Categories purchased haven't changed significantly in the past few years. The number bought by
40 percent or more of shoppers has risen from six to eight. The categories that led in terms of
number of additional purchasers were Meat, poultry, and seafood (raw); Meals (frozen); Salty
snacks; and Beans, grains, and rice.
Beverages have been much more dynamic than food during the period from 2020, with the
average category growing by a full seven percentage points compared to only one point for food.
Only RTD Tea failed to gain wider acceptance.
Today's Specialty Food Consumers:
They
What
Buy
Buying Each
Top 10 Specialty
Food Category In-Store
Share of Consumers
2020 2022 2021 2023
Annual Survey dates: January 2020, July 2021-2022, August 2023
Base: Internet users age 18+ who purchased any specialty food and beverages in the past six months:
2019 - 1,212; 2020 - 1,170; 2021 - 1,182; 2022 - 1,242; 2023 - 1,157
Source: SFA
60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%
0%
49%
48%
46%
48%
Chocolate
Ice cream and frozen desserts
Bread, muns, and bagels/bialys
Salty snacks (e.g., chips, pretzels)
Meat, poultry, and seafood (raw)
Pasta and pasta sauce
Cheese and plant-based cheese
Cookies, brownies, cakes, and pies
Yogurt and plant-based yogurt
Beans, grains, and rice
45%
52%
46%
46%
43%
45%
42%
46%
40%
50%
47%
45%
36%
45%
42%
44%
39%
45%
41%
43%
45%
46%
44%
42%
38%
40%
38%
41%
43%
38%
38%
38%
32%
37%
36%
37%
30 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
