6A THE STATE OF THE SPECIALTY FOOD INDUSTRY
THE SPECIALTY FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN: IMPORTERS
Four in five importers surveyed reported sales gains in 2015, with 45 percent reporting increases
above 10 percent.
2 0 1 5 C H A N N E L G R OW T H
Fastest: Foodservice, Online
Slowest: Conventional Supermarkets,
Department Stores
Top Natural or Ethical Product
Claims Imported:
ALL-NATURAL
NON-GMO
ORGANIC
D O L L A R S A L E S C H A N G E
I N T H E PA S T Y E A R
2015 %
Up 30% or more 10
Up 20 – 29% 10
Up 10 – 19% 25
Up 1 – 9% 35
Unchanged 10
Down 1 – 9% 5
Down 10 – 19% 5
Down 20 – 29% 0
Down 30% or more 0
Source: Mintel/SPINS/IRI
2 0 1 5 - AT- A - G L A N C E
Mean Annual Sales $3,130,000
Mean # of SKUs 211
Mean # of Countries Imported From 2.9
Most Important Natural
or Ethical Claim to Consumers:
TODAY: ALL-NATURAL
Prime Importing Sources:
Europe
Asia
South America
Central America
39%
RETAIL
DISTRIBUTORS
11%
FOODSERVICE
DISTRIBUTORS
HALF OF IMPORTER
SALES GO THROUGH
DISTRIBUTORS:
Seeking to Expand
Specialty Food
Oferings
MEDITERRANEAN
LATIN
GREEK SPANISH THAI
Most Important Natural or
Ethical Claim to Consumers:
ORGANIC
T H E F U T U R E
Top 5 Emerging Cuisines:
1. Mediterranean
2. Latin
3. Greek
4. Spanish
5. Thai
I N T H E I R OW N WO R D S
What are importers' biggest gripes
about the specialty food industry?
"The overblown focus of consumers
for locally sourced foods and
gluten-free foods."
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