32%
45%
28%
47%
40%
42%
38%
34%
32%
49%
45%
41%
27%
24%
43%
36%
27%
33%
39%
42%
Consumer participation in all specialty food and beverage categories has gradually
increased over the past three years. The average across all categories in 2021 is about
38 percent, compared to 35 percent in 2020 and 27 percent in 2019.
Across the top 10 categories, an average of 47 percent of all SFCs say they made purchases
this year. By comparison, in 2019 the top 10 categories had a much lower level of participation at
32 percent in 2019 and 36 percent in 2020, a good indication of the market's strength.
Most of the top 10 categories have seen a purchase leap between 2019 and 2020 that is sustained in
2021, pointing to the impact of COVID and stay-at-home mandates.
Sweet and savory snacks including ice cream and frozen desserts (+20pts), and salty snacks
(e.g., chips, and pretzels) (+22pts), led the biggest percentage point jumps since 2019. Meat, poultry,
and seafood (raw) was also up significantly (+21pts).
Purchases went up in most of the top 10 categories in 2021, with the exception of chocolate
which declined 1pt since 2020.
Buying Each Top 10 Specialty Food Category
*Annual survey dates: January 2019-20, July 2021
Source: SFA
Today's Specialty
Food Consumers:
What They
Buy
2019 2020 2021
Share of Consumers
60%
52%
50%
49%
48%
46% 46%
45% 45%
45%
45%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Ice cream
and frozen
desserts
Salty
snacks
(e.g., chips,
pretzels
Water and
sparkling
water
Chocolate Cheese and
plant-based
cheese
Milk and
plant-based
milk
Bread,
mušns
and
bagels/bialys
Meat,
poultry
and
seafood (raw)
Pasta and
pasta sauce
Coœee and
hot cocoa
(non-RTD)
42 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
