialty counterparts in nearly every category, presenting a unique opportunity for a wide variety of retailers and foodservice operators to increase sales,” SFA President Phil Kafarakis said at the time of the announcement. “We believe this strategic partnership will have a positive impact throughout the industry.”
The specialty food segment offers high-quality, unique products that cater to an increasingly adventurous shopper, and gourmet or specialty organics is a big part of that in 2018.
Organic produce recorded almost $5 billion in sales last year, representing an 8 percent increase from 2016, according to the Organic Produce Network and Nielsen. Additionally, sales volume of organic produce reached approximately 2 billion pounds, a 10 percent increase from the year prior.
