Monterey, CA (January 20, 2021) — Buoyed by a fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, 2020 organic produce sales finished with a 14.2-percent increase over the previous year, outpacing conventionally grown produce in both sales and volume gains, according to the 2020 Organic Produce Performance Report released today exclusively by the Organic Produce Network and Category Partners.
Organic fresh produce sales in 2020 were $8,542,355,756, an increase of over $1 billion from 2019, and represented 12 percent of all fresh produce sales, according to scanned data from Nielsen. Conventional produce sales rose 10.7 percent for the year.
The 14.2-percent increase in organic sales from 2019 reflected a nine-month-long pandemic that changed consumers’ grocery shopping habits. Of the top 10 organic sales and volume categories, 9 of them saw double-digit growth.
The top three sales categories for 2020 were packaged salads, berries (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries), and apples, with each segment registering double-digit gains over the prior year. Among the categories showing the largest year-over-year sales increases were herbs and spices (up 26 percent) and potatoes (up 21 percent), as consumers shifted to preparing more meals at home during the pandemic. Organic grapes saw a decline of 6 percent in both sales and volume.
All four geographic regions of the country experienced double-digit growth in 2020, with the West showing the biggest increases in sales (16.8 percent) and volume (17.5 percent) over the previous year.
The fourth quarter of 2020 saw a continuation of the double-digit growth of organic sales that started in early March, with strong increases in the herbs and spices category as well as the lettuce and potato segments. Organic produce sales for the fourth quarter topped $2 billion, with dollars increasing 15 percent compared to a gain of only 10 percent in conventional. Volume was a similar story, with organics up 14.4 percent compared to a volume increase in conventional of 7.9 percent for the last quarter of 2020.
A complete version of this report will be made available on the Organic Produce Network website at the end of January.
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About Organic Produce Network
OPN is a marketing organization serving as the go-to resource for the organic fresh produce industry. The company’s mission is to inform and educate through a strong digital presence with an emphasis on original content and complimented by engaging live events which bring together various components of the organic food community. The OPN audience includes organic producers, handlers, distributors, processors, wholesalers, foodservice operators, and retailers. www.
Media Contact:
Matt Seeley
Matt@organicproducenetwork.com
831-884-5058